Australian Train Journeys

Australian Trains

There are three wonderful, different, unique, train journeys in this vast land. I have taken them all, several times, both ways, and recommend them highly.

The Ghan. Adelaide, South Australia to Darwin, Northern Territory.

The Indian Pacific, Sydney, New South Wales to Perth, Western Australia.

The Sunlander. Sydney, New South Wales to Brisbane, change trains, Brisbane to Cairns, Queensland.

I would start in Sydney, have a few days there. Go on a harbor cruise, climb the bridge, see the Botanical Gardens, go to a performance and dinner at the opera house, then take the train to Brisbane. You have to change trains in Brisbane, since the rail tracks are a different width thru Queensland to Cairns.

This is a great journey, sleep overnight on the train, and see different plantations, mango, pineapple, banana, pawpaw, and every tropical fruit you can name, as well as sugar as you travel north. Cattle country, million acres stations, and very interesting old Queenslander homes built on stilts to let the breeze go under the house. You go 1227 miles up the coast which takes 24 hours, you leave Brisbane at 3.45 p.m. on Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri and Sat. The other way, leave Cairns at 8.35am on Mon, Wed, Thur, Fri and Sun.

Cairns is the town to stay in to see the Great Barrier Reef and the Rain Forest. Lizard Island is a wonderful place to for a honeymoon. Small, luxurious bungalows, great diving and snorkeling. Wonderful small plane ride from Cairns. You really see the reef in all its splendor.

For the Indian Pacific journey, you start in Sydney, it covers 4352 miles – 4 days in either direction with 3 nights and 9 meals on board. You follow the path of bush pioneers, gold rush prospectors and legendary adventurers. You have a few stops in out of the way places one stop only had 4 inhabitants. One sign tickled me –“Please get sick, we need people to get a hospital” You see lush vineyards vast gold mines, majestic mountains and then the barren expanse of the Nullarbor plains. 72 hours, twice a week.

The Ghan leaves from Adelaide, South Australia and you can get a train from Sydney to make the connection. This is my favorite journey, through the heart of Australia. It took 92 years of outback crossing on camel, and the train was built in 1929, to Alice Springs. The history is amazing. You hear stories of how the manager of the telegraph station had a wife who would not go to his new posting without her piano, so they put it on the back of a camel. Only two seasons, the wet and the dry. There are over 100 different kinds of wild flowers which cover the desert in color after the wet season. The rail from Alice Springs to Darwin was envisaged in 1911 and the 880 miles track was completed 17 September 2003. Onboard, you will find great dining, elegant private cabins, attentive service, 3 days 2 nights to get to Darwin, Northern Territory.

I would get off the train in Alice Springs and spent 2 nights there. See the School of the Air, the Flying Doctor Service, and take a camel to dinner tour.

In Darwin, go see the Tiwi Islands day tour, and a city tour. The night market is fun to go to

Great book to read on your train journey is the story of a young Australian women who in 1977 crossed the Outback on a camel. It is called” Tracks” Robyn Davidson was brave to journey 1700 miles on her own.

You can’t go wrong taking any one of these wonderful journeys. I would do them again.

Maureen Jones

All Horizons Travel/Frosch

825 Santa Cruz Ave

Menlo Park, CA 94025

650-961-2340 direct

www.froschvacations.com