Melbourne - Australia 2004 - page 563

FOR GARDENING BUFFS
Bonsai Farm If you don't like to crane your neck when it comes to looking
at trees, then visit this large display of petite bonsais. Some of them are many
decades old and cost a pretty penny.
Mt. Dandenong Tourist Rd., Mt. Dandenong. & 03/9751 1150. Free admission. Wed-Sun 11am-5pm. Trans-
portation: See William Ricketts Sanctuary below.

National Rhododendron Gardens From September through November,
thousands of rhododendrons and azaleas burst into bloom in these magnificent
gardens. There are 42 lovely hectares (104 acres) in all, with a 3km (1.75-mile)
walking path leading past flowering exotics and native trees as well as great vis-
tas over the Yarra Valley. A tearoom is open every day during spring and on
weekends at other times. Visitors flock here in summer for the glorious walks,
and again in autumn when the leaves are turning.
The Georgian Rd., Olinda. & 03/9751 1980. Admission: Sept 1-Nov 30 A$6.70 (US$4.35) adults, A$2.20
(US$1.40) children 10-16, A$14 (US$8.80) families; Dec 1-Aug 31 A$5.60 (US$3.60) adults, A$2.20
(US$1.40) children, A$13.50 (US$8.80) families. Daily 10am-4:30pm. Closed Christmas Day. Train to Croydon
and then bus no. 688 to the gardens, or train to Belgrave and bus no. 694.
Tesselaar's Bulbs and Flowers There are literally tens of thousands of
flowers on display here, putting on a flamboyantly colorful show in the spring
(Sept-Oct). Expect to see a dazzling variety of tulips, daffodils, rhododendrons,
azaleas, fuchsias, and ranunculi. Bulbs are on sale at discount prices at other times.
357 Monbulk Rd., Silvan. & 03/9737 9811. Admission during tulip festival, A$12 (US$7.80) adults, children
under 16 admitted free if accompanied by an adult; free for everyone rest of the year. During tulip festival
(approx. Sept 12-Oct 11) daily 10am-5pm; rest of year Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm, Sat-Sun 1-5pm. Take the train
to Lilydale and then bus no. 679.
William Ricketts Sanctuary This wonderful garden, set in a forest of moun-
tain ash, features clay figures representing the Aboriginal Dreamtime. The sculp-
tures were created over the lifetime of sculptor William Ricketts, who died in 1993
at the age of 94. The garden encompasses fern gullies and waterfalls spread out
over 13 hectares (32 acres), with the sculptures occupying .8 hectares (2 acres).
Mt. Dandenong Tourist Rd., Mt. Dandenong. & 03/9751 1300. www.parkweb.vic.gov.au. Admission A$5.20
(US$3.40) adults, A$2 (US$1.30) children 10-16, A$13 (US$8.15) families. A$4.20 (US$2.75) concessions.
Daily 10am-4:30pm. Closed Christmas and days of total fire ban. Train to Croydon then busno. 688 to the
sanctuary.

FOR TRAIN BUFFS
Puffing Billy Railway For almost a century, Puffing Billy steam railway
has been chugging over a 13km (8-mile) track from Belgrave to Emerald Lake.
Passengers take trips on open carriages and are treated to lovely views as the train
passes through forests and fern gullies and over a National Trust-classified
wooden trestle bridge. Trips take around an hour each way. Trains leave at 10:30
and 11:15am, noon, and 2:30pm on weekdays; and at 10:30 and 11:45am, and
1:30 and 3:15pm on Saturday and Sunday. A further stretch of track to Gem-
brook was opened in 1998. Daily trips to Gembrook take an extra 45 minutes
and cost A$25 (US$16) for adults, A$14 ($9.10) for children, and A$72
(US$47) for families. Night trains also run on occasional Saturday nights.
Belgrave Station, Belgrave. & 03/9754 6800 for 24-hr. recorded information. www.puffingbilly.com.au.
Admission A$18 (US$12) adults, A$10 (US$6.50) children 4-16, A$51 (US$33) families. Operates daily except
Christmas. Train from Flinders Street Station in Melbourne to Belgrave; the Puffing Billy station is a short walk
away.

Kids