Three dollars.
It’s a very small price to pay for one of the most exciting 10 minutes of your child’s life.
Welcome to the Diamond Valley Miniature Railway.
Millie took the ride of her young life with her Dadda during her second cousin’s 1st birthday.
There was cake, there were balloons and there were miniature trains doing loops around Lower Eltham Park. If Millie could talk, I’m sure she’d say it was the best day ever.
For $3 we bought a ticket (that was the price of my husband’s ticket, children under 2 are free) and Millie lined up patiently with the other trainspotters for her turn on the ‘choo choo’.
It was a very sunny, very busy Sunday and to the credit of the miniature train operators, the lines moved quickly and plenty of tiny trains were in operation.
I took my post as photographer from the vantage point of a bridge over the platform and watched as my 14 month old sat aboard with her dad for her first ride. She was so excited and the train hadn’t yet left the station.
I watched as the train click-clacked around bends, through tunnels and across bridges. Glen said Millie was making train toot sounds along the journey and her little legs kicked out in excitement.
Established in 1960, the miniature railway is a fun place to visit for anyone with children. There’s BBQs and playground equipment within a fenced area not far from the train station (the park is a popular place for birthday parties – get there early on days with good weather to nab a picnic table and car park!).
Trains operate on Sundays from 11am-5pm.
Lower Eltham Park is in Eltham, about 40 minutes from the Melbourne CBD.