Belgrave

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Named after an 1840s chapel in Yorkshire, England, and situated only 40 km from Melbourne, Belgrave is a tranquil commuter town. Located in the picturesque Dandenong Ranges it sits at an altitude of 227 metres with its vast forests and fern gullies.

Early in the 20th century, Belgrave was a colony for writers and artists called Sunnyside. Today the area is a major tourist attraction with numerous gardens, forest, lookouts, tracks, galleries, berry farms, antique shops, art & craft outlets, restaurants and picnic reserves.

Perhaps the main attraction is the beloved Puffing Billy Railway, an antique steam train that runs from Belgrave to Gembrook. Along the way it takes in Sherbrooke Forest, Selby township, the landslide site, Menzies Creek station, the Steam Museum, Emerald, Emerald Lake Park, Wright State Forest, Cockatoo Creek valley and Cockatoo township. The annual Puffing Billy Railway Great Train Race sees joggers race against the train over a 13.5-km course.

A local attraction that is definitely worth a visit is the Belgrave Art Stockade. Visitors will be mesmerized by a stunning ten rooms of fine art including decorative wrought iron, crystals, woodwork, pottery, leather goods, jewellery and paintings. On the 1st Sunday of each month, craft demonstrations are performed by local and visiting artists.