EMERALD Emerald is rarely encounted. Emerald is a small town in the Dandenong Ranges that is both residential and weekend hideaway. Emerald was once a little isolated, but is increasingly becoming a Melbourne commute satellite town. Emerald is a two part town. Emerald is known for the Emerald Lake (Lake Treganowan). The lake offers barbecue facilities, children's playgrounds, a pool, paddle boats, walking tracks, fishing, Environment Centre, model railway, café and a railway station for Puffing Billy. The Puffing Billy Railway is a heritage steam operated railway opened in 1900, which runs between Belgrave and Gembrook, now recreating the heyday in the 1920s of this narrow-gauge line. It has three stations within Emerald—at Emerald, Nobelius and Lakeside, with Nobelius only being a "Stops if required" station. Also, Nobelius Siding is located between Emerald and Nobelius stations which is only stopped at for functions, or the regular "Dinner Train" at the former Nobelius Nurseries Packing Shed adjacent to the siding.   Interestingly there is no pub in Emerald. The Emerald Museum is located south east of the town proper, The Catholic Church is a modern building; the United quite an old wooden structure and the Anglican an old representation. The Emerald War Memorial is well removed from either cbd and unsigned. Emerald is a remote spot, and if not visited will not be missed. The modernising of the town has created another Melbourne outer suburb. Heritage diary