Railway Adventures 2025

Our tour starts tonight when we meet in reception of our hotel before a welcome dinner at Encore Restaurant.

Overnight: Burke and Wills Hotel, Toowoomba

This morning, we’ll enjoy the incredible dedication, work and stories of Downs Steam Railway and Museum, a solely volunteer run organisation dedicated to the establishment of a tourist railway for the Darling Downs region.  It’s then on to the Downs Steam Silver Bullet RM2032 for our first train journey of the tour.  After arriving at Brookstead, we’ll enjoy a light lunch at the local pub before boarding our coach to Roma.  Along the way, we’ll break for some time at the Miles Museum, the new home of the relocated old Dalwogan Railway Station, where we’ll get to “meet” Loco 944, a class C17 steam engine.

Overnight: Best Western Bungil Creek Motel, Roma

This morning after breakfast, we’ll board our coach and embark on a town tour of Roma, home to the heritage-listed Hero’s Avenue, planted with more than 100 bottle trees.  Our tour will include the Roma Saleyards, the largest livestock saleyards in the Southern Hemisphere.  Experience the energy and excitement of a real cattle auction with up to 7,000 head of cattle being bought and sold.  Late morning, we’ll head out to Western Queensland Spirits for a delicious lunch featuring local produce before reboarding our coach and travelling into the Central Queensland Sandstone belt of the Carnarvon Ranges.  Travelling North we’ll cross the water shed of the Maranoa and into the Dawson River catchment for a spectacular first glimpse of this stunning landscape from Lonesome Lookout.

2 nights: Carnarvon Gorge Wilderness Lodge

After breakfast this morning, we’ll head out to the rangers’ station where the walking trails begin.  This is our chance to explore the Lower Gorge section of the Carnarvon Gorge.  Here we will visit the Moss Garden, arguably the most scenic of all the Gorge’s sites.  On reaching the boardwalk you will be treated to a cliff line where the base is covered by a lush carpet of mosses, pepperomia and ferns and is supported by the largest spring in the Gorge.  A small waterfall cascades over the sandstone ledge, collecting in a clear pool lined with colourful rocks and water carved boulders. (Please note this is a 7.2km leisurely return walk).  For those that would prefer a less active morning, there are alternative options to enjoy the gorge, including the gentler Platypus Walk, or simply find a shady spot and soak up the grandeur.  Back at the Lodge, you’ll enjoy a relaxed lunch before a free afternoon.

After breakfast, we’ll farewell spectacular Carnarvon Gorge, board our coach and return back to Roma for a guided tour of The Big Rig, learning the important contribution made by the true grit pioneers of our oil and gas industry.  After lunch, our journey follows the Maranoa River into Mitchell, famous for the Great Artesian Spa, providing a relaxing and therapeutic experience, so bring your togs!  After checking into our hotel, we’ll enjoy dinner at the hotel restaurant.

Overnight: Cambridge Motel, Mitchell

After an early breakfast, we’ll transfer to the railway station to board the Westlander Rail Journey from Mitchell to Charleville, where the Darling Downs meets the Mulga Country of Southwestern Queensland. Upon arrival, we’ll visit the Charleville Bilby Experience for a tour of the nocturnal house.  Learn about the incredible volunteer program underway to protect this environmental engineering marvel.  Our coach will then take us on a town tour before settling into the iconic heritage-listed Corones Hotel for lunch. After checking into our accommodation, we visit the WWII Secrets Base, an interactive exhibition centre outlining Charleville’s role during 1942 – 1946.  Early evening, we will visit the Charleville Cosmos Centre for the Big Sky Twilight tour.  See an amazing night sky brought into focus with the help of powerful Meade telescopes and listen to captivating stories from their experienced sky guide.

Overnight: Mulga Country Motor Inn, Charleville

This morning, after breakfast, be inspired by the farmer who turned a long-term dream into reality with a tour of the Charleville Date Farm, an Australian, family run fully working date plantation.  Learn how dates grow and how reclaimed water came to be used for this environmentally friendly project.  Best of all, you’ll enjoy a delicious date loaf for morning tea.  Back on our coach, we’ll head west to Quilpie, with a stop at Lake Houdraman, a beautiful expanse of water set amongst shady gum trees on the outskirts of the town and part of The Lake goat station.  We’ll enjoy a guided tour of the property and some lunch before taking a look around the township of Quilpie, including St Finbarr’s Church, with its altar held up with rocks of opal.  After arriving at our unique farm-stay accommodation, there will be some time to relax before enjoying an exclusive sunset tour to nearby rolling red sandhills where the contrasting outback colours dazzle.  After a big day of activities, enjoy a gourmet paddock-to-plate dinner experience with drinks included.

