Puffing Billy's steam trains run every day from Belgrave to Lakeside, through fern gullies and tall mountain ash. Kids aged 4 and over can sit on the carriage sills, legs over the side, with an adult within arm's reach. Pre-booking is essential, and longer trips to Gembrook run Friday to Sunday.

Kids get in free on weekends, public holidays and Victorian school holidays, and adult tickets start at $58. Look for the platypus and the daily Spirits of the Sky show, where native birds fly overhead. The sanctuary opens 9am to 5pm, with indoor and outdoor play spaces for younger kids.

Officially the Kokoda Track Memorial Walk, this steep path climbs through rainforest beside a creek to views of Melbourne. Return on the Lyrebird Track to make a loop, or take the gentler Ramblers Track with little ones. The car park fills by 10am on most weekend mornings, and Upper Ferntree Gully station is a 1.2km stroll away.

Signposted tracks from two picnic grounds in Sherbrooke Forest lead through mountain ash and tree ferns to the falls. The falls are small and partly hidden by ferns, so come after rain, when the water is flowing and lyrebirds are about. The park closes on Extreme Fire Danger days.

SkyHigh sits on top of Mount Dandenong, looking out over the Melbourne skyline. There's a Giant's Chair for photos and a maze to try. Car entry was $5 on weekdays and $10 on weekends and school holidays in October 2026, and the grounds open 11am to 6pm.

Spring brings about 12 weeks of flowers from more than 15,000 rhododendrons and 12,000 azaleas. A 3.5km paved circuit passes a pond and an ornamental lake, though some sections are steep. It opens at 10am with last entry at 4.30pm, and the car park fills on spring weekends.

Almost 1,500 Californian redwoods, some up to 55 metres tall, grow in close, even rows at Cement Creek. Trails lead through the forest and down to the river, and entry is free. The last stretch is an unsealed road to a small car park, so check conditions with Parks Victoria first.

Water jets run daily from 9am to 6pm between 19 September 2026 and 25 April 2027, with no charge or booking. There's a junior play space, a giant slide for older kids, barbecues and accessible change rooms. On-site parking is paid, free parking is nearby on the Warburton Highway, and the jets stay off on Extreme Fire Danger days.

The 41m dam wall rises above formal gardens, with six rotundas and six gas and electric barbecues around the park. Older kids can tackle the 82 Rose Steps, which need a moderate level of fitness. Gates open at 8am and close at 8pm from October to April.