Australian trip

[robvulpes]

Next March/April I'm making my first (probably only) trip to Australia, with a stopover for a couple of days in Singapore. It's an 'ordinary' 'see the highlights of the country' package tour, not a railway enthusiast-orientated trip, but has enough free time to enable me to do some railway exploration. The question is: what's most worth doing (no more than a day trip from one of my overnight bases, accessible by public transport)? I'm not a great one for linesiding or photography, so more interested in travelling on interesting (scenic or particular rail/tram operating interest) lines, and visiting reasonably sized heritage rail or tram locations.

I've found this recent thread (but covers a limited area) - anything else on this forum is several years old. I've also found this compendium of weblinks to heritage railways and tramways (I've only followed a few so far, but will investigate further). So, fellow forumites, what do you suggest, please?

My overnight stays are:-
Singapore, Perth, Darwin, Kakadu National Park, Katherine, Alice Springs, Uluru, Cairns, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Warrnambool, Barossa Valley, Adelaide.

...... then back to UK for a long rest!

TIA

Rob

 

[matt]

For your Melbourne stay-over Puffing Billy is well worth a ride. It's at the end of one of the metro lines.

 

[Bald Rick]

Two recommendations that I would happily do again.

Cairns: Karunda Scenic Railway. Goes up into the rainforest above Cairns through some stunning scenery, including an amazing waterfall next to a viaduct on a horseshoe curve. Kuranda itself is a scenic little town, with plenty of attractions. You can catch the train back down, or get a cable car (Skyway) back. All very tourist oriented, but very enjoyable. I did it in half a day, but you could easily fill a full day trip. Trains go from Cairns Central, but there are plenty of packages you can get that vary the start / return point depending on what else you bolt on.

Sydney: 2hr trip up to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. It a regular train (about an hourly service), but once out of the Sydney metropolitan area at Penrith you enter the Blue Mountains and it is much more scenic, albeit lots of trees. At Katoomba it’s a 20-30 minute walk (buses available) to the stunning scenery of the cliffs and falls of the Jamison Valley, and the self-proclaimed World’s Steepest Passenger Railway, a funicular with a 52deg incline that goes down about 300 metres to the valley floor. There’s plenty of other things to do in Katoomba, particularly walking around and checking out the scenery which is world class.

For the latter, pick your day carefully. First time I went it was misty all day and couldn’t see much. Next time it was good weather, and then I realised what all the fuss was about.

Final one, in Perth get the metro to Freemantle, and after a quick sightseeing trip around the town make a bee-line for the Sail & Anchor Pub opposite the market. Some people reckon this is the best pub in the Southern Hemisphere, and I’m inclined to agree.

 

[LesS]

You are certainly planning to cover a lot of ground.

For the Northern Territory & far North Queensland this is the end of the wet season. Humidity will be high and there is the risk of cyclones, the summer monsoon.
In Sydney you should obtain an Opal card on arrival, presumably at the airport. It operates similarly to Oyster. You must tag on AND off at all times except the Many ferry.
Forget a trip to Katoomba and the Blue Mountains. There are much better trips to Wollongong/Kiama on the South Coast, trains are hourly or to Gosford-Newcastle/Maitland to the north. In Maitland you will be able to see the coal trains up to 10,000 tonnes. They are normally about every 10 minutes apart. There is plenty of opportunity to travel around Sydney on the trains & bus networks.
In the other state capitals they have similar travel cards; Go cards in Brisbane; Myki in Melbourne.

IN Melbourne a visit to Puffing Billy should be on your list of activities. Just take a suburban train to Belgrave The stations are end on to each other.

On your visit to Uluru you should expect expenses to be high as everything has to be flown in over considerable distance.

In Cairns take the Kuranda Scenic train. There are 2 departures each morning.

Enjoy your visit and please post a report of your experiences when you return home.

