Melbourne to the Mallee Rail Escape

This morning after breakfast and check out, we’ll walk across the road to Southern Cross Station to board the regular (and air conditioned) V/Line VLocity service to Bendigo. Upon arrival, you’ll have time for a quick exploration and to buy some lunch at leisure before regrouping at the station to await our private heritage train. 

Soon you’ll have the first sight of the heritage diesels retaining their traditional VR Blue and Gold livery with pride that will haul our train. On board you’ll have plenty of space to relax in the Edwardian ‘E’ type wooden compartment carriages with windows that fully open to better connect you with the passing countryside. There’s a kiosk and bar onboard and the spectacular ‘Yarra’ Parlor Car with an open air balcony, which once featured on the Albury Express and dates from 1906, is yours to relax in. 

Having departed Bendigo you’ll enjoy rolling through the Victorian countryside on one of Victoria’s historic country lines that is still largely intact – the Piangil Line. The line was opened from Deniliquin to Raywood in 1882, extended to Swan Hill 1890, and extended again to Piangil in 1915. The last passenger service from Swan Hill to Piangil ran on 24 December 1976, and it’s been used as a freight-only line ever since.

We’ll pause at Kerang in the early afternoon to allow the scheduled V/Line Swan Hill train to pass before we roll on through the farming lands of Central Victoria to Swan Hill, arriving mid-afternoon. Here, you’ll have the option of disembarking and exploring the town, or staying on board with your Tour Leader and embracing the rare opportunity of travelling to the end of the line at Piangil. 

For those who want to spend the afternoon in Swan Hill, you’ll make your own way to our motel, conveniently located in the main street just a short walk from the station. Those who choose to ride the line to the end will be back at the motel in the late afternoon. 

Tonight, we’ll gather for a jolly dinner at a local Club to exchange a few laughs and share the memories we’ve already made.

Overnight: Jane Eliza Motor Inn, Swan Hill (B, D)

This morning after a cuppa in your room and checking out, we’ll make the short transfer to the delightful cafe, ‘Spoons Riverside’ overlooking the Little Murray River for a hearty breakfast. After breakfast, we’ll return to the station and our waiting privately-chartered train to follow the line south and away from the riverlands all the way back to Melbourne. You’ll have a great opportunity on this journey to learn all about the train from the onboard volunteers or simply relax and watch the world go by through the picture windows.

We’ll need to pause again at Kerang to let the regular scheduled Swan Hill passenger service pass us before continuing south through Central Victoria passing several small towns along the way. 

Upon our arrival in Bendigo around noon, we’ll pause for a leg stretch while we take delivery of a picnic lunch to enjoy onboard as we start the final run back towards Melbourne. While on the platform, you might enjoy the curious, if not envious, glances of local commuters! 

Back on board we pass through rolling countryside, tunnels and the enormous Taradale Viaduct to Kyneton for a cleansing ale (our shout!) at the historic Kyneton hotel and a great story that Scott will tell you about its association with Ned Kelly.

Our tour ends when we arrive back at Southern Cross Station around 6.30pm and bid farewell until we meet each other again somewhere else down the line.

End of tour (B, L)