Mount Burnett, Victoria

Mount Burnett Observatory is an astronomical observatory in Mount Burnett, Victoria, Australia. It was built in 1972 to be the main astronomical observatory for Monash University. The original telescope was a 16-inch Newtonian reflector built by Mr L. Jeffree of Bendigo. Observers' quarters were built in 1975 with the aid of a grant from the William Buckland Foundation. A 10-inch Newtonian reflector was added, in a separate structure, in the early 1980s, and in 1985 the 16-inch telescope was replaced with a 0.45-meter Newtonian/Cassegrain telescope. In the late 2000s the observatory was decommissioned, as it had fallen into disuse and the quality of the site had been degraded by encroaching light pollution over the years. In 2011 the organization Mt Burnett Observatory Inc. (MBO) was formed to take over the lease on the observatory and reopen it as a public facility. Founding members were Perry Vlahos, James Murray, Barry Cleland, Ray Schmidt and Ken Beard. In 2012 both telescopes were restored and additional telescopes acquired for use in an "astronomy classroom". MBO (in partnership with the ARC Centre for Excellence in All Sky Astrophysics) won a National Science Week grant in 2014 to bring an astronomical roadshow to four venues in the Yarra Ranges. In 2015, MBO and Telescopes in Schools received a second National Science Week grant for an Astronomy and Light Festival (held at Scienceworks during Science Week). As of January 2022 MBO had over 500 members and active programs for the public and members. A second dome (to house an automated telescope) was installed in May 2017.

Southern Province (also known as South Province) was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council.Southern Province was created in 1856, after the colony of Victoria obtained self-government. It was one of the six original Legislative Council provinces of the newly established bicameral Victorian Parliament. Southern Province was finally abolished in 1970, after Boronia Province and Templestowe Province were created in 1967.

Pakenham Upper is a rural locality in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 53 km (33 mi) south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the Shire of Cardinia local government area. Pakenham Upper recorded a population of 1,196 at the 2021 census.

Dewhurst is a bounded locality in Victoria, Australia, 48 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the Shire of Cardinia local government area. Dewhurst recorded a population of 151 at the 2021 census.

Fielder railway station is situated on the Puffing Billy Railway in Australia. It opened as a Stopping Place on Monday 10 September 1928, as part of the Gembrook railway line. It was originally an unnamed platform, with time tables noting a station at 38 miles (61 km). In 1929, local Harry Watson constructed a Mallee shed and unofficially named it Ancaster after his home town in Lincolnshire, England, but this was quickly changed by some children to Laura, who was a young local girl. The Victorian Railways officially named it Fielder from Tuesday 5 February 1929, after a nearby resident. It was planned to name the station after the two local residents Cullen and Fielder and combinations of the two names were suggested, however Fielder was the name finally chosen. It remained nothing more than a Mallee shed with small office and a name board for the rest of its operating life. It was closed with the line on 30 April 1954 and the Mallee shed was sold to US Buslines for unknown use. After closure, the site fell into disrepair, and by the 1990s, little trace of Fielder remained. However, by that time, efforts were being made to extend the railway from Lakeside through to Gembrook, which would complete the entire length of the original line. In 1996, a group of volunteers led by Richard Schurmann in collaboration with the descendants of the Fielder family rebuilt the platform and waiting shed, which was officially re-opened on Saturday 19 April 1997 in preparation for the extension of the line which re-opened in 1998. On 18 November 2012 a plaque was unveiled on the station shed in tribute to the Fielder Family.Trains do not normally stop at Fielder.

Cockatoo is a town in Victoria, Australia, 48 km south-east of Melbourne's central business district, located within the Shire of Cardinia local government area. Cockatoo recorded a population of 4,408 at the 2021 census.Cockatoo is named after Cockatoo Creek, which runs through the town, and which the town was previously named.