 

[kilonewton]

Warrnambool, nothing much really, only an old rail trail cycle to Port Fairy if you’re feeling energetic, but the attractions of Flagstaff Hill and/or Cheeseworld might be more, um, entertaining?
Adelaide, Steamranger at Victor Harbor or the horse tram are both good, but probably a bit far out from Adelaide, especially without a car. The National Railway Museum at Port Adelaide is very accessible, and there is a wee steam train running along the dunes at Semaphore Beach. I think you can get a discount on the steam train with your NRM ticket, but it was a few years ago now when I was there, and the steam train wasn’t running due to it being a fire ban day.

And more votes for the Kuranda train/cable car combo and Puffing Billy when in Melbourne. Also in Melbourne there’s the AHRS museum next to Williamstown North station and the Tram museum at Hawthorn.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I was going to mention the Canberra Railway Museum (located near the passenger station), which I visited in 2015.
However, I see it has closed because its sponsor failed and some of its exhibits have been auctioned off.
Meanwhile the NSW Rail Museum (located in Thirlmere, between Canberra and Sydney) has apparently proposed to reopen the Canberra museum and run heritage trains on the closed line south of Canberra.
But don't hold your breath.
They had the oldest working steam loco in Australia, NSW 1210, a Beyer Peacock 4-4-0 of 1878.
The tourist round in Canberra probably won't get down to Kingston, where the station is.
Excellent national museums though, and there might be cricket at the Manuka Oval, a lovely ground.
You can also sit in on a session of the Aussie parliament and watch ministers insult each other!

I also visited the Victor Harbour-Goolwa line south of Adelaide, a scenic working heritage line, highly recommended.
However I think you are based north of Adelaide so it would be a long day trip.
We also happened to coincide with the Goolwa wooden boat festival which features old paddlers on the Murray estuary.

If you visit Sydney Opera House, you might reflect that in its previous guise the site was the city's main tram depot!

At Uluru, try and get to the Olgas (Kata Tjuta) about an hour west.
Wonderfully atmospheric for a quick hike, and much quieter than Uluru.

 

[Bald Rick]

At Uluru, try and get to the Olgas (Kata Tjuta) about an hour west.
Wonderfully atmospheric for a quick hike, and much quieter than Uluru.

It is wonderful, but to clarify, it’s 50k from Yulara (the ‘town’ where you stay for Ayers Rock / Uluru) to Kata Tjuta; about a half hour drive on an empty road, or a 9 hour hike through unforgiving desert!

 

[LesS]

The rail museum in Canberra was put into receivership. Many assets were sold off. The remainder was saved by 3 private buyers purchasing the Beyer-Garret 6029 from the receiver. This locomotive is now homed at the rail museum, Thirlmere on a custody & operating agreement. The Canberra museum is planned to reopen once the corporate re-organisation is complete.
Nearer the time of your departure check www.nswrailmuseum.com.au for activities around Sydney & at Thirlmere.
Public transport to Thirlmere is limited, with none at weekends, and I can advise on this is needed.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

Melbourne wise puffing billy is a must.
ARHS North Williamstown railway museum at Newport is It has the largest non articulated locomotive in Australia. H220.
At the moment the trip down there passes by the where the High Capacity Metro train is being built.
The Melbourne tram Museum is also very good

If you're after something modern we do have some fancy stations on some elevated railway on the Cranbourne/Pakenham Line as part of the level crossing removals.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Another vote for the Puffing Billy. It might be worth checking if you can make the Melbourne-Warrnambool leg independently: there are 4 trains per day work through, it takes just over 3h30m and last I checked are still loco-hauled (V/line N class, fairly typical GM derived design). A chance to sample genuine local rail service.

 

[ian959]

Late with suggestions but if you want a pleasant train ride out of Perth for the day, the Australind between Perth and Bunbury is decent enough, mostly along the foot of The Darling Scarp. If your spare day in Perth is a Monday or Friday, you could always try The Prospector from Perth to Kalgoorlie and return. A long day trip but an interesting trip through very changing country to the very edge of the Outback but just an hour stay in Kalgoorlie! The Rail Heritage Museum in Perth (Bassendean, near the Ashfield railway station) is open Wednesday and Sunday afternoons otherwise take a suburban train ride down to Fremantle from Perth City and explore the old port city for a few hours and visit the Fremantle Prison, the only World Heritage site in the Perth metro area.

