No car? Then here’s some day trips on a train
Over the last few years I’ve re-discovered trains. By that I mean longer trips, not just the 20 minute hop into Melbourne. Here are some of the ones I did. But first:
- You can get timetable information from V/Line
- Most of the larger country stations have town maps or even tourist information stands in them.
Geelong
Only about 45 minutes away. I went from Newport station. Things to do:
- National Wool Museum
- Walk and coffee at Waterfront Geelong, including Eastern Beach
- Geelong Art Gallery
- Shopping/browsing
Ballarat
About 1 hour and 20 minutes from Footscray station, so catch a suburban train first. Check the timetables for exact details as it may be easier to go into Southern Cross (not sure if all trains stop at Footscray).
- Beautiful goldrush-era buildings. Circa 1860s
- One of the best art galleries around
- Shopping etc
- The world-class Sovereign Hill (an outdoor museum presenting the story of Australia’s fabulous goldrush history) Whilst it is too far to walk to, it is a must-see. I have just read about “A new V/Line train initiative – the Goldrush Special now delivers visitors directly to Sovereign Hill’s front door. As part of the Goldrush Special a courtesy return service coach meets the train at Ballarat station and brings visitors directly to Sovereign Hill.” I’d be calling them up.
Castlemaine & Bendigo
I had initially split these two into 2 separate day trips. They are on the same train line, but because of the distance I’d consider merging them into one, with an overnight stay at Bendigo. So an agenda could be
- Train to Castlemaine (about 1 hour 30 mins) explore the town for a few hours, have lunch then
- Train on to Bendigo (about 30 mins). Rest of day here and overnight stay. Return following day.
Most trains stop at Footscray but very wise to double check. As I said you could do it in one day, but it would be a rush. 4 hours travel total is a fair bit.
Castlemaine
I’ve always liked going to this smaller town (compared to Geelong et al). The Travel Victoria web site has a good section on it, including:
- Buda Historic Home & Garden
- Castlemaine Art Gallery & Museum
- A movie and home-made ice-cream at the historic Theatre Royal
- Browsing the shops including the Tourist Information Centre in the lovely old market building and the bookshop (oh, the irony)
- If you time it right, a trip to the lovely town of Maldon via the Victorian Goldfields Railway
Bendigo
Would be about 2 hours each way on a train from Melbourne-area, so getting a bit much for a single day. If staying, look for cheap, last minute deals.
- Central Deborah Gold Mine (including an underground tour)
- The excellent Bendigo Art Gallery
- Wander around the city exploring the beautiful architecture, including the Shamrock Hotel and Town Hall. More can be found on their attractions page.
