Melbourne - Australia 2004 - page 562

THE CASINO
Crown Casino Australia's largest casino is a plush affair open 24 hours. You'll
find all the usual roulette and blackjack tables and so on, as well as an array of
gaming machines. Believe me, you can lose big here. There are some 25 restau-
rants and 40 bars on the premises. Clarendon St., Southbank. & 03/9292 6868 .
While you're here, have lunch at the Red Emperor. Its Cantonese yum cha is
superb as is the service. There's a great view of the Yarra River. 3 Southgate Ave.,
upper level Southgate. & 03/9699 4170. Yum cha items from A$3.85-A$8.80 (US$2.50-
US$5.70). AE, DC, MC. V. Mon-Sat noon-3pm; Sun 11am-4pm.
9 Side Trips from Melbourne
DANDENONG RANGES
40km (25 miles) E of Melbourne
Melbournian traditionally do a “day in the Dandenongs” from time to time,
topping off their getaway with Devonshire tea with scones and jam at one of the
many cafes en route. Up in the cool, high country you'll find native bush,
famous gardens, the Dandenong Ranges National Park, historic attractions such
as the Puffing Billy—a vintage steam train—and plenty of restaurants and cozy
B&Bs. The Dandenong Ranges National Park is one of the state's oldest, set
aside in 1882 to protect its Mountain Ash forests and lush tree-fern gullies.
Auswalk, P.O. Box 516, Jindabyne, NSW 2627 ( & 02/6457 2220; fax 02/
6457 2206; [e-mail]), offers 4-day/3-night, self-guided tours of
the Dandenongs for two or more people, including accommodations, most
meals, a ride on the Puffing Billy steam train (p. 566), national park entrance
fees, vehicle transfers, and an itinerary and maps. The tour costs around A$590
(US$384) per person but could be a little cheaper depending on the season.
Parkwood Personalised Tours ( & 03/5334 2428; www.oztour.com;
[e-mail]) runs personalized day and multiday tours of the Yarra Valley
as well as other places in Victoria, and the Great Ocean Road, staying at quaint
B&B guesthouses or boutique hotels, from $60 (US$39) per hour.
GETTING THERE To get to the area, take the Burwood Highway from
Melbourne, then the Mt. Dandenong Tourist Road, which starts at Upper Fer-
ntree Gully and then winds its way through the villages of Sassafras, Olinda,
Mount Dandenong, and Kalorama to Montrose. If you take a turnoff to Sher-
brook, or extend your journey into a loop taking in Seville, Woori Yallock,
Emerald, and Belgrave you'll see a fair slice of the local scenery.
VISITOR INFORMATION The Dandenong Ranges & Knox Visitor
Information Centre, 1211 Burwood Hwy., Upper Ferntree Gully, VIC 3156
( & 1800/645 505 in Australia, or 03/9758 7522; fax [phone]), is open
daily from 9am to 5pm.
NATURE WALKS
Most people come here to get out of the city for a pleasant bushwalk, so in that
way it's the equivalent of Sydney's Blue Mountains. Some of the better walks
include the easy 2.5km (1.5-mile) stroll from the Sherbrook Picnic Ground
through the forest, and the Thousand Steps and the Kokoda Track Memorial
Walk, a challenging rainforest track from the Fern Tree Gully Picnic Ground up
to One Tree Hill. Along the way are plaques commemorating Australian troops
who fought and died in Papua New Guinea in World War II.