Road Trip Victoria – Day 3: Geelong to Olinda (Dandenong Ranges)

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Welcome to day three of our road trip from Adelaide to Dandenong Ranges along the Great Ocean Road. You can read all about Day 1 to get to Warrnambool, and Day 2 along the Great Ocean Road, or you can skip to days 4 and 5 from Dandenong Ranges to Adelaide.

Geelong

After a relaxing night at the Eden Oak 4-star hotel, we enjoyed the fresh sea air at the Geelong foreshore before driving down the B110 toward Queenscliff.

With clear skies and an open road ahead, we set off for our morning drive.

Queenscliff – Ferry to Sorrento

The Queenscliff to Sorrento ferry runs every 30 minutes—so we thought. After arriving and paying for our $120 ticket, we learned that due to equipment failure on one of the ferries, the service was now operating only every two hours. It was disappointing; we had just missed the ferry and now faced a long two-hour wait.

Fortunately, Queenscliff boasts a beautiful sandy beach and a historic pier. Unfortunately, with our car lined up in the ferry loading queue, we couldn’t drive into the charming town to explore further. The weather was perfect—clear, warm but not too hot, and calm—ideal for a stroll on the beach and a visit to the old pier that once served steamer loading before the ferry terminal was built. We also climbed the spiral staircase of the observation tower to the fifth level, where we enjoyed spectacular 360-degree views of the marina, harbor, and surrounding peninsula.

Finally, it was our turn to drive onto the ferry. We worried there were too many cars to fit on the small vessel and that we might have to wait another two hours! However there were two levels for the vehicles so capacity was actually double what we thought.

We drove on, parked, and headed to the middle deck. There, we found a small cafeteria and seats around the ferry’s edge. Since the food seller didn’t serve alcohol, we skipped the queue and went outside. The wind was brisk and fresh, at times quite strong. We explored the back and top decks before moving to the front to enjoy the view. As the ferry rounded the coast, we marveled at the magnificent homes hugging the shoreline—massive properties perched on cliffs and hills, some boasting private beaches or access to personal jetties.

Sorrento to Mornington

As the ferry approached the tiny Sorrento jetty, we returned to our car to drive off. Instead of following the traffic to the left toward the Mornington Peninsula, we turned right to head to Portsea, hoping to catch a glimpse of the magnificent mansions lining the coastline. Unfortunately, these enormous homes had high walls and were set back from the road, surrounded by glorious gardens and winding driveways, leaving us unable to see anything. Portsea was charming, though, with its beautiful scenery.

We drove along Point Nepean Road, which hugs the coastline all the way to Mornington. The road cut through small towns, separating them from the sandy beaches of Port Phillip Bay. We were drawn to the brightly painted beach huts in many of the towns, wondering what people were doing inside them!

From some vantage points, we could see over the bay to Melbourne’s city skyline. The skyscrapers rising above the horizon looked surreal, almost like a distant island in the ocean. We drove as far as Mornington, then headed inland toward the Dandenong Ranges.

Olinda

Deep within the Dandenong Ranges, the town of Olinda serves as an oasis amidst the forested expanse. We navigated winding roads through hill passes and across valleys, climbing to the next forest-covered hill. Magnificent gum trees lined the roads, and ferns filled the understory.

We spotted a stone building that turned out to be a pub, so we decided to check it out. After enjoying a mulled wine and a bowl of nachos, we decided to explore the next small town. There, we discovered a tea room serving freshly made scones. We settled in with creamy hot chocolate, fresh scones, homemade jam and clotted cream to escape the rain.

Emerald Lake and Puffing Billy

A central tourist attraction in the Dandenong Ranges is the Puffing Billy Railway. This steam train, run by dedicated volunteers, winds through the forests and ferns for tourists. Unfortunately, we discovered that the train was fully booked for months, so we couldn’t ride it. Instead, we drove to the town of Emerald, where a pleasure lake is serviced by the Puffing Billy. Although the lake offers various activities, the rain limited us to a short walk and a chance to experience the train.

The train station isn’t the only structure by the lake; a newly built visitor center and cafeteria, along with a museum showcasing the railway’s history, are also nearby. We explored the museum and admired some of the artworks before hearing the whistle of the approaching steam train. We politely asked the volunteers if we could get closer to the locomotive and waited our turn with other tourists eager for selfies with the train and its driver. The volunteers allowed us to enjoy an extended visit until we were ushered away so the train could depart.

A famous feature of the Puffing Billy is a trestle bridge that curves across a valley, offering breathtaking scenery. Many passengers dangle their legs out of the cabins, creating fantastic photo opportunities as the train rounds the bend—both for passengers and onlookers. We waited about half an hour for our photos, as the train was running late!

Miniature Railway

At Emerald Lake, a miniature railway sits between the car park and the Puffing Billy train. This charming little building showcases a well-crafted model town, complete with several trains and plenty to explore. The miniatures are humorously designed, with signs encouraging kids and the young at heart to spot particular features. We enjoyed strolling around the perimeter of the model railway, pointing out amusing and interesting details to each other.

Read on about the last day of our trip, and our return home to Adelaide

Or, return to other days of our trip by reading about Day 1 or Day 2.