2 nights: Toogunna Plains Farmstay, Quilpie

This morning after a hearty breakfast, you’ll be treated to an exclusive station tour of Toogunna Plains to learn the history of this 4th generation family-owned 130,000-acre sheep and cattle property.  Later this afternoon, we’ll travel to Eromanga, famous for being Australia’s furthest town from the ocean and home to Australia’s largest dinosaur.  You’ll have the chance to get up close to a 95-million-year-old dinosaur bone on the Australian Dinosaur Giant’s Tour at the Eromanga Natural History Museum and enjoy the Interpretive Corridor and Multi-Media Theatre Experience before enjoying a degustation dinner at the museum, complete with drinks paired to the menu.

This morning after breakfast, we travel to Longreach, often referred to as the gateway to the Outback.  Witness the transition of the Mulga, sand dunes and extensive flood plains of the Channel Country into the vast open plains of Longreach.  Along the way, you’ll enjoy the stories and folklore of the Mithaka people and the explorers and pioneers around Cooper Creek with some time to explore the quaint town of Windorah.  Following the Thomson River via Jundah and Stonehenge, witness the Jump-Up country and Mitchell Grasslands.

3 nights: Saltbush Retreat, Longreach

This morning after breakfast, we will explore the fascinating themed galleries at the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame and discover inspiring stories of our pioneering heroes.  Later in the morning, we’ll board Outback Aussie Tours heritage 2000 class rail motor to the one pub town of Ilfracombe.  Feel the freedom and romance of rail come together in the vast open plains before disembarking to explore the unique attractions in “the Hub of the West” like the Wellshot Centre, Machinery Mile and grab some lunch at the Wellshot Hotel.  We will return to our accommodation for short break and then late afternoon, join a guided Airpark tour at the world-class Qantas Founders Museum.  As the sun sets take a seat for the entertaining and informative Luminescent Longreach Sound and Light Show, which brings the 100-year-story of Qantas to life followed by an exclusive dinner surrounded by aviation history.  Wander through the displays to discover the real Qantas story.

This morning, we head West on our heritage rail motors and take in a different perspective of the country as we encounter wildlife and bring alive the numerous waterholes, passing scrub and grasslands with its incredible natural and cultural heritage.  Step off the rail motors for a short Mulga walk, learn of bush medicines and Leander sand ridge secrets.  Arriving at the Darr River waterhole, enjoy a homemade morning tea before returning to Longreach.  Take in some free time in downtown Longreach followed by lunch at a favourite local restaurant.  After a relaxing afternoon, it’s all aboard once again to soak up the romance of the rail on our Silvertails Rail Sunset Rail Adventure.  Settle in and watch the sun set in the West as onboard canapes are served & drinks are purchased.  Tonight, dinner is under the stars beside the Coolibah-lined Thomson River at Smithy’s.  Enjoy full table service while being entertained by our talented outback performer.

This morning after breakfast, enjoy an up-front view of Queensland’s captivating outback, in air-conditioned comfort on board the Spirit of the Outback.  From the comfort of your seat, you’ll wonder at the ever-changing landscape while enjoying lunch and refreshments.  As the Spirit of the Outback makes its way through heritage townships and history of early Australia, soak up the captivating comfort arriving in the evening into Emerald.  We’ll enjoy a light dinner at the hotel after checking in

Overnight: Maraboon Gardens Motor Inn, Emerald

Departing Emerald this morning we visit the Blackwater International Coal Centre to gain an insight into this billion-dollar industry.  Continuing our journey East, we visit the Mount Morgan Railway Museum.  Here you will get a sense of the history of rail in Queensland and even see the railway equipment at the former station.  Step back in time and experience how life and travel used to be through audio-visual displays and a 3D screening of the fascinating history of the rack railway.  After lunch at the Grand Hotel, we continue on to Rockhampton and the 100-year-old Archer Park Rail Museum for afternoon tea where we will learn more about the history of rail-based transportation in this major central Queensland town.  After checking into our accommodation, there will be some time to relax before dinner at the nearby Ribs and Rump Restaurant.

Overnight: Empire Apartment Hotel, Rockhampton

After an incredible exclusively crafted alignment of great heritage rail experiences and the best natural and Cultural wonders of Western Queensland, your incredible Outback journey comes to an end when you board one of the fastest trains in Australia, the Tilt Train, arriving at your destination of Brisbane with stories to tell your friends and family for years.