North Coast Rail Tour

Next
Departure

Oct 2024

05 Days

New South Wales

from $4495

Next
Departure

Oct

2024

05 Days

New South Wales

from $4495

Meet your Tour Leader

In conjunction with Vintage Rail Journeys

Travel along the scenic North Coast Line on the restored ex-Southern Aurora with sleeping carriages. Unpack Only once and enjoy everything that slow rail touring provides.

Departure Location:	Sydney
Return Location:	Sydney
Tour Date:	20 Oct 2024 - 24 Oct 2024	Tour Code: 2410NCR-VRJ
Tour Code:	2410NCR-VRJ
Price:	Twinette: $4495 Roomette (solo): $4495
Deposit (per person):	$500
Final payment due by:	90 days before departure

20 Oct 2024 - 24 Oct 2024

Highlights of your tour

Travel the scenic North Coast Rail Line, Central Coast, and the Mid-North Coast
Relaxing travel over the spectacular Hawkesbury River
Discover the beautiful Hastings River at Port Macquarie and a Dolphin Cruise
Meet local producers on their farms
Food and shopping Byron Bay style
Visit the Slim Dusty and Kempsey Museums
Watch whales from Arakoon National Park and the South West Rocks
Discover historic Maitland & Morpeth

Vineyard in the Barossa Valley, South Australia

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Your Journey

Day 1

Sunday 20 October:

CENTRAL STATION, SYDNEY – KEMPSEY (L, D)

Your North Coast adventure starts at Central Station, Sydney at approximately 9:30am. Welcome aboard the Aurora Australis where you can choose to sit in the lounge or dining carriages, or your private compartment.

Today we’ll spend all day on the train. We’ll travel over the spectacular Hawkesbury River, alongside Mullet Creek and through the ‘Venice of Australia’ to Brisbane Water. We skirt around Newcastle and on to Maitland in the Hunter Valley, where we turn right to join the meandering North Coast Line.

At Gloucester, the North Coast Line starts to follow the Gloucester River, continuing the enjoyment of travelling beside the water. The Gloucester River joins the Manning River and we follow it through Taree and on to Kempsey on the Macleay River, where we will stable at a nearby siding for the night.

Lunch and Dinner will be served on board the train in the Dining Carriage today.

Day 2

Monday 21 October:

KEMPSEY – PORT MACQUARIE – CASINO (B, L, D)

Enjoy breakfast on board the Aurora Australis before boarding coaches to explore Port Macquarie.

We’ll take a scenic lunch cruise of the tranquil waters of Port Macquarie, with the possibility of seeing dolphins, turtles, osprey and sea eagles. Enjoy the peaceful rural landscapes and abundant wildlife on the Hastings River.

We’ll return to the train after lunch, as we continue up the North Coast Line. We will be travelling for around five hours through fascinating scenery. We will be inland for a while before turning to the coast again and travelling along the water, past Sawtell and through Coffs Harbour. We then head inland again, traversing curves following the Orana River, as the line climbs through banana plantations. You will enjoy dinner on our way to Casino, where we will stable at a nearby siding for the night.

Day 3

Tuesday 22 October:

CASINO – NORTHERN RIVERS – KEMPSEY (B, D)

Enjoy breakfast on board the Aurora Australis before boarding coaches to explore the Northern Rivers Region, known for its natural attractions and eclectic community.

While in the region, you have the option of visiting Zentveld’s Coffee Plantation and Roastery which will see you walking through the plantation and seeing the coffee being grown, watching as the team roast the beans and tasting their Australian coffee creations. You’ll also visit Duck Creek Macadamia Nuts, who have built a reputation as a producer of Australia’s finest Macadamia Products. Alternatively, visit Cape Byron Lighthouse & Maritime Museum.

Lunch today is at your own choice and cost.

Your coaches will return you to the train and we will then head south travelling inland for a while before turning towards the coast and travelling along the water through Coffs Harbour, past Sawtell and on to Kempsey where we will stable at a nearby siding for the night.

Dinner will be served on-board the train this evening.

Day 4

Wednesday 23 October:

KEMPSEY – PATERSON (B, L, D)

Enjoy breakfast on board the train before boarding coaches to enjoy a scenic drive to the Arakoon National Park and the South West Rocks area. National Parks in this area have the best vantage points to see whales during their annual migration (from May to November). Guests will walk through the Trial Bay Gaol, an open air museum which captures the history of the area.

Alternatively, visit the Kempsey Museum, where you can experience First Nations history, boot making, timber industry, military history, natural history, dairy industry, shipping, historical vehicles to name just a few subjects touched on in the collections, displays and historic artefacts. You can also spend time in the Dunghutti-Ngaku Aboriginal Art Gallery, the gallery showcases and markets works of prominent, established and emerging Aboriginal artists of the Dunghutti region and Mid North Coast area.

We will then visit the Slim Dusty Centre, an innovative museum dedicated to Australia’s Cultural Icons, Slim Dusty and Joy McKean. The museum honours the positive impact on rural and regional Australia by these two amazing people. You will also enjoy lunch at the Slim Dusty Centre.

Your coaches will return you to our train where we will continue South along the North Coast Railway line to The Rail Motor Society, Paterson where we will be stabling for the night. The rolling hills of this prime dairy country are really shown to best effect as sunset approaches.

Dinner will be served on-board the train this evening.

Day 5

Thursday 24 October:

PATERSON – CENTRAL STATION, SYDNEY (B)

Enjoy breakfast on board the Aurora Australis at The Rail Motor Society, Paterson.

Today we will discover Maitland where you will spend time at the 1870 built Grossmann House, restored by the National Trust in the 1960’s and the Maitland Regional Art Gallery.

Then discover Morpeth, an historic inland river port alongside the Hunter River. A visit to Morpeth is a real journey through time. Visit the narrow laneways, walk along sandstone footpaths and into heritage buildings where you’ll discover unique shopping, artisan treasures and delightful treats.

Lunch is at your own choice and cost today.

At Maitland we will board the train for the last time, as we travel back past Brisbane Water and the Hawkesbury River, concluding your rail journey at Central Station, Sydney at approximately 8:00pm.

You will have had a truly memorable Vintage Rail Journey!

Subject to change due to circumstances beyond our control.

What's included

Sleep on the train in restored ex-Southern Aurora Sleeping carriages. Your private cabin converts to a day travel configuration.
Dining and Lounge carriages are available when travelling,
Meals are as listed in the tour itinerary. Meals served on the train are freshly prepared by our on board chef using local ingredients from each region,
Water, Soft drinks and Juices are included. The Aurora Australis is licensed to sell alcoholic drinks which are at an additional cost. As our train is a licensed premises you cannot consume your own alcohol on-board,
Sightseeing is included at each stop for off-train experiences on our ‘Aurora Explorer’ fleet of coaches.

What's not included

Some ways you’ll travel

The best train trips possible, private luxury coach for off-train travel, guided walking where suitable, and other appropriate and appealing options to make exploration easy

Some places you’ll stay

Hand-picked hotels and resorts based on location, customer feedback, value and atmosphere. Please Note: Hotels of a similar standard may be substituted.

Our track record

Hear from some of our adventurers that have already ridden the rails with us.

FAQs

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