The Borderlands Steam Adventure

After breakfast and check out, we board our private coach for the journey to Toowoomba. We do this leg by coach so that we can make some stops, the first being a visit at the Ipswich Workshops Rail Museum, one of Australia’s premier museums, built around the living history of one of the country’s great industrial complexes. Here you have time on your own to explore the world-class collection and tour the restoration work in progress. We’ll enjoy lunch in the cafeteria before reboarding our coach. Our journey today takes you across the wide flood plain via numerous historic towns like Grandchester, Laidley and Gatton before ascending the ranges and winding our way up the escarpment where we’ll pause at the iconic and charming railway halt, Spring Bluff, to stretch our legs and smell the roses before taking the the last dramatic leg into the grand city of Toowoomba in the afternoon.

After checking into our hotel, you’ll have some down time to take advantage of its central location before heading across the road to Encores Restaurant beside the wonderful Art Deco Empire Theatre for dinner.

Overnight: Burke and Wills Hotel, Toowoomba (B, L, D)

It’s an early start this morning as we head out to Warwick to meet our special steam train for the run to Goondiwindi. Once every few years the Southern Downs Steam Railway volunteers gather to explore this region by train, and while it’s open to regular travellers too, we’ll have our own dedicated heritage carriages and attendants. Shortly after leaving the yard our train branches out onto the western line and morning tea is served on board as we travel west via Karara and Inglewood. Here, on the platform of the classic timber station, we’ll enjoy a BBQ lunch, admirably catered by the local Lions Club. With a full stomach, we’ll continue on to marvel at the spectacular painted silos at Yelarbon, a vibrant beacon set amongst a backdrop of spinifex country. Upon our late afternoon arrival in Goondiwindi, we’ll check into our downtown motel for some time to relax before heading out to a special wholesome heritage themed dinner at the Customs House Museum, a National Trust property on the banks of the river run by local volunteers.

Overnight: Various Motels, Goondiwindi (B, L, D)

Today, there are two different options for you to choose from. You can board our special steam train for an 8.00am departure for a rail journey further west along the line to the little village of Toobeah where the publican will have second brekky available and excellent coffee on tap before the train is repositioned and returns along the line to ‘Gundy’. 

Alternatively, you can jump on our coach for a journey to the end of the existing operational railway line where lunch can be had at the local pub at Thallon. After lunch, you’ll explore the marvellous painted silos and surrounding region before returning to Goondiwindi later in the afternoon. 

Both of these activities will allow enough time to head out to the popular Goondiwindi show  where all the local displays, ring events, and sideshows are in full swing up until 8:00pm when the event is capped off with a fireworks display.

Dinner tonight is a relaxed and hearty pub meal at O’Shea’s Royal Hotel, hosted from 6pm until the last of you are fed. Just come along when it suits your schedule!

Overnight: Various Motels, Goondiwindi (B, D)

This morning we’ll have a cuppa in our rooms before hitting the road early and heading south to Moree in NSW for a day of train travel on the lines of northern NSW.

Breakfast awaits in Moree before we leave our luggage on the coach and board the regular Explorer train service, unencumbered for the trip down the line to Armidale, travelling through Narrabri, Boggabri, Gunnedah, and Breeza before alighting at Werris Creek, where we’ll enjoy a BBQ lunch on the grand old junction station. There’ll be time to explore the excellent museum and National Railway Monument before jumping on the Armidale train for the next leg on the Great Northern Railway through Tamworth, Kootingal, and Uralla to Armidale. Upon arrival, our coach and luggage will be waiting for us to transfer us directly to our hotel to check in and enjoy some time to freshen up before regrouping for dinner.

Overnight: Rydges Hotel, Armidale (B, L, D)

After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll embark on a full day of sightseeing around this charming regional city.  First off, we’ll explore the Victorian estate of Saumarez, a grand country homestead set in magnificent gardens, and a veritable time capsule of how the wealthy and influential White family lived and worked. After a hearty morning tea at the on-site cafe, we travel back into town for a short city tour and a visit to the wonderful New England Art Museum, before driving the short distance down the highway to Uralla, the home of the infamous bushranger Captain Thunderbolt (Frederick Ward), who is buried in the old Uralla Cemetery (John Street).  Uralla is also home to over 50 buildings deemed to be of ‘national significance’, one of which, McCrossin’s Mill Museum, is our lunch venue. As well as catering our lunch for us, the wonderful volunteers who keep the museum alive will also guide us through their gallery and heritage collections.  We’ll return to Armidale via Gostwyck and the Dangar Falls in the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park.

