Melbourne Tours
Puffing Billy And Healesville Sanctuary Scenic Tour
4.5

Puffing Billy And Healesville Sanctuary Scenic Tour

By Wine Hop And Coastal Tours
Recommended by 94% of travelers
94% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Ages 0-99, max of 240 per group
Duration: 8h 15m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Live guide: English
More


  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Entry to ride Puffing Billy (Belgrave to Emerald Lake)
  • Entry to Healesville Sanctuary
  • Entry to Yarra Valley Chocolaterie
  • Entry to Emerald Lake
  • Entry/Admission - Emerald Lake
  • Entry/Admission - Puffing Billy Playground
  • Entry/Admission - Healesville Sanctuary
  • Entry/Admission - Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery
What's not included
  • All food and beverage is excluded


Start:Traveler pickup offered.
    Pickup details
    • 8.15am Pick Up Time. Hotel Windsor, 111 Spring Street at 8.15am To be confirmed 24hours prior to start of tour. Please note, this tour is NOT suitable for cruise passengers due to tour timings.
    Hotel pickup offered
    During checkout you will be able to select from the list of included hotels.
      End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

        • Not wheelchair accessible
        • Stroller accessible
        • Near public transportation
        • Infants must sit on laps
        If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 108928P21

        • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
        • Most travelers can participate
        • Please note, this tour is NOT suitable for cruise passengers due to tour timings.
        • Infants aged under 3 years old are welcome to attend free of charge providing they do not occupy a seat. If a seat is required for the infant, please purchase a child ticket for them.
        • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
        • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
        • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 240 travelers

        • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

        If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 108928P21

        From
        $140.47
        per adult
        Select date and travelers

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        About the operator
        Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
        • Wine Hop And Coastal Tours
          527
          Australia
          Joined in December 2018
        • laurir533
          0 contributions
          4.0 of 5 bubbles
          Great views, be prepared to go with the flow though
          Views were amazing and tour guide info was great. However the itinerary didn’t match what was on TripAdvisor and had pick up options that ended up not being accurate (majority of riders met at a central location, didn’t stop at all for dinner, morning tea provided was actually a juicebox).
          Written February 10, 2025
        • R7126WIingridk
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Great Ocean Road tour
          Today we went on a tour to the Great Ocean Road and it was amazing! Warren was our tourguide and he had a lot of knowledge, was super friendly, involved in the group and had a good sense of humor. If you have Warren as your tour guide, it promises to be a great day! We saw kangaroos and koalas (including a mom and baby koala) in the wild and all the activities where nice. The 12 Apostles where very beautifull. Thank you Warren!
          Written February 10, 2025
        • MeghanDarmody
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Best tour guide ever
          Had a very enjoyable day on the Great Ocean Road tour. Warren was our tour guide and driver, he was extremely knowledgable and had a great sense of humour, his jokes had us all cracking up for the day. Tour and itinerary was exactly as stated on the website. Stunning views and attractions as well as some fab koala sightings!! Would recommend to a friend! Thanks for a great day Warren!
          Written February 9, 2025
        • 195billyn
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Fantastic tour
          We joined the group tour today. It is fantastic. Our tour guide Warren is excellent. He is passionate. We can't believe he's only worked for 2 years. Warren is very precise in tour logistics, informative in all attractions and humorous to all visitors. We enjoyed it very much. Thank you very much for making our first visit at Melbourne so memorable!
          Written February 9, 2025
        • Leilah_Hillman
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Exceptional Tour company and tour!
          The day was incredible. Both K and Mehmet were amazing hosts. Loved all the commentary and suggestions. They did an awesome job managing all 48 people on the tour. The Bathing boxes were neat and Moonlit Sanctuary was fun. Phillips Island was incredible!
          Written February 6, 2025
        • 105karlah
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Great trip.
          Dirk our driver and tour guide was fabulous, good knowledge of the area and with a great sense of humour. All in all a great trip and highly recommend.
          Written February 4, 2025
        • W9115JBkarenk
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Phillip Is Wildlife Wonderland
          Top day with guide/driver Marty. Everything was exactly as advertised, we covered a lot of ground but did not feel rushed. The bus was clean and comfortable. Phillip Island has an incredible amount of wildlife and Marty drove around slowly pointing out various burrows with baby penguins, a wallaby with a Joey in her pouch, and he was really awesome explaining how much time we had at each stop, where to meet and the time. He even took us on an unscheduled drive-by of The Block. This tour was fantastic and exceeded all of our expectations. His dinner recommendations were also top notch. Not a cheap day, but excellent value.
          Written February 3, 2025
        • Departure703821
          0 contributions
          3.0 of 5 bubbles
          Attractions good, tour logistics poor
          The actual experiences of the train and penguins were good but the logistics of the tour were not. We booked in Dec for a Jan tour. It was advertised as starting at 10.15am, returning approx 10-11pm. The itinerary said would be a chance to have dinner at the restaurant before the penguin parade. So we planned our trip on that basis. You could also cancel up to 10am the day before the trip. Just after the cancellation period expired we got a text message saying tour now leaves at 1.45pm as the penguins are coming in later. As they come in after sunset, surely this info had been known for a while? Why communicated so late? The text did not specify a return time, which was important for anyone needing public transport to get back to accommodation. When we got to each attraction we had to wait for the tour guide to queue up for tickets than hand them out to each of the 54 bus passengers. These had been prepaid but there was no system to hand them out in the bus. We were squeezed onto the last train for the day (4.15) with an over-officious conductor who insisted on one ticket per person (inc small children) rather than let a family through. Everyone on the tour buses had pre purchased tickets so it was clear those passengers had the right tickets, but he was really rude, and not understanding of the fact that most passengers did not speak English as their first language. He deliberately made everyone wait which made the train late. After that everything was rushed, with only 10 mins to queue for the toilet or check out the train station before a 1hr 40 bus ride to Philip Island. There were a couple of stops to take photos. With hindsight, that made us one of the last buses to arrive before the road was closed. We arrived in the car park after 8pm and into the visitor centre at 8.25. There was a huge queue at the food counter (it’s not a restaurant) and a sign saying food would take at least 30 mins. That’s once you get to order. So we’d be lucky to get food by 9.10 and therefore miss the penguins coming in at 9. We made our way hungry down to the viewing platform. No one was taking any notice of the instructions to sit and be quiet or the photo ban after dark. That needs to be communicated much better in various languages. We watched the penguins about half an hour then started the walk back to the car park as the bus would leave at 10. Back to the city at midnight, with very few options to eat. Thankfully we could still catch a tram. There was no need to delay the trip by 3.5 hours. We could have been on an earlier train then had a much more leisurely time at Philip Island and taken in the information displays, eaten and shopped, it should not have been a big rush. We also may have chosen not to go if the change in times had been communicated earlier as it had a knock on effect on plans the next day. Disappointing as I was excited about the whole penguin experience.
          Written January 29, 2025
        • danielmodol
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Great tour with Koala Dundee Warren🐨🦘😁
          Great tour with our guide Warren. Really funny guy, with a lot of information about Melbourne and things around. Best guide so far in Australia. Even funnier than Mick Dundee 🐊
          Written January 27, 2025
        • 903yenlingc
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Great local tour!
          Easy booking and prompt information provided. The whole tour arrangements are great! Dirk is amazing and experienced! We all enjoyed!
          Written January 25, 2025
        • Samantha S
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Good
          It's was fantastic day recommend this to do especially if you have bus drive Warren he really look after you. They take time look after you make feel good
          Written January 22, 2025
        • Steve H
          0 contributions
          1.0 of 5 bubbles
          Trip was canceled with less than 24 hours notice by the company
          The company canceled the trip due to a lack of tickets sold. I was notified less than 24 hours therefore I was unable to get a refund.
          Written January 21, 2025
        • 936ruedigerb
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Great Ocean Road Tour
          Ruediger B. Great Ocean Road 16.1.2025 Couple We visited the Ocean Road with Mark K. on 16.1.25. It was a very nice tour with additional stops as we had a hard time seeing a koala at the first stop, many thanks to Mark for making this possible. He told us a lot about Australia and was able to explain everything to us in German. It was a perfect tour with a very good guide.
          Written January 21, 2025
        • Tour44439267880
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Wonderful day of site seeing.
          This was a great tour. Our guide Warren was knowledgeable, funny and a good driver. We saw Kangaroos and Koalas, which was amazing. We had wonderful weather and stopping in Apollo Bay for lunch was great.
          Written January 20, 2025
        • Vacation287935
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Great Ocean Road
          We went down the Great Ocean Road today with Warren. The tour was well-organised and Warren added in additional stops so we could see Koalas in the wild - his enthusiasm was contagious! The tour was great as the sights were breathtaking. Warren's energy, wealth of information and personality made the entire trip a lifetime memory.
          Written January 19, 2025
        See all 527 reviews
        These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

        Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

        Popular mentions

        4.5
        4.5 of 5 bubbles106 reviews
        Excellent
        80
        Very good
        20
        Average
        1
        Poor
        2
        Terrible
        3

        These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
        This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.

