Hight rate 12 location for tourist in Emerald, VIC , Australia

Rosh de Silva Such an amazing place to visit and relax

Simon Neill Its a very nice station that trains stop at to fill up at and let guests explore around while they wait. I got a good photo of the last train of the day getting ready to leave with the passengers. Very nice.

Sandy Kavanagh Amazing trip beautiful scenery, everyone was having so much fun. Though we had a delay due to engine problems, everyone, was patient, chatting happily. The food court at Lakeside provided some delicious options. Highly recommend this trip.

Bob Leung With tickets sold out, we just can see the departure of the night train. The lakeside stroll is a must activity with beautiful scenery and tranquility in winter time.

Choong Thoong Chua This is the station at the start of our puffing Billy steam train. Bus drop off is just outside the station. Our guide quickly got the pre booked tickets for everyone in the group and we are able to walk though the station to excitedly board our assigned coaches based on the tickets. It is good to have assigned coaches so that everyone on board can get a seat by the open air window. You can sit with your legs extended out of the train coach all the way if you wanted. Super exciting super original.

Calleja Mark A great experience travelling on Puffing Billy. Lakeside has a great cafe, tourist office, shop, and a small museum. A great place to visit for a picnic.

L Jim Good to feel the history

Suhail Ali A small but nostalgic museum worth visiting on the way to Emerald lake. The whole museum took around 20 mins and we were fortunate that great grand daughter of sir Nobelius showed us around. She was very friendly and explained things nicely. There is no entry fee and there are clean toilets on the side of the museum.

The Melbie Small museum with a large collection of the Nobelius family & local vintage farming implements & home furnishings as well as Emerald area specific historical info. Worth having a quick look or take your time as part of your Nobelius parkland exploration. Volunteers are knowledgeable & helpful. Check out the manual horse powered dredge used to create Lake Emerald...!

Brooke Miller We had a great visit to the museum today. Pauline was so welcoming and told us many stories. We got to use the typewriters which was an absolute treat. Definitely worth visiting this museum.

Momo Chang The volunteers in the museum were certainly informative and very helpful. One of them was a lady who definitely knows the history of the area and she even kindly showed us the organ piano in detail with some interesting stories about it.

Vivek M It was disappointing to know that paddle boating was permanently closed. Nonetheless this place is absolutely beautiful for a nice family picnic.

Dan Song Emerald Lake Park is a beautiful, family-friendly spot in the heart of the Dandenong Ranges. The scenery is stunning with peaceful walking trails, paddle boats, and plenty of open space for picnics. The kids loved the playground and spotting wildlife around the lake. The Puffing Billy steam train running through adds a unique, charming touch. Clean, well-maintained, and perfect for a day out. Highly recommended

GossipGirl XOXO Quite popular day trip destination for Melbournians, especially days with good weather. They are all ticket car park, it’s not easy to get one when I’m weekends or public holidays. Nice walking tails around there.

Ketan Bali One of the best picnic spots newr Melbourne within 45mins drive from CBD

Jack Lin The lake is small, but the views are nice, really love the fresh air here!

Average Epicurean Plenty of information from the staff about the surrounding area. A souvenir stand, cafe, restrooms and a museum is also available on site. Alot of beautiful scenery heading towards Emerald Lake, highly recommend taking a look around for some beautiful scenery.

Simon Neill Nestled amongst the towering rainforest in the heart of emerald lake Park sits puffing Billy railways state-of-the-art lakeside visitor centre. Featuring a modern café in a relaxed indoor and outdoor setting, a gift shop featuring locally designed treasures and a gallery of steam artefacts in the lakeside hall, the visitor centre offers guests a cultural hub with world class facilities. And its open daily with free entry to passengers and visitors. Its a very nice place, do check it out.

Foodie Luwee This visitor centre seems new and the people here are helpful. There’s toilet, gift shop and cafe as well with food prices fairly similar to other cafes.

Amy May Did the Halloween experience from Lakeside round trip stopped off for 45min went through the "haunted" museum to gather the 6 clues to solve the murder. Was fabulous, few people in costumes, staff dressed up with facepaint too. Got to sit on the sills on way down but was too dark on way back did the 730pm session in early November. Went to the cafe just before 6pm after checked in and hmgot our tickets food was great generous portions, fresh, hot and delicious got the margarita pizza, chicken parama came with chips and salad, iced chocolate and chocolate milkshake table service there is a QR code on table if you wanna sit and just get it brought to you. Theres a water tap, bottles, cups, cutlery and napkins all there to grab before you sit and plenty of seating options. Around the corner bathrooms were well kept and clean. The experience was fabulous the train ride felt longer on the way back and was definitely tired by the end. Parking once I found it was fine there is stairs or the many ramps down option. No ticket to put in the windows the machine takes card is touch screen and full day is $8, $2 for a 2h minimum and will ask for your licence plate. Sitting on the sill was fabulous legs can get a bit dead after a while and we were in cabin G and there was the odd time where got some smoke or coal bit in the eye or something Sunnies helped though. Stagg are super helpful and friendly and felt was definitely a good price for all that we did.

