Stumble upon bustling Belgrave nestled in the lush surrounds of Sherbrooke Forest and get your fill of the quaint and urban, mainstream and alternative and of course, Puffing Billy.

Swing your feet out the sides of Puffing Billy’s open carriages or watch the scenery unfold from first class as the 100-year-old train chuffs between Belgrave and Gembrook.

Learn more about alternative living in Belgrave’s diverse range of wholefood, natural healing and fair trade shops. Browse the second-hand bookshops and the galleries like Belgrave Art Stockade.

Embrace the quirky side of the ranges at Horatio’s Amazing Home, a 1917 cottage made of flattened kerosene tins fixed to a eucalyptus tree frame.

Acknowledge Melbourne’s proximity and indulge in some urban pastimes. Catch a summertime movie under the stars, grab some sushi and see an unexpectedly high-profile band on stage at Ruby’s Lounge.

Flee the busy village by disappearing deep into Sherbrooke Forest, amid the exotic plants in the George Tindale Memorial Gardens or by the water features in the Alfred Nicholas Garden.

Belgrave is only about 45 minutes form Melbourne, travelling along the Eastern Freeway and Eastlink tollway.