On the previous post, I have updated the stories about discovers Sydney City and also Melbourne City on 13th September 2018 (Thursday) until 17th September 2018 (Monday); which is Day 1 until Day 5. So I would like to continue my stories on Day 6, 18th September 2018 (Tuesday). On this day, we're going the outside part of Melbourne City again like on Day 5 but it's another part of east in Melbourne, Australia.
As like previous day, we're starting our tour after breakfast at the hotel. The first place we're going on this day is Puffing Billy Steam Train. The Puffing Billy is located in the Dandenong Ranges, only 40 km or 1-hour drive to the east of Melbourne.
The Puffing Billy Railway is a 2ft 6in (762 mm) narrow gauge heritage railway in Dandenong Ranges in Melbourne, Australia. The primary starting point, operations and administration center, main refreshment room (also selling souvenirs) and ticket purchasing are located at Belgrave station. Journeys may also be commenced at out-stations of which some have limited facilities for the purchase of tickets, refreshments, and souvenirs. Tickets usually may also be purchased from the conductor aboard the train.
We get the private carriages just for our group. We're riding the Puffing Billy Steam Train from Belgrave Station to the Menzies Creek Station. The single journey was taken around 30 minutes and just one-way ride only.
TIP 14 – they do not allow the passenger to hang legs outside of the carriage anymore like the previous years. It is because of the incident was happen in this year and it also for your safety when something unexpected situation happens. I know a lot of people take the photo using that style but now can't do that anymore.
After that, we visit the Tesselaar Tulips Farm. This is my third time see the tulips (previous at Everland, Seoul; and Turkey). The Tesselaar Flower Farm address is 357 – 359 Monbulk Road, Silvan. The best way to go there is by the drive, it is located within 60 minutes of Melbourne. The journey from Menzies Creek Station of the Puffing Billy Railway to the Tesselaar Tulips Farm is taken around 20 minutes by ride the minibus. They also have free off-street parking spaces for cars and 15 free off-street parking spaces for buses.
The Tesselaar Tulip Festival is held in Silvan, Victoria every spring since 1954. it has become one of iconic tourist attraction in Victoria, Australia with more than 120 varieties of tulips are shown on a 55-acre farm. This tulip farm was initiated by a couple of Dutch immigrants, Cees and Johanna Tesselaar. They arrived in Melbourne in 1939 and started to grow tulips, gladioli, and daffodils on their land. After purchasing a bigger land in Silvan, they grew more tulips bulbs and it attracted people to stop by on their property and admire their fields.
At 1954, Cees and Johanna decided to publicly open the farm with silver coin donation for Red Cross Australia. In 2017, around 900,000 tulip bulbs are planed using modern machinery and 80,000 of bulbs still planted traditionally by hand. This tulips festival has been evolved to include music, food and wine festival to attract more visitors during the spring season (September – October).
The entrance fee for an adult is AUD $28 (RM 88.35). Actually, the Tesselaar Tulip Festival has a different theme every week when this festival is beginning. Like the week, we're going there is the Tulips in Wonderland Week; which is started on 17th September 2018 (Monday) until 20th September 2018 (Thursday). Just for 4 days event of Tulips in Wonderland Week.
The farm is wonderful of colorful blooms with the special invite of Alice and her White Rabbit to the field. This day, we can enjoy the live storytelling performances of this legendary tale, with a meet and greet photo in between. Plus live music the fantastic Cheek to Cheek to jazz up the day.
It is fun but at that moment, not all flowers are blooms as you can see on my photos. But they make a unique art in the flower field. It's nice to take the photo with it.
Then, we're moving to the Rayner's Stonefruit Orchard. The journey from the Tesselaar Tulips Farm to the Rayner's Stonefruit Orchard is taken around 20 minutes by ride the minibus. The Rayner's Orchard is a family run, the boutique fruit orchard in the Yarra Valley. They have grown over 450 varieties of fruit including peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, tamarillo, pomegranate, persimmon, figs, Pepino, feijoa, guava, kiwi fruit, dutch medlar, and various citrus throughout winter. But all fruits in this farm were growing by seasons. Every season has different fruit.
The Rayner's Stonefruit Orchard also has café, they offer lunch to us. So we've taken our lunch over here before we start the pick fruits session by the owner of this farm. The fruits growing in spring season are oranges, mandarins, lemons, Australian limes, kiwi fruits, lemonades, currants, gooseberries, tamarillo, Inca berries, green peas, broad beans, Pepino, grapefruit, and cumquat.
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| Me with the owner of this farm |
Just after lunch, we're started our pick fruits session by the owner. He is allowing us to eat as many fruits as we want during this session. It is quite fun and enjoyable for me. It is my reminder of the memories of my late grandmother when we're going to the farm together. I miss those moments too much. Most the fruits, we are tasting is a variety type of oranges. It's delicious and sweet but some of it a bit sour. We also can pick the fruits to take home but it does have to pay.
The last place we visit on that day is Yarra Valley Chocolaterie. It looks not complete if you went to Yarra Valley area not visit the famous chocolate factory in this area; which is Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery. The journey from the Rayner's Stonefruit Orchard to the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie is taken around 30 minutes by ride the minibus. For who love chocolate, this is the place for you.
The passionate foodies Lan and Leanne Neeland have developed a destination where the people can indulge your love of chocolate and the creation of memorable experiences. Set amongst one of Australia's premium wine regions and surrounded by picturesque Yarra Valley vistas, the Chocolaterie combines a stunning showroom, chocolate production area and an all-day Café set on 40 acres of emerging orchard, landscaped gardens, sweeping lawns, and reclaimed wetlands.
They have the free chocolate tasting of milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and white chocolate. It also frees entry to this place. At the same time, we enjoy watching the art of chocolate making by their team of talented European Chocolatiers and the showroom choc-filled with over 250 different chocolate products. My family has spent almost AUD $50.60 (RM 159.65) at this place for buying the chocolate.
Then, we're going back to our hotel in Melbourne City. It is just a tired day with the long journey of the outside part of Melbourne, Australia. Meanwhile, it is a fun day and I have learned many things on this day. Our dinner is not included in this day itinerary so we're walking around Melbourne City for looking at the restaurant.
That is all my stories on day 6 of this trip. Just for your information, I have been writing the extra note tip about discovers Sydney and Melbourne, Australia based on my experience during this trip. Feel free to read it.
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