        BostonTraveler79
        Madison, WI80 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Jan 2025 • Couples
        We mainly booked this tour because of the Puffing Billy, but we ended up being so glad it included the sanctuary and ice cream/chocolate shop too! Overall, a well-organized day with three very different stops—all enjoyable.

        The meeting point was easy to find in the center of Melbourne. The boarding process was a bit disorganized but this was mostly due to the rudeness of the other guests - everyone was in a line based on what time we had arrived at the meeting point, and some guests who arrived late walked up to the front of the line and gave the driver their names and got on the bus, disregarding everyone patiently waiting. This actually happened not once but several times! The driver could have asked them politely to go to the end of the line. Instead he just allowed the late guests to go first, resulting in some parties traveling together not being able to sit next to each other, even though they'd arrived early.

        All this was forgotten once we got to the Puffing Billy. The train is a great experience - fun for kids (and adults) to sit with their legs hanging off the side. We all took lots of pictures and videos. People were mostly very nice about stepping back to let others film for a little while since not everyone could sit by the windows. The train is very punctual, and our driver got us there with plenty of time for a bathroom stop beforehand - much appreciated! Very nice visitor center at the end of the journey - good food and strong air conditioning - nice spot for lunch.

        We were pleasantly surprised by our time at Healesville Sanctuary - what a wonderful experience! We were at the end of our trip and had already visited several animal sanctuaries, so we weren't expecting much - we kind of felt like we had already seen all the animals we wanted to. But this was the nicest sanctuary of all the ones we visited! The animals were in large spaces, similar to a natural environment, and with plenty of shady spots for resting on a hot day. They seemed very content compared to other animal sanctuaries we'd been at. There were a variety of educational programs happening, about one every 30 minutes - we simply followed the schedule and walked around to the next one, and learned about almost all of the animals that way. The staff were so helpful and alerted us to different opportunities to see the animals at feeding time when they would be more active, etc.

        It was a hot day and the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie was super crowded when we walked in, so we didn't expect that we'd be able to get ice cream in time to get back on the bus—but despite being very long, the line moved quickly! My husband had time to pick out some gifts while I waited in the ice cream line. Nice bathrooms here too.
        Written January 25, 2025
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        mkosugi
        Tokyo, Japan1 contribution
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        Nov 2023 • Couples
        The weather was stormy in the morning, but perhaps the driver's prayers were answered, as the rain stopped by the time we arrived at the steam locomotive station.
        It was a little chilly, but the box ride experience was great fun.
        The beef pie and pumpkin soup we bought for lunch at the cafe at the end of the line were delicious.
        The weather then cleared up, and we were able to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Yarra Valley.
        Google
        Written November 19, 2023
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Alexandra_A_11111
        London, UK19 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        Jul 2023 • Family
        Overall a good experience for families with young children. The pick up time was between 8:15 and 8:25, but we had to wait another 20 minutes for two passengers who were running late, so left at around 8:45 instead. Maybe that’s why it was a bit rushed when we got to the destination. My kids rated the train ride as 10 out of 10, and 6 out of 10 respectively. Kids under 4 are not allowed to sit on the window sill. What would have been better are more tips from our tour guide on where to sit on the train, because the best spots are the ones facing the platform being a more scenic side. I found this out when it was too late and the carriage was already packed. Also what could have been improved are reserved seats on the bus especially for families. After each stop people change their seats around and even if bags or jackets are left on the seats they get moved around also. The bus has both single and double seats, obviously families need double seats as there were a lot of young kids lying down on their parent’s laps having a nap after all the activities. There were some child free individuals who struggled to understand why families need double seats lol. The tour guide handled it like a pro pointing out to them that they are big girls and can totally sit by themselves, but to be honest reserved family seats would be the best way to go, also extra points for being more hygienic. There were a few prams on the bus and the space is tight, with some prams being in the way. The sanctuary was ok, birds show was probably the best part. My children loved the chocolatery and rated it 1000 out of a 1000!
        Written July 6, 2023
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Osmund
        4 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Oct 2024 • Solo
        "WOW, what an unforgettable day in Melbourne, Australia! I was blown away by Marty's exceptional guiding skills and his genuine passion for sharing his knowledge with us. As a solo traveler, I felt so welcomed and included when Marty invited me to sit up front with him - it totally made my experience even more special!

        The train ride and wildlife sanctuary were absolutely breathtaking, and Marty's expert commentary brought everything to life. What really stood out, though, was Marty's kindness and thoughtfulness. He even took the time to take amazing photos of us during the trip, which was such a lovely touch!

