Eureka Day 7 Puffing Billy and Winter is here.

Eureka Day 7 Puffing Billy and Winter is here.

The weather today I could hear outside with the wind and the sometimes rain, but I knew it would be one of those days where it would be cold. It would turn out to be the correct assessment and on the cold scale to be something shocking.

We left for Belgrave not long after 9am, which I was happy about and it was a nice drive too. The weather was not turning out to be the best for a trip like this and once I stopped I felt the cold a touch. I am guessing any day is a good train ride day. I was asked by the ticket person what I was going to do when I bought a ticket one way. I replied that I would have a friend pick me up at the other end, which was true. I don’t think they wanted me to walk all that way back into Balgrave from Emerald. It was only on weekends they went as far as Glenbrook, which would have been a spectacular trip. I was not in Melbourne over the weekend so I was not too worried. Unlike some of the other train trips I had been on this one was open to the air and the rain if it came through the windows. The first stop was at Menzies Creek, which was for photo ops and maybe something warm like a coffee or pie. I was cold, but that could be because my hands were pointing out towards the train from the window. I had changed the area on the train that I was on since I had jumped off and again had to jump back on. I found out they also had some trees that were on the line to that were being cleared up. It was beginning to rain once we had entered Emerald and I was to be picked up by Margie who was waiting. Once the train had gone on minus one passenger and we took a drive out to Glenbrook to where the end of the Puffing Billy line was. It would have been an excellent trip that far by train. There was not that much traffic at all up in the hills of Dandenong.

The plan was to visit Rickets sanctuary and that idea was soon kaboshed as the two of us did not want to get wet. Instead we headed to something that was nearby and that was a restaurant called Skyhigh. I had heard about the great views from up there and the views may have been excellent, but it was also very cold. I was wearing a thermal shirt and that told me I would never had made it to Ricketts as it would have been too cold for the walk. Skyhigh meant we could hide inside for lunch and coffee to warm up by the fire. There were some good views and several things to see from the carpark, but we both could see the rain starting to set in and it was time to go. I actually got into the car when the rain had began falling. Down the hill we went towards the city and we did take a short cut through Monash university. I found that to be one huge complex and apparently the library was huge too. That would be good to go visit as well.

The car had headed towards home and once there I had several hours before darkness would fall so  took off for Flinders station where I would go walking around the parks nearby. I was wanting to head towards The Remembrance Shrine, which is a large war memorial. I had never walked around this area that included government offices too. I did find the domain area where carols in candle light is performed in Melbourne every year. I guessed it was and I was confirmed to be correct.  There were other monuments in the area including of Queen Victoria and George as well. I seem to have a habit of finding Queen Victoria though in many locations I visit. I did have plenty of light to explore and once it began to get dark I was still taking photos of the buildings light up. The blue from the arts building was awesome, but I found Flinders Street station was not light up like a Christmas tree. Darkness to me meant that I should leave for where I was staying. Back out to Oakleigh, but on the Dandenong train not the Pakenham train. I proved it was to be interesting as I ended up going around the circle stations first before heading out. I still got back to the place I wanted and I had asked to be picked up as I had been totally lost in the dark.

I think I wore Margie out so tomorrow I am going to freestyle and one place I am wanting to check in the general cemetery where Mr Lalor is buried as he was part of the Eureka Stockade. There would be other locations, but I think I will know in the morning.