The Boroondara Volunteer Resource Centre is advertising this opportunity on behalf of Puffing Billy Railway.

Puffing Billy Railway is a perfectly preserved steam train railway that’s been operating since 1900, capturing the spirit of the steam age in all its charming glory. We have stood the test of time being preserved, restored, and maintained by passionate people and championed by the local community. Volunteers put the life into our living museum, supporting our efforts to preserve and operate our heritage railway.

Ever wanted to drive a steam train? Well, this might be the beginning of that journey!

What's Involved?

You will enjoy early morning starts in the running shed in Belgrave where you will work together with a steam locomotive driver and fireman to prepare the engines of the day.

Polishing, lubricating, splitting firewood and preparing our heritage steam engines for their day’s work so they look their best for our guests will be your number one priority. You will be familiarising yourself with our locomotives with the fireman, slowly and surely understanding the mechanics and principles behind running century-old steam locomotives on a daily basis. As you progress and become more familiar with the engines, the daily preparation and maintenance activities will become second nature for you.

From here you can express interest in our safe working course (the track rules for operating on our railway safely), which is the gateway to moving into a Guard / Signalman, Fireman or Driver role, with all training provided in-house by specialised teams. The time it takes to move through these roles depends on a number of factors including your time available to volunteer and your ability to retain critical information.

We're looking for team players with patience and great communication skills who don't mind a dawn start. Prior qualifications are not required, and role-specific training is provided. If you can spare at least one day a fortnight, this might be the start of a lifelong learning journey.

So, what's next?

Come along to our Information Night on the first Thursday of each Month from 5-6pm (online) where you can learn all about volunteering on our railway and meet some of our crew. Send us an email for the link.

Puffing Billy Railway is located at the end of the Belgrave metro line or an easy 40km drive from Melbourne GPO (free car parking is available). If you’re ready to build lifelong friendships, contribute to the community and be part of living history – we'd love to have you on board! Come join the award-winning team of volunteers that have made Puffing Billy Railway the much-loved tourist attraction it is today.