Cockatoo railway station is situated on the Puffing Billy Railway in the town of the same name. It opened with the line on 18 December 1900 as Devon, but was renamed Cockatoo Creek on 29 July 1901 and subsequently shortened to Cockatoo in 1904. There was originally a platform road and a loop siding, but a crossing loop was later added in between the two. A single 12ft by 20 ft timber portable station building was provided which was later extended. Other associated buildings such as toilets and a van good shed were also on the platform while a weatherboard goods shed was provided on the loop siding (No. 3 Road). Today, the loop siding has been provided again along with the platform track, but the crossing loop is yet to be rebuilt. A platform exists which initially had a temporary non-heritage building provided for safe working purposes only, but during 2007 a heritage type building, obtained second-hand from another Victorian station, was relocated to Cockatoo. Although it is not representative of the original building, it nevertheless is a typical building of the day and now provides a more suitable safe working office than the non-heritage building previously used for this purpose, which was subsequently removed in 2009. Whilst trains normally stop at Cockatoo, very few passengers join or alight. Plans to recreate all structures on the platform to their mid-1920s configuration are well advanced with a start to be made in the very near future.

Mount Majestic is a 366-metre (1,201 ft) mountain in Victoria, Australia, primarily within the town of Cockatoo. It is located in the Cardinia region, about 47 kilometres (29 mi) east of the state capital Melbourne. Its peak about 9 metres (30 ft) above the surrounding terrain. The area near Mount Majestic it is quite sparsely populated, with 34 inhabitants per square kilometre. The nearest major community is Berwick, about 15 kilometres to the southwest. Vegetation in the area of the mountain is primarily evergreen decidious forest. The average annual rainfall is 1,391 millimetres (54.8 in). The wettest month is June, with an average of 161 millimetres (6.3 in) of precipitation, and the driest is January, with 57 millimetres (2.2 in) of precipitation.

Avonsleigh is a town in Victoria, Australia, 47 km east of Melbourne's central business district, located within the Shire of Cardinia local government area. Avonsleigh recorded a population of 844 at the 2021 census.

Wright railway station is situated on the Puffing Billy Railway, Melbourne, Australia. It opened on 24 October 1904 as part of the Gembrook railway line. It served the Wright Forest and small township of Avonsleigh, and consisted of only a small Mallee shed and a name board. When the Gembrook line was officially closed on 30 April 1954, the site fell into disrepair, and by the 1990s, little trace of Wright remained. However, by that time, efforts were being made to extend the railway to the entire length of the original line from Lakeside through to Gembrook. Wright was officially re-opened on 18 October 1998, but a replica of the original shed was not rebuilt until sometime later. Trains do not normally stop at Wright.

Nobelius railway station is situated on the Puffing Billy Railway, and opened in 1927. It was named after the founder of the nearby Gembrook Nurseries, Carl Axel Nobelius, and his family.The station consists of a short platform with a "Mallee Shed"-type corrugated iron waiting shelter, which includes a small lockable room, although there was a more substantial building in the past. Trains do not usually stop at the station, except by prior arrangement.

Lakeside railway station is situated on the Puffing Billy Railway in Melbourne, Australia. It was opened in 1944 to serve Emerald Lake Park, a popular picnic and recreation reserve created during World War II. The station originally consisted of a short single-face platform on the up side of the line, approximately on the site of the current locomotive water tanks. It had a name board and a red flag for intending passengers to signal to the train crew, but no shelter. Lakeside today is a staff station, with a passing loop, island platform and waiting shelters. A booking office and refreshment room is across the track on what was the post-reopening single-face platform. There is also a second loop siding beyond the former park access road for the single-face third platform which services the Visitor Centre. A short, dead-end spur extends past the down end of this loop siding. Of interest is a working wig-wag level crossing warning signal, which operates at the former park access road between the platform and storage siding. It is believed to be the only regularly operating wig-wag signal in Victoria. Australia's biggest model railway, the Emerald Lake Model Railway, is located near the station.