When Benjamin Teo was told the Australian prime minister would be boarding his train, he was sceptical.
But lo and behold, within minutes the Singaporean tourist and his family were posing for selfies with Malcolm Turnbull.
"My son lives in Singapore," Mr Turnbull told them.
"I was talking to him only the other day."
Mr Turnbull boarded Victoria's iconic Puffing Billy steam train in the Dandenong Ranges, east of Melbourne, on Wednesday.
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He greeted students on board from Birmingham Primary School with high-fives as they screamed his name and waved.
"The conductor told us Mr Turnbull is coming on, we did not believe him," Mr Teo said.
"It was really a surprise.
"This is the first time we have met a head of state (sic) anywhere - I don't even meet my own prime minister in Singapore."
Mr Turnbull promised $20 million to boost tourism to the region if re-elected, including $6.5 million to upgrade the Puffing Billy railway and build an all-weather venue.
Wednesday's announcement follows China's declaration that 2017 will be the year of Australian/Chinese tourism.
That means businesses will be investing and hiring more staff to cope with demand, Mr Turnbull said.
