Emerald
vic 3782

About Emerald

Emerald is located approximately 44 km south-east of Melbourne's CBD.

Emerald is known for its Emerald Lake Park (Lake Treganowan) that offers BBQ facilities, children's playgrounds, a pool, paddle boats, walking tracks, fishing, Environment Centre, model railway, café and a railway station for the well-known, popular Puffing Billy.

The Puffing Billy Railway is a heritage steam operated railway opened in 1900, which runs between Belgrave and Gembrook, with three stations within Emerald. Hoping aboard this train will really take you back into the 1920s.

Emerald also hosts a number of community events such as the Emerald FunFest, a street party with stalls, music and free entertainment. PAVE Arts festival, which takes place every year in Mid April and is the largest arts festival in the Dandenong ranges running over 7-10 days. PAVE stands for "Performing And Visual arts in Emerald". The Great Train Race is an annual fun run from Belgrave to Emerald Lake in which participants attempt to beat the Puffing Billy train to the finish.

The areas around Emerald are excellent for finding chanterelles and other edible mushrooms, and are a popular destination for mushroom hunters each autumn. Emerald and District museum set in the beautiful Nobelius Heritage Park is well worth a visit. It adjoins Emerald Lake Park. The Emerald lake (pictured here) is very popular with pedal boaters, fisherman catching trout in one of the two lakes and ducks, whilst the surrounding park is a great spot for a BBQ or a picnic lunch. Emerald Lake cafe and tea rooms are the perfect spot to head for an ice cream after lunch.

Emerald has a Kindergarten and a Pre-School as well as Emerald Primary School and Emerald Secondary College.

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