Riverina Rail Tour
Our Riverina Rail Tour heading south from Sydney into the heart of Australia’s ‘food bowl’. You’ll receive a warm welcome from the communities of the Riverina, and learn a lot about the produce that they grow, some of their challenges and innovations. You will also travel on some rail lines which don’t have scheduled passenger services, making this a real adventure.
Members from: $4,451 P.P Twin ShareNon-members from: $4,495 P.P Twin ShareSolo traveller from: $7,195
Type
Train Journeys
Destination
Australia
Supplier
Vintage Rail
Departs
27 August 2023
24 September 2023
10 March 2024
7 April 2024
Day 1 (Sunday) : Sydney - Goulburn
Meals : Lunch, Dinner
Your Riverina adventure starts at Sydney’s Central Station. Once on board the Aurora Australis, you can choose to sit in the lounge or dining carriages, or your private compartment while we travel along the Main South Line to Goulburn.
Lunch will be served onboard the train today as we travel to Goulburn, where you will explore the sights and historic offerings of Australia’s oldest inland city. Off-train experiences include the Goulburn Locomotive Roundhouse (Vintage Rail Journeys’ restoration base); Rocky Hill War Memorial; and the Goulburn Historic Waterworks Museum.
Dinner will be served on-board the train at Goulburn Railway Station where we will be stabled for the night.
Subject to change due to circumstances beyond our control.
Day 2 (Monday) : Coolamon - Griffith
Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Enjoy breakfast on board as we leave Goulburn and continue along the Main South Line. We pass many interesting villages and towns today as we travel through the Canola Trail, so keep an eye out for the many grain silos adjacent to the rail line. Today we spend time in Coolamon, stopping at the Coolamon Railway Station dated 1881. Coolamon is named after the Wiradjuri word for a vessel carrying goods, children and water, “Gullaman” and this little town offers us a warm welcome.
Flanked by the Train Station at one end of the street and the Fire Station at the other, we have developed an afternoon experience of ambling the beautifully preserved heritage main street of Coolamon. A stop at the Coolamon Cheese Factory is a must for anyone who likes cheese or is interested in the cheese making process. The Up-To-Date Store, built in 1909 plays host to a variety of museum displays and collections. A stroll through this heritage listed building will bring back memories for some and offer interesting stories for others. The Coolamon Fire Museum hosts a truly amazing private collection of fire fighting equipment, uniforms and memorabilia. Along with heritage museums and buildings, the main street contains many local shops, restaurants and cafes, making this afternoon an unforgettable experience for all.
We will return to Coolamon Railway Station where we will travel by train along the Yanco to Griffith Line. Dinner will be served on-board the train at Murrami Grain Siding, where we will be stabled for the night in the serenity of the Australian bush.
Subject to change due to circumstances beyond our control.
Day 3 (Tuesday) : Griffith - Temora
Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
We’ll board coaches early this morning to enjoy breakfast at Piccolo Family Farm in Griffith. Peter & Luke will explain their sustainable farming practices before you enjoy breakfast in their new ‘cellar door’.
You’ll then choose from three optional off-train experiences:
Calabria Family Wine – Board a coach to take you to the Calabria Family Wine Cellar Door, where you will have a delightful time tasting Calabria’s fine wine, with an accompanying small cheese plate. The coach will then take you to ‘Banna Avenue’ where you can enjoy the remainder of the afternoon.
De Bortoli Wine and Il Campo Garden visit – Emeri De Bortoli has transformed a 14 acre plot into a beautifully landscaped memorial garden dedicated to her late husband Deen. Guests take a stroll through the garden as well as experience a wine tasting at the De Bortoli Cellar Door just across the road. The coach will then take you to ‘Banna Avenue’ where you can enjoy the remainder of the afternoon.
Morella Grove and Whitton Malt House – Established by the Dal Bon family, Natasha and her Dad, Frank are passionate about their produce and guests will experience a farm visit to Morella Grove. Frank will tell the story of the farm, the water efficient practices and the many processes the olives go through. You’ll then continue on to Whitton Malt House, where you will have a guided tour of the Southern Cotton Gin. You will need good mobility as there is a flight of stairs into the Gin. After your tour you can purchase lunch from the Whitton Malt House Cafe (extra cost).
Coaches will then take you to Yenda Grain Siding to re-board the train where we will travel on the freight only Lake Cargellico Line. Dinner will be served on-board the train at Temora Grain Siding, where we will be stabled for the nig
Day 4 (Wednesday) : Temora - Orange
Meals = Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Breakfast this morning is on board the Aurora Australis before experiencing Temora. Today you can choose one of two Temora tours:
The coach will take you to the Bundawarrah Centre which houses the Temora Rural Museum. Spend the morning experiencing the history of the region including a cottage of hardwood slabs that was Sir Donald Bradman’s first home, a one room public school, bush church, country dance hall, printery, flour mill and ambulance station. The Ambulance Museum includes ambulance vehicles and conveyances dating back to 1897 and originating from throughout Australia, including NSW, ACT and Victoria.
The coach will take you to the Temora Aviation Museum which was built on the site of the biggest and longest lasting RAAF Elementary Flying Training School during World War II. Spend the morning in the three main exhibit buildings, the Museum which is in the original 10 EFTS Guardhouse; the second exhibition area, located in the Engineering Hangar overlooking the aircraft which are currently in maintenance; and the Display Hangar which houses the new exhibitions area along with the aircraft.
Coaches will return you to Temora Station where lunch will be served in the Dining Carriages as we travel on freight only lines via Stockinbingal. There are many freight trains to pass on this single track line, and we are likely to experience substantial delays. Dinner will be served on-board the train as we travel through Parkes and onto the Broken Hill line to Orange Rail Yard at an unknown time (!) where we will be stabled for the night.
Subject to change due to circumstances beyond our control.
Day 5 (Thursday) : Katoomba - Sydney
Meals : Breakfast
Enjoy breakfast as we travel from Orange and towards the Great Dividing Range. On through Lithgow and through the 10 tunnels that replaced the Lithgow Zig-Zag, then cross the Darling Causeway on the way to Mount Victoria.
Stopping at Mount Victoria, you will depart the train and board your Blue Mountains Explorer Bus to see the vibrant Blue Mountains Villages on a guided coach tour. Walk out to the edge at Echo Point, see the majestic Three Sisters, check the waterfalls and the vibrant villages. Take a ‘Scenic World‘ ride (optional extra – tickets may be bought on the train).
Lunch is at your own arrangements in the picturesque Blue Mountains villages.
This afternoon board the train for our return to Central Station. You will have had a truly memorable Vintage Rail Journey!
Subject to change due to circumstances beyond our control.
Top End Explorer Ghan Package
Members from: $5,535 P.P Twin Share
Taste of two cities on The Ghan
Members from: $5,342 P.P Twin Share
All prices are per person in Australian Dollars unless specified. Prices are based on costs, charges, tariffs, rates, prices, taxes, levies, exchange rates and other considerations.
All are subject to change. For up-to-date pricing contact National Travel. No surcharges regarding cost or currency fluctuations will be made to the land only price once the deposit is received.