Nick P This park is one of the stops on the Puffing Billy Railway. The park has a small lake with picnic bences. Very quite and peaceful area. There is a cafe there with good food options. Also , souvenir shops. The park is free to enjoy, and the benchs are first come, first serve Ticket - $0

Aaron Very nice and beautiful place, though we took Puffing Billy to get here, might be worth the drive to spend a day. Expect tons of tourists though which is a bit crowded unfortunately and parking might be a bit hard.

Elmer S A great place to have with family picnic! Unfortunately we get there a little bit late and never have a chance to ride the aqua bike hire. Plenty of parking, but you have to pay for it. Free swimming pool but no life guard when we went there.

Nanling Liu It was a beautiful day when we visited this lake. Birds were singing, ducks were swimming, and kids were playing, it felt like a perfect afternoon. Although the lake was a bit small, the water was crystal clear, I could see tiny fishes in the lake. There were many wild birds like ducks, purple swamphens, and Eurasian Coot. It was great to see them living together peacefully in the lake. They also have a small swimming pool and children’s playground on the left side of the lake, plus public toilets and some shelters, which would be a great place for family gatherings. It was also near the Puffing Billy Railway, I watched the train leaving from the station in the afternoon. However, you need to pay for parking near the lake. All day parking fee is 8 dollars.

Simon Neill What an absolutely beautiful and amazing park! Nestled in the Dandenong Ranges, this park is perfect to get together with family and friends for special occasions, like Australia day. We came here to celebrate Australia day with family and we all had a great time walking around, checking out everything. And this park has many picnic areas and BBQ facilities so its perfect for that. There are many different things to see and do around this park, so much so that youd need to spend a whole day here. First, theres the lakeside visitor centre that guests can visit while the trains are paused at lakeside station, which features a Café with lots of food and a gift shop with lots of souvenirs. Then, theres the lake which features paddleboating and lots of ducks swimming around in it. Then, there are many walking tracks that are very steep and dangerous at times so be careful. And, there are also few toilets here and a few playgrounds. And, theres even a model railway there too, which is super cool. Theres a few good parking spots here, or you could come here by puffing Billy by doing the "Belgrave to lakeside journey". So overall, emerald lake park is an awesome park that has a lot to do and is just a good place to get together at. We will definitely be back, dont you worry about that.

Iris Hsu Lovely place for picnic, for a walk or jogging. Family friendly, you are allowed to bring your bbq equipment and use it at certain areas. Lots of parking and toilet is pretty clean. Very nice view from the trail. The road condition is a little bit upsetting and one of the entrance was closed temporarily. Overall we enjoyed our time in the park.

loveleen Kaur The Kangaroo Viewing Trail offers visitors a chance to observe kangaroos grazing, especially around dusk .

OOI BOON KAI Wonderful place! But we came too early, and didnt have a chance to see the kangaroos. But the trail is nice for a small walk. This place is huge!

R F This is an absolutely amazing park, with beautiful trails, BBQ plates,play area, and kangraoo sightseeing.

loveleen Kaur Beautiful park with stunning views over the reservoir! Great walking trails, especially the Kangaroo Viewing Trail where we saw heaps of kangaroos in the evening. Plenty of picnic spots with BBQs and clean toilets. Perfect for a relaxing day out in nature. Just remember to bring your own rubbish bags as there are no bins. Highly recommend for families or anyone wanting a peaceful escape close to Melbourne.

Sanjay Fernando Very quiet and peaceful place to relax or go for a picnic. There is a long walk along the reservoir which is about an hours walk We expected to see kangaroos but didn’t - I believe they are spotted in the mornings and evenings more. The park area was having quite a lot of kangaroo poo which made us watch where we step. There is a nice play area for kids

Kumar Mullackal The journey to Cardinia Reservoir Park is a prelude to enchantment. Even before reaching the waters edge, the winding mountain road unveils a panorama of breathtaking vistas – sprawling grasslands, meticulously cultivated farms, and undulating meadows that stretch as far as the eye can see. This visual feast sets the stage for the tranquility that awaits. Upon arrival, the sheer expanse of the pristine freshwater reservoir instills an immediate sense of calm. The air is crisp, the atmosphere serene, and a palpable cool vibe washes over you, a welcome respite from the urban clamor. A leisurely stroll along the reservoir bank is less a physical exertion and more a meditative experience, each step accompanied by the gentle lapping of water and the rustling of leaves. Beyond the tranquil waters, the park offers delightful surprises. Keep your eyes peeled, and you might be rewarded with the sight of kangaroos grazing peacefully near the picnic areas, a truly Australian wildlife encounter. Cardinia Reservoir Park is more than just a park; its a sanctuary, a place to disconnect from the frenetic pace of modern life and reconnect with the simple beauty of nature. Its an invitation to breathe, to unwind, and to simply be

