Correction (10 October 2026): an earlier version of this page listed places and details we could not stand behind. It has been rewritten from scratch: every place below was confirmed at two independent sources between 9 October 2026 and 10 October 2026, and every price was copied from the page it was published on.
Five stops, one weekend. This plan covers an art precinct, a small railway, two parks and a cafe in and around Lower Plenty, spread across Eltham, Templestowe and Montmorency.
Costs come first where a source gives one, then opening times as each venue or park authority lists them. Two parks have no price on the pages we read, so we say that instead of guessing.
Each place was checked against at least two sources, including OpenStreetMap, official and council pages and the Australian Good Food Guide. Pick a Saturday or a Sunday, because the opening days differ.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Order this | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art galleries and studios | Montsalvat | Adults (18+ years) | $15 |
| A Sunday train ride | Diamond Valley Railway | Ticket (per person per ride) | $5 |
| A long parkland walk | Westerfolds Park | see below | not printed here |
| Playground and picnic stop | Alistair Knox Park | see below | not printed here |
| Saturday breakfast stop | Stones Throw | see below | not printed here |
Montsalvat — 7 Hillcrest Avenue, Eltham VIC 3095
Cost: Montsalvat lists Adults (18+ years) at $15 on its visit page. Hours: its site prints Wednesday to Sunday, 10AM–4PM, closed Monday and Tuesday. The site says visitors are welcome during open hours to explore the galleries, grounds and artist studios. It also lists Children under 12 as free.
Listed prices (copied from montsalvat.com.au/visit on 9 October 2026):
- Adults (18+ years): $15
- Concessions / Child (12–18 years): $10
- Family (2 adults & up 2 youth 12-18 yrs): $45
- Children under 12: free
Get there: Montsalvat’s site says free carparking is available on-site, but spaces are limited and spots fill up quickly.
Diamond Valley Railway — Eltham Lower Park, Eltham VIC 3095
Cost: the railway’s site prints $5 per person per ride, with children under 2 free. Hours: it says it is open every Sunday 11am - 5pm and on selected public holidays, closing at 4pm in June and July. A payment note: from Sunday 18th October 2026 until early 2027 it will accept card payments only, and card payments incur a 1% processing surcharge.
Listed prices (copied from dvr.com.au/ticket-prices.php on 10 October 2026):
- Ticket (per person per ride): $5
- Children under 2 years old: free
Plan it: The railway sits within Eltham Lower Park, and its site says free parking is available within the park.
Westerfolds Park — Fitzsimons Lane, Templestowe VIC 3106
Cost: Parks Victoria’s page gave us no price. Hours: it says gates are open 6am to 6pm, extending to 9pm during daylight savings, with a 24-hour car park off Fitzsimons Lane. The page lists electric barbecues, a picnic shelter, picnic table, playground and toilet at the Westerfolds Ridge Picnic Area, and mentions Eastern Grey Kangaroos, often seen in open grasslands.
Time needed: Parks Victoria lists the Westerfolds Loop Track at 4.8km, a 1.5 hours circuit, past the old manor, woodlands and native shrublands.
Alistair Knox Park — 829 Main Road, Eltham VIC 3095
Cost: the council page we read has no cost line. Hours: Nillumbik Council says the park is open 24 hours a day. It lists a BBQ, BMX track, car park, picnic tables, playground, shade areas and toilets, plus climbing equipment, slides, rings, swings, bridges and rockers. Sculptures and a section of the Heidelberg School Artist’s Trail are also named. Dogs must be on a leash except where signed, and not within five metres of a playground or BBQ.
Free first: We found no entry cost on the council page for 829 Main Road, and it lists the park as open 24 hours a day.
Stones Throw — 5 Were Street, Montmorency VIC 3094
Cost: we found no menu prices for Stones Throw, so none are printed here. Hours: its own site lists Mon - Fri 6.30am - 3.30pm, Saturday 7.30am - 2.30pm and Sunday closed. AGFG lists Breakfast, Takeaway, Alfresco Dining, Child Friendly, Vegan Options and Pet Friendly for the cafe.
Plan it: Make this the Saturday stop, because the cafe’s site lists Sunday as closed.
Quick answers
Which stops on this weekend plan are open on a Sunday?
The Diamond Valley Railway’s site says it is open every Sunday 11am - 5pm and on selected public holidays. Montsalvat’s site lists Wednesday to Sunday, 10AM–4PM. Alistair Knox Park is listed by the council as open 24 hours a day. Stones Throw lists Sunday as closed on its own site.
Which parks near Lower Plenty suit a picnic or a walk?
Westerfolds Park has a picnic area with electric barbecues and a playground, and Parks Victoria lists the Westerfolds Loop Track at 4.8km, a 1.5 hours circuit. Alistair Knox Park lists picnic tables, a BBQ, a playground, shade areas and toilets on the council page.
Can you bring a dog to the parks near Lower Plenty?
Parks Victoria says dogs are permitted in Westerfolds Park but must be kept on a leash at all times. Nillumbik Council says dogs can come to Alistair Knox Park on a leash except where signed, and not within five metres of a playground or BBQ. Montsalvat’s site says dogs are not permitted in its grounds.
Where can you get breakfast near Lower Plenty on a Saturday?
Stones Throw in Montmorency is listed by AGFG for Breakfast, and its own site lists Saturday 7.30am - 2.30pm. Its site lists Sunday as closed, so it suits the Saturday leg of the plan.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources between 9 October 2026 and 10 October 2026: OpenStreetMap, the places’ own websites, government pages, council pages and the Australian Good Food Guide. Every price is copied exactly as printed on the page linked under Sources, between 9 October 2026 and 10 October 2026, the date given beside each menu. Menus, prices and opening hours change, so check with the venue before you go.
Seen something out of date? Email [email protected] with the page link and what has changed, and we will check it again.
Sources
- Montsalvat: openstreetmap.org/32900352, montsalvat.com.au/visit
- Diamond Valley Railway: openstreetmap.org/48992997, dvr.com.au, dvr.com.au/location.php, dvr.com.au/ticket-prices.php, dvr.com.au/operating-times.php
- Westerfolds Park: openstreetmap.org/156129701, parks.vic.gov.au/westerfolds-park, parks.vic.gov.au/yarra-valley-parklands
- Alistair Knox Park: openstreetmap.org/1264438210, nillumbik.vic.gov.au/Alistair-Knox-Park
- Stones Throw: openstreetmap.org/1864405216, stonesthrowcafe.com.au, agfg.com.au/stones-throw-cafe-83368