Agree with the Kuranda Scenic Railway in Cairns but if you had 4 days there I would highly recommend doing The Savannahlander from Cairns to Forsyth and return. Fascinating and relaxing journey.

If you visit Melbourne and don't do Puffing Billy, you are nuts! So very easy to get to by suburban train too...

Canberra has little that is railway orientated nowadays, but I would highly recommend a day at the Australian War Memorial, my go-to place in Canberra. Very moving place and very interesting exhibits. Then again, unlike most Australians, I love Canberra and the visitor options it has to offer. If you were in Canberra for ANZAC Day (April 25), I would urge you to do the Dawn Service at the Australian War Memorial.

In Adelaide, I would add another recommendation for the National Railway Museum in Port Adelaide, not far from the suburban railway station. There is also the option of the tram down to Glenelg for a pleasant lunchy near the beach.

 

[robvulpes]

Original poster here. Trip done, and recovery started!

Belated thanks to all who contributed to this thread. The things of rail/tram interest I managed to fit in (and response to other suggestions made in this thread) were:-

Singapore - used the MRT metro to get about city.
Perth - took train and bus out to Whiteman Park, where the Bennett Brook Railway (2') was closed but the heritage tramway was operating with an ex-Melbourne car. On the way back stopped at Ashfield and peered through the fence at the open-air exhibits at the Rail Heritage Museum (closed). Fremantle was an organised excursion on my tour - out via river cruise, back on hire coach. Saw but didn't imbibe at the Sail and Anchor pub (recommended above).
Alice Springs - saw 'the Ghan' during its layover.
Uluru/Ayers Rock - Kata Tjuta/the Olgas were included in the tour.
Cairns - did the Kuranda Scenic railway and cable car. Saw sugar cane railway infrastructure north of Cairns but nothing operating as it isn't harvesting season. Waited in vain in Cairns to see the Savannahlander's scheduled arrival but gave up 30mins after it was due as it was raining and too dark to photo.
Sydney - used existing tram. New tram line construction in city centre causing traffic chaos! Caught local train across the Harbour Bridge and down to Loftus for the Tramway Museum. Katoomba was an optional day trip on my tour (getting there and back by hire coach, but doing the funicular and cable cars whilst there) which I took. Low cloud drifting, but there were spectacular views at times. Saw the 'Indian Pacific' boarding at Sydney Central station. Not enough time for Wollongong, Kiama, Newcastle or Maitland as suggested up thread.
Canberra - saw new tram being tested - line opens to the public in a few days. Our tour included the War Memorial with time for a brief look round the museum and attendance at the daily 'Last Post' ceremony - moving.
Melbourne - took local train to Puffing Billy where I had a complete round trip with time behind all 3 locos in steam that day, including the Garratt. Used trams (including the heritage route 35) to get around the city and out to Port Melbourne and St Kilda. (Couldn't do AHRS museum - limited opening - without missing out on Puffing Billy. Choice obvious!) (Glad I didn't follow the suggestion above to catch a local train from Melbourne to Warrnambool instead of sticking with the organised tour - we went by coach along the Great Ocean Road which was spectacular!)
Adelaide - took tram to Glenelg and local DMU to Port Adelaide for the National Railway Museum - well worth a visit. The associated beach steam train wasn't operating that day.

Lack of time and/or distance without private transport meant that I had to miss a number of other interesting transport features. Also, limited opening hours for volunteer-run locations. But if you get the opportunity, and can afford it - go!

 

[LesS]

Thank you for the feedback.

Distance is a big issue for visitors and locals alike. To the best of my knowledge the only rail museum open 363 days is the NSW Rail Museum at Thirlmere in the lower southern highlands. It is possible to visit on public transport on weekdays only. The transport information will need to be provided as it is almost impossible to find on the internet.

Low cloud and mist in the Blue Mountains is frequent and often happens at the most inconvenient time.