The Roma Rambler

This morning after breakfast, we head off to explore the countryside around Toowoomba, starting with a scenic coach journey to Warwick, dropping in at a couple of the interesting little towns along the way. Upon arrival in Warwick there’ll be time for some morning tea at leisure before we have the privilege of boarding the Downs Explorer steam train to ride with the volunteers taking the train up to Toowoomba ready for our adventure tomorrow.  

We’ll organise some lunch along the way and drop in for a visit to the Clifton Railway Museum, set within the authentic ambiance of the original 1869 station building, for a unique glimpse into Queensland’s rail history. 

We’ll get back to Toowoomba in the mid-afternoon, where the rest of the afternoon and evening is yours at leisure to enjoy the central location and the facilities of your hotel.

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

After a buffet breakfast at the hotel and check out, it’s down to the station to meet the special steam train and our other travelling buddies for the adventure ahead. We’ll be sharing this adventure with members and friends of The Southern Downs Steam Railway, the volunteer-run society that maintains and manages the heritage railway museum, and the rolling stock and locomotives you’ll be riding on – the “Downs Explorer”.  

The first marvel of the day is the beautiful, historic, heritage listed Toowoomba Railway Station itself. Built in the classic Victorian-era railway design, featuring red brickwork and elegant arched windows, the station opened in 1867, and was part of the Western railway line, which connected Toowoomba to Brisbane and the western regions of Queensland. It played a vital role in agriculture and trade, helping Toowoomba grow into the economic centre it is today. While regular passenger services are limited, the station is still used for heritage and tourism rail journeys, including special steam train events like ours.

The platform will come alive with the interest and activity that accompanies the departure of a beloved old steam train like this one. Once on board, you’ll settle into the 100 year-old carriages, complete with fully restored timber panelling and comfortable upholstered seats. You’ll have the freedom to roam the train, meet other travellers, and have a cuppa in the Buffet Car.  Chuffing out of the yard and onto the main line, we’ll descend the Towoomba Range and gather pace as the lush Darling Downs gives way to the rich open country of the Downs and plains on our way to Dalby.

Dalby was a major rail hub for transporting wheat, cattle, and wool from the Darling Downs to Brisbane, and played a significant role in the economic growth of the region during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Passenger services were once frequent, but now the station is mainly used for freight transport. Opened in 1868, the original station building  has a classic Queensland railway design, with a timber structure and traditional railway awnings. We’ll enjoy a special BBQ lunch on the platform – a unique opportunity.  

Back on the train, we’ll continue along the line to Chinchilla, established in 1877 as the Western railway line was extended west across the Darling Downs from Toowoomba and Dalby. Known as the “Melon Capital of Australia,” the town is a major producer of melons (especially watermelon), as well as wheat, cotton, and livestock. The area is also famous for its deposits of petrified wood, often found in local gift shops.

Upon arrival, we’ll transfer directly to our hotel for some time at leisure before dinner together at The Palms Motel.

Overnight: Palms Motel or King Royal Motel, Chinchilla (B, L, D)

This morning after breakfast and check out, and loaded up with our specially boxed lunches, we’ll head back to the train station and our special train to settle into the gentle rhythm of the engine on the run through Miles and onto Roma.

Upon arrival in Miles, we’ll pause for a leg stretch as the Loco takes on the water it will need for the next leg, then it’s back on the train for a journey through Queensland’s rich agricultural heartland and into the rugged beauty of the Outback. The journey this afternoon takes you past an ever-changing landscape, where rolling farmland gradually gives way to wide-open plains, red dirt roads, and vast cattle stations.

As the train departs Miles, you’ll pass fields of wheat, sorghum, and cotton, with occasional glimpses of historic homesteads and towering bottle trees unique to the region. Along the way, small country towns and railway sidings offer a glimpse into Queensland’s pioneering past.

Approaching Roma, the landscape becomes more rugged, hinting at the town’s proud reputation as the birthplace of Australia’s cattle industry. Established by pastoralists in the 1860’s on land of the Mandandanji Nation, Roma ‘took off’ when the railway came in 1877. It went on to be the site of Australia’s first oil and gas discoveries, and during World War II, Roma was the location of RAAF No. 22 Inland Aircraft Fuel Depot (IAFD), completed in 1942 and closed on 29 August 1944. Whether you’re a history buff, a nature lover, or an adventurer at heart, the Miles to Roma rail journey is a relaxing and scenic way to experience Queensland’s western frontier. 

Upon arrival in Roma, we’ll transfer directly to our accommodation, check in and enjoy some down time before heading out to experience dinner and a sound and light show at the 100-year-old EMSCO Rig (The Big Rig) that tells the story of sabotage, drama, and intrigue through the eyes of a Roma Rigger. 

Overnight: Roma Explorer Motel, Homestead Motel, or Downtown Motel (B, L, D)

This morning after breakfast and check out, we’ll board our coach and head back to The Big Rig to explore some more and hear the fascinating story of how Roma became the birthplace of Australia’s oil and gas industry in the early 20th century. A guided tour will introduce you to historic drilling rigs, machinery, and interpretive displays that bring the pioneering story alive; and give you insights into how the oil and gas industry shaped the region.  If you’re up for it, you can climb the 40-metre tower (or go up in the lift) for stunning views of Roma and beyond, walk among the treetops on a unique suspended walkway, or just relax with a coffee in the Big Rig Café.

It’s then down to the station to board our train for the return journey to Chinchilla. Along the way we pause at Miles for a leg stretch and a look around while the loco takes on water. 

Upon arrival, we’ll transfer to our accommodation, check in and regroup for dinner.

Overnight: Palms Motel or King Royal Motel, Chinchilla (B, L, D)

After breakfast and check out,  we’ll depart Chinchilla for the easy gentle journey up the range to  Toowoomba. It’s always a pleasure to trace a previously travelled route as you see things from the other angle and that’s the way we’ll roll along, with a stop at Dalby station for lunch on the station platform once again. 

Upon arrival at Toowoomba Railway Station, we’ll transfer directly to our hotel, check in and enjoy some free time to relax before our last dinner together, which will be at our hotel.

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

Our tour ends this morning after breakfast. There will be a coach standing by  for transfers to the airport and Roma St Station, getting you there by late morning for any afternoon flights or onward train journeys.