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Puffing Billy Lakeside Visitor Centre construction at Emerald Lake Park

Possible service changes due to COVID-19 restrictions

About

The new Puffing Billy Lakeside Visitor Centre is being built at Emerald Lake Park, Emerald. This is an Emerald Tourist Railway Board project.

The $20 million project is being funded by the Victorian Government, Federal Government and Puffing Billy Railway.

  • The new centre will be the new central hub for Puffing Billy. It will greatly enhance the Puffing Billy experience for visitors to the popular tourist attraction.
  •  It’s also an important step in opening up the Lakeside to Gembrook section of the train line for use all year round.

More info: Puffing Billy website

Location of the visitor centre in the park

The new centre is open and located along the railway line near the Puffing Billy Station.

When the works will finish

The Visitor Centre is completed and works to the nearby car parks will be completed in 2022. There have been some delays due to COVID-19 restrictions. For the most up-to-date information visit the Puffing Billy website

Features of the new Puffing Billy Lakeside Visitor Centre

  • Café
  • Function spaces
  • Toilet facilities (including Changing Places facility)
  • Retail
  • Food and beverage options
  • Interpretation spaces for school groups and families.

Changes due to Puffing Billy Lakeside Visitor Centre construction works

Car park on Puffing Billy station side 

  • Reopens on Thursday 23 December 2021. 
  • The car park will stay open for the summer holidays and close again in February 2022 so the works can be completed. Pedestrian access in this area will be disrupted until car park works are completed in 2022.

Lakeside car park 

This car park is open. To get to this carpark, continue past the fork in the main entry road and follow the road to the right, alongside the lake.

Buses

Until the Visitor Centre works are completed, bus parking is in Lakeside car park only

Shelters

The Messmate and the Lion's Den shelters have been removed as part of the works. They will be replaced in another area of the park.

Toilets

The public toilets next to the Lion's Den shelter have been removed as part of the works. 

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