The evening is yours to explore the many dining options in and around Armidale, including the option of dining in the hotel restaurant, if you’d prefer to stay in.

Overnight:  Rydges Hotel, Armidale (B, L)

This morning after breakfast we’ll embark on an exploration of the route of the old Great Northern Railway all the way to Tenterfield.  Due to much of the line now being closed, we need to do this day by coach.  However, much of the infrastructure remains and along the way we’ll see grand old stations, long truss bridges, and marvellously scenic sections of this once pivotal railway.

Along the way we’ll visit the interesting town of Guyra with its own little railway twist, before continuing on to Inverell where we’ll take a tour of this attractive town, ending up at the award-winning National Transport Museum for lunch and an exploration of the vast collection of historic vehicles and memorabilia, before heading further down the road to Glen Innes. This city takes special pride in its Celtic heritage, and we’ll take some time here to reflect on the amazing standing stones on the hill overlooking the town. Our journey ends in Tenterfield at the excellent Railway Museum, located at the station, where we’ll enjoy afternoon tea before checking into our motels for some time to relax.

Dinner this evening is a grand affair at the Henry Parkes School of Arts, just a short stroll from our accommodation. It was here in 1889 that Sir Henry, having just arrived by special train on his way to the colony of Queensland, delivered his famous Tenterfield Oration, setting the scene for a growing push for Federation.

Overnight: Best Western, Peter Allen Motor Inn or Jumbuck Motor Inn, Tenterfield (B, L, D)

Today, after breakfast and checking out, we’ll enjoy a day of classic train travel, with a feast of wonderful country scenery while following the route of the original railway from Sydney to Brisbane.

To begin our day, we head north a short distance by coach to the border town of Wallangarra and onto the regional centre of Stanthorpe. At Wallangarra we view this historic transhipment point and the change of trains for all inter-colonial traffic due to the break of gauge. Thankfully, the unusual island station has been beautifully restored and hosts an interesting museum. Upon our arrival in Stanthorpe, we’ll enjoy morning tea provided by locals at the railway station and then it’s all aboard our specially chartered steam train for the journey north. Descending the great divide our special train takes us along the Granite Belt before crossing over the Great Divide and continuing down the range to Warwick. Arriving in the early afternoon, we take a short city tour and check into your accommodation. Enjoy some down time before gathering again for a delicious buffet dinner at the Coachman’s Inn.

Overnight: Coachman’s Inn (or similar) Warwick (B, L, D)

After a leisurely breakfast and check out, we’ll once again hand our luggage over to our coach driver and head back down to the station to board our special private train for the last leg of our steam train adventure. Blasting out of Warwick we’ll head north across the Darling Downs to Toowoomba, stopping along the way for morning tea with the locals at the Clifton train station museum and tea rooms. On arrival in Toowoomba, you’ll have two options – either jump on the coach and go straight to the hotel and check in, or head off and explore on your own, coming back to the hotel and checking in at leisure. For those who are interested, we’ll regroup at the hotel in the mid-afternoon for a visit to one of the region’s great destinations, the excellent Cobb and Co Museum.

Our celebratory farewell dinner this evening is hosted in an appropriately railway-themed site – the museum depot and station of the Downs Steam Railway Heritage Centre. We’ll hear about the fine work being done here and the great plans afoot for future operations while enjoying drinks and a fine dinner in the character-filled dining cars.

Overnight: Burke and Wills Hotel, Toowoomba (B, D)

Our tour comes to an end this morning after breakfast. Our coach will be on hand to transfer you to your departure point, whether it be the airport or railway station in Toowoomba or Brisbane – giving you some time to chat and reminisce about your excellent adventure of the Borderlands of Southern Queensland and Northern NSW. (B)