Planning a trip to Dandenong Ranges
Visitor Information
The Dandenong Ranges & Knox Visitor Information Centre, 1211 Burwood Hwy., Upper Ferntree Gully, VIC 3156 (tel. 1800/645 505 in Australia, or 03/9758 7522; fax 03/9758 7533; www.dandenongrangestourism.com.au), is open daily (except Good Friday and Dec 25) from 9am to 5pm.
Getting There
To get to the area, take the Burwood Highway from Melbourne, and then the Mount Dandenong Tourist Road, which starts at Upper Ferntree Gully and winds through the villages of Sassafras, Olinda, Mount Dandenong, and Kalorama to Montrose. If you take a turnoff to Sherbrook, 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. A really good tour operator is A Tour with a Difference (tel. 1300/36 27 36 in Australia, or 03/9754 1699; www.atwad.com.au). They pick up from Melbourne hotels in a 10-person bus and do lots of great things in the Dandenongs, including a ride on the Puffing Billy. The tour costs A$165 and includes morning tea, lunch, and all entry fees.