Wendy Walking on the dam trail, you can see both the reservoir and the park. With wind blowing on your face, it feels very nice. Just be careful with the kangaroo poop on the grass; they are all over the place. Unfortunately, I don’t see any kangaroos in the kangaroo viewing trail, but I saw them on someone’s land on the hill next to the park.

Simon Neill This is an old packing shed on the puffing Billy line. Once the largest fruit and plant nursery in the southern hemisphere during the early 20th century, now a place where you can eat dinner at. Which is pretty cool I guess. Also got some great photos of the tracks which was cool. Good place.

Pete Nichols Old packing shed now used for dinner stops on the puffing billy railway line Great food music and good company

Nikki Wellington What a fabulous space, I helped a friend set up a wedding there and it truly was a gorgeous location for a wedding.......or any event really.

Mark Sorensen Loved the atmosphere next to the fire place and chicken meal for dinner. The desserts were delicious too. Friendly service on Puffing Billy

Suzette Worden One of the Puffing Billy Excursions is a trip to the Nobelius Siding Packing Shed for lunch. The trip sounded good on the Puffing Billy Railway website but did not live up to their description. The trip did not include time to spend at the Park which was stated to be the case on the booking website. The service for the lunch was poor. We were one of the last tables to be served and received cold vegetables and a cold hot chocolate dessert. The rest of the meal was luke-warm and we did not have time to finish our meal as we were rushed onto the train for the return journey before we could finish our meal. And, they forgot to bring our drink order. If you are considering this trip, think carefully - a nice picnic might be more enjoyable with the train ride.

Livinia Sheridan This was so fun and cool to see. My dad suggested we go after seeing it on google maps and I was very skeptic and not interested at all. But after we went in it was amazing. The amount of work and care put into making and maintaining it is incredible and it’s so cool to see. I would definitely give it a go if you are around the area!

Jaison K Great little place for a quick 30mins visit, kids will really enjoy it and imagination at some sections are really awesome. But vehicles at some area are out of scale, some are larger and some are way smaller. Some interactive elements were added with couple of switches around. The visit is totally worth if you around the area as it is not expensive. Overall an enjoyable visit

Mary Such a fun place to pop into, really sparks the imagination. So many fun little scenes happening. It’s getting a bit old and dusty, but part of the charm. Could definitely do with better lighting, you really have to strain to see the miniatures. But if you’re down at the lake, you’ve gotta pay a visit to the miniature railway.

John Locke This station is extremely appealing to me because of the steam trains, the lake, water activities, the picnic area, the cafe, the models, history and decoration. I wanna explore other stations!

Justin Appleby Id swear this place hasnt changed since I went here 20 years ago! Nor have the prices it seems. Its still awesome for all the childhood memories and Child inside anyone who likes miniature playsets. Some interactive elements - look out for the push-buttons. Great location next to the steam railway station and lake.

Robert T This review is only about the small picnic area on the corner of Emerald-Monbulk Road and Old Monbulk Road near Butterfield Reserve. While it only has a picnic table, the nearby Woori Yallock Creek is worth a look. It is 2 minutes from the picnic area, and is a delightful bubbling brook that flows among gum trees and tree ferns.

Ellysa Greenhalgh Beautiful place for a walk in the forest. Butterfield reserve used to be Butterfield gold field, it has a very interesting history. You will be able to see the remains of buildings from the goldrush that were burnt down.

Sasha Boon Very small narrow dirt walking track. Has a lot of mud in places depending on weather. There is a nice creek at the end to sit and listen to the birds and water. Area is very natural and some recent planting done to rehabilitate some parts. Room for 8 cars in car parking at the picnic tables before entering reserve

Peter Stokes Great place to exercise in, mostly nice paths some fallen trees to negotiate at the moment around the creek. Not a lot of Parking at some entrances. The very pretty Butterfield Farm in nearby (see Photo) if you enter via Butterfield Rd.

Balthazar Quinn Beautiful, natural setting with a small creek running through the forest. No dogs allowed due to native wildlife. No parking either, so the walking track is probably mostly used by locals, however there are occasion roadside indents in the barriers where you could possibly park, if you didnt mind hiking along the side of a narrow (busy) road to find an entrance to the park.

Paul Pavlinovich This is the back office of the Puffing Billy Railway and archives.

Jason Fairburn Nice spot