        I'm so grateful to Marty and Wine and Hope Tours for creating an unforgettable adventure in Melbourne. If you're looking for a truly worthwhile experience, look no further! Marty, thank you again for an incredible day - I'll always treasure the memories"
        Written February 1, 2025
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        WEI Z
        39 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Oct 2024 • Solo
        I enjoyed the tour very much for two reasons: 1. Tour operator Mr Marti is very nice and helpful; 2. We have enough time for visiting three places: Puffing Billy Train (2.5 hours ), Healesville Sanctuary (2h 45m , Chocolate Factory (45 minutes). The time is not including driving time.

        Puffing Billy: We arrived the train station on time and waited half an hour for departure. Marti helped everyone to take pictures. During an hour’s train running, we really enjoyed the trip when the train went through the forest and countryside. When we arrived lakeside, we have an hour to go around the visitor center with a small museum introducing the history of train and sit down for a cup of coffee and food in a beautiful Coffee Bar.

        Healesville Sanctuary: Since we have nearly 3 hours for visiting it, I have enough time to read very carefully introduction of words and pictures for Koalas, Kangaroo, Dingoes, Skinks, Emu and beautiful birds. I think that enough time assure us to enjoy detailed descriptions and information.

        Chocolate Factory: We have 45 minutes in the factory located in beautiful Yarra valley. The chocolate taste delicious. I had a very happy moment when siting in the garden for ice cream and facing the green valley .

        Comparing with other similar tour, this one has a clear time plan.
        Written October 24, 2024
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Siti I
        6 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Oct 2024 • Family
        A day out on the puffing billy steam train, animal sanctuary and chocolate factory.
        Puffing Billy was amazing train ride and our guide Matty made sure he took video of is at exactly the right time. Saw some animals at Healesville which was also brilliant as it included visits to the hospital as well. Chocolate factory- ice creams was out of this world!
        Written November 1, 2024
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Rebekah R
        30 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        I really enjoyed this tour. Despite being a larger group, my group was really awesome and we were on time/early at every meeting point. Peter, our guide, was very humorous and helpful. I'm glad he was our guide for the day.

        The only thing keeping this from five stars is that I feel like this tour is quite rushed. I do not know all the departure times for puffing billy, but I think if there is an earlier time for departure then I think that would help the flow of the rest of the day. I flew threw healesville Sanctuary. I enjoyed it, but I really didn't get a chance to rest. If I had stayed to eat at the Cafe there I would have been unable to visit all of the Sanctuary due to how crowded it was. The same goes for the chocolate place. I only had time to wait in line for an ice cream because it was do crowded with other tour groups there. If the tour could start earlier in the day and catch an earlier ride on the Puffing Billy, then I think this would be a perfect tour. I still had a great time.
        Written January 5, 2024
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Echo H
        6 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Dec 2023 • Couples
        We spent an amazing day with Joe; he has great personalities and is very enthusiastic when introducing the scenic spots along the way. Thanks to his reminder, we were able to arrive early when the show in the sanctuary started, so we didn't have to stand and watch.

        The bus was comfortable and clean. We enjoyed a one-day road trip to Puffing Billy, Healesville Sanctuary, and the Yara Valley chocolate factory with a reasonable time schedule.

        If you want to order ice cream at the Chocolate Factory, it is recommended to start queuing as soon as you get off the bus. The queue will be very long. Also, allow 20 minutes for the hot chocolate order to be ready. I would highly recommend this trip.

        这次来墨尔本,分别体验了本地和华人的旅行团。个人认为本地旅行团比华人团更有导游的感觉,会认真介绍景点,而不是像司机一样到地方放人,到点集合。虽然跟团人数会更多一些,但是出行体验比商务车小团要好,导游更了解景点,不会错过最后进场时间和景点的表演。
        Written January 8, 2024
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Sally C
        Milan, IN8 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        It was a fantastic trip. The only problem was the transporting bus was uncomfortable. The couple with the shortest legs chose the front seat. People with normal leg size were squished in. We enjoyed the train experience , Healesville sanctuary is very nice, and the ice cream/chocolate stop was GREAT!
        Written February 1, 2024
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        pakfaiderekc
        5 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        Sep 2023 • Solo
        Overall, this is a fair tour. I would recommend this for people who wish to visit the key spots in Melbourne as the public transport to these spots is quite difficult to be arranged by yourself.

        Tour guide will introduce briefly on the spots you are going to visit, and you need to plan your own journey, e.g. what encounter or keeper talks you are going to join in the sanctuary. Another thing to be aware of is that you will arrive in the sanctuary in the afternoon so it is hard to join some encounters that are available in the morning only. You have to do some research beforehand.
        Written September 13, 2023
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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        *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

        Puffing Billy And Healesville Sanctuary Scenic Tour provided by Wine Hop And Coastal Tours

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