Australia by Train with Journey Beyond

This winter I travelled to Australia to visit my son in Sydney, who is also a travel writer. Earlier last year he took a trip on the famous Ghan from Adelaide to Darwin and explored Uluru and surroundings on an escorted tour. After travelling such a long way to reach Australia I decided to see more of the country and like him took time out to visit other cities on the Great Southern Rail with Journey Beyond.

Coastlines and Capitals Tour with Journey Beyond

I’m giddy as I drag my wheelie suitcase to meet Jason from Journey Beyond who has already called to check that I’m on my way for my trip on board the Great Southern Railway. The anticipation that accompanies a train journey is incomparable to any other mode of transport. The Coastlines and Capitals itinerary starts hours before stepping on board the train at Acacia Ridge Station, Brisbane. It begins at Hanworth House, a period residence where a banquet is laid on for passengers to sample a tasty breakfast and hear the exciting options awaiting us.

We are handed lanyards with cabin numbers sorted into platinum, gold premium and gold categories. It’s an opportunity to meet my new travelling companions and already I’ve struck up a chat with Bret and Mel from Adelaide who are as excited as I am to see our new home for the next four days. They are Gold Premium guests too that means we will share the same catering cabin and lounge area.

My cabin is cosy, a cocoon of soft greys, warm woods and with an ample en suite. Awaiting me is a glass of Prosecco and itinerary for the rest of the day that involves dinner at Coffs Harbour, our first stop. Aine, my cabin attendant, pops in to introduce herself and take the order for my preferred night cap. All food and beverages are included on the journey, with a choice of excursions at every stop. I’ve the evening to think about what I want to do next day when we pull into the coastal resort of Port Stephens.

My cabin is where I can hide away and sleep peacefully at night enjoying my own space. But for now I go to the lounge and meet more passengers with stories of their lives and why they have decided to take this trip. Brian, from New Zealand, is a war veteran travelling alone and has been on the Ghan and Indian Pacific, two of the other locomotives that traverse the Australian outback. The train’s resident musician drops in with his guitar to play some classics and a sing-song starts to John Denver’s Country Road. I know already this is going to be a special trip.

Coff’s Harbour is only a few hours away but involves a change of time zone hopping from Queensland to New South Wales. We are brought by bus to dine on golden sands at one of the resorts. A local plays the didgeridoo and tells about the elders and indigenous folk who lived along this coast before John Coff, a shipbuilder, made this scenic area his home after taking shelter from a storm in 1847. At every step of our trip one of the Journey Beyond team takes charge to inform us about the destination and ensure everyone is comfortable. I could get used to being spoiled this way and compare it to flying business class on an airplane but with an altogether more spacious vessel. I retire to my cocooned cabin happily that evening as the wheels of the carriage chug beneath me beckoning me to a restful sleep.

I’ve opted to explore Port Stephens by Sea and next morning after breakfast I follow about a third of the passengers who have chosen to do the same. We are bused to a luxurious catamaran where there is yet more food, mini muffins, fruit skewers and anything we could possibly want to drink. It takes only a few minutes to reach outside the harbour and the turquoise coastline kissing the white sandy beaches. The aptly named dolphin pool provides entertainment as a large pod of dolphins decide to jump out of the water in harmony, much to our delight.

This corner of New South Wales is a maritime paradise with rugged islands jotting out of the pristine waters. Its home also to a massive sand dune that my new pals Mel and Bret have decided to explore on the other excursion option. When we meet at dinner that evening they describe the fun they’ve had sliding on bodyboards down the dunes but admit that the sand has gotten everywhere.

In the evenings part of the journey is talking with fellow travellers about their day. The wine connoiseurs on board enjoyed the day tasting some of Australia’s best vintages in the Hunter Valley. It’s an ideal way to travel for couples, friends and especially solo travellers who never feel alone. The option is there to be on whatever type of journey you personally choose with an excursion to suit everyone.

After a gorgeous breakfast next morning of avocado and eggs, I return to my cabin and sit lazily looking out at the giant eucalyptus trees stretching up to the sky. The landscape changed as we slid into Victoria overnight. Wide open planes are dotted with cattle and the odd kangaroo rests sluggishly under the shade of a tree. This vast and wild countryside is in contrast to the winding rivers and green coastlines we passed in New South Wales. Billabongs appear out of nowhere providing water and life for so many. A kite eagle flies swooping above the cows and I’m a voyeur sampling truly wild Australia and acknowledge my privilege.

Each state brings a kaleidoscope of scenery. From the lush green of tropical Queensland to the more arid grasslands now down south as we reach the peak summer and the temperature of 41°C. Agriculture is so important here and I’ve been spoilt with the quality produce as each menu reflects the region we pass through. At the beginning of the journey, we enjoyed barramundi from the Pacific Ocean then last night we dined on Black Angus steak.

Melbourne awaits and there are four options for passengers to choose from. Another visit to wineries, an Art Gallery tour and Old Melbourne Gaol where the infamous Ned Kelly spent his last days before meeting the gallows in 1884. With the Irish connection I’m intrigued to find out more about this Australian legend so I follow my tribe to the penitentiary where tour guide Marie is enthusiastically waiting to tell all. The temperature outside is a roasting 40°C so I’m delighted to pace the cool cells, even the haunted cell number 17.

Awaiting in air conditioned coaches the rest of the crew transport us to Eureka 89, a fine-dining restaurant 300 meters and 89 floors high where breathtaking views of the city accompany another feast. It’s elevated dining on another level and the highest restaurant in the southern hemisphere. We have the option to walk out on to the glass bottomed ledge which isn’t really as scary as it sounds.

Each stop on the Great Southern itinerary has been carefully chosen to offer passengers the opportunity to absorb the destination and feel like an explorer. As we leave Geelong and Melbourne and settle on the wide open plains heading towards South Australia the fields seem to go on forever. Dotted with wind turbines the horizon juxtaposes from arid hills to wide open spaces. The straight roads are empty apart from the odd articulated truck. These wide open prairies make me feel like a pioneer heading into a new frontier, one not often charted by tourists but followed by those with an intrepid taste for adventure.

Our final night on board the Great Southern is tinged with nostalgia as my tight group of friends huddle in the lounge cart for our last night of camaraderie. I hear how Bret and Mel enjoyed the Moorabool Valley and others the Art Museum. I throw in my newly found knowledge about Ned Kelly before the night caps are passed around.

I wake to the gentle hum of the wheels on the track for the last time. They soothe my soul as the sun climbs higher in the sky and the shadows shift on the landscape. I’m leaving this train today and it’s been perfectly wonderful. The pace of passing through farmland and bush has left me in a quiet meditative state that has fed my soul as well as my eyes.

The flora and fauna of Australia display wild characteristics that ooze freedom and space in a unique way. I feel connected to this continent even though I’m a stranger from the other side of the world. The warmth and hospitality I’ve received since boarding the train has been constant and I feel utterly at home.

We approach Adelaide and the end of the line with the sense of having travelled far. A quick reset of my watch to match the time on my phone and I’ve completed what would have been a two hour flight but in three glorious nights and four days. Taking longer and travelling by rail has offered an experience to savour and remember for years to come. I’ll spend my stay in Adelaide in a hotel room and enjoy the city as a tourist but relish the fact that I arrived as a traveller moving with the landscape in the delightful way offered by train travel.