A 45 minute drive east of Melbourne and you're in the beautiful serene Dandenong Ranges. I've been many years ago to the Puffing Billy and the National Rhododendron Gardens so this time I decided to check out the little village of Sassafras as well as the Sky High lookout at Mount Dandenong.
Sassafras is not very big but is full of charm. We came upon Miss Marples tea rooms housed in an English Tudor style building.
The popular tea rooms at Miss Marples in Sassafras
It was very popular and packed so we ventured up a couple of doors to a café called Ripe for a filling country breakfast.
Then it was over to Geppetto's workshop just down the road. This is a great little shop full of wooden toys and games that took me back to my childhood. They had the good old fashioned stuff from rocking horses and wagons, to puzzles and jigsaws, jack in the box, fuzzy felts, tiddly winks, spinning tops, and puppets. Dolls and classic characters hang from the ceiling. My son has all but grown up but I still came away with a wooden Pinocchio puppet with strings to move his body parts.
Puppets and dolls hang inside and outside of Geppetto's Workshop in Sassafras
Lots to choose from in this toy shop in Sassafras
Antique and craft shops abound and next was the candle shop which took my money before we headed via Olinda up to the Sky High lookout at Mount Dandenong. Views of Melbourne city, an English garden with flowing stream and bridges, a maze to get lost in, the Giant's Chair and Spinning World Fountain, bistro and shop, and some go karts for the little ones.
Go Karts at the Sky High Lookout at Mt Dandenong
A pleasant place to enjoy a picnic, a BBQ and some walks in the fresh mountain air.
A walk in the English garden at Sky High in Mt Dandenong
Very picturesque and a great day out from the city.
