General Correspondence: P.O. Box 1615, Queanbeyan NSW 2620 Street Address: Queanbeyan Railway Station, Henderson Rd, Queanbeyan Office Hours: Mon-Fri: 10am-3pm Bookings Phone: (02) 6284 2790   Facsimile: (02) 6284 2791 Email: trains@trains.org.au

North Queensland Rail Safari

Tour report, 24 July - 17 August 1998

Week 1

The tour commenced at Brisbane's Roma Street Station. Twenty eight intrepid explorers boarded the 6:55pm Spirit of the Outback from platform 10. At right (click on pictures for a larger image), some of the group sample the $16, three course meal in the Tuckerbox Restaurant, on board our train bound for our first destination - Longreach.

It will be first class sleepers overnight and all day tomorrow on the Spirit. Longreach is from Brisbane.

Saturday 25 July 1998

Within 5 minutes of the schedule, we arrive at Emerald just before 10am. We have been under wires since leaving Brisbane, however at Emerald we say goodbye to our electric loco and receive two diesel locos in its place. The diesels will take us all the way to Longreach. For most of us, it is the first time off the train since leaving Brisbane. The weather is fine and mild, a pleasant 8-10 degrees warmer than Canberra's typical July day. Service on the train has been excellent so far. All the staff have been polite and helpful, and the meals have been first class.

Sunday 26 July 1998

Today we were to spend a lot of time travelling by coach. However, our first port of call was only a couple of kilometres down the road. It was the Stockman's Hall of Fame, which was closely followed by a quick look at the Qantas Museum "across the road". We then travelled to Winton to visit the Waltzing Matilda Centre, which, as an unexpected bonus, included a QR BB18 1/2 and small passenger carriage which contained some quite interesting QR manuals, working timetables and the like.

After lunch at Winton, we were off again for another two hour coach ride to Kynuna where we had a short break, and then another hour to the location of the "Walkabout Creek Hotel" which featured in the film Crocodile Dundee. Another hour and our coach brought us into Cloncurry, where we will be based for the next two nights.

Monday 27 July 1998

			A mixed day with a combination of a leisurely 4 hour train trip on the Inlander from Cloncurry to Mt Isa, and the rest of the day spent rushing from one lookout or museum to another. The day started with a look around Cloncurry, including the Mary Kathleen Museum, then we joined the Inlander to Mt Isa. QR had kindly put on an extra carriage just for our group, so we had plenty of room to spread out. Once again, the service was first class. Everyone pitched in, with the Train Manager (alias "Senior Passenger Attendant") helping in the buffet car. The weather was once again fine and warm in Mt Isa, where we visited two museums and the local lookout.

Tuesday 28 July 1998

We left Cloncurry quite early for our long coach journey to Normanton. It had rained overnight and the weather remained very mild for most of the journey. At Normanton, we stopped at the famous railway station before having lunch. We had in fact, just missed the Gulflander which had left on a charter run to Critters Camp. We had lunch and were able to return to the station to record the Gulflander returning to Normanton. We then hit the road to continue the coach journey to Karumba, where we were to stay overnight. After checking into the Motel, we made a short trip to Karumba Point, to watch the sun set over the Gulf of Carpentaria. Upon our return to the motel in Karumba, a sumptuous seafood barbecue was waiting for us on the lawns between the motel units and the bank of the Norman River. Dinner was very relaxing this evening, after having travelled so far by coach. Incredibly, Karumba was also the first motel where this travelogue was able to be successfully uploaded to our website.

Wednesday 29 July 1998

		A very early start today, as we wanted to be back at Normanton railway station as early as possible to stake out good seats on the Gulflander. The train was set up and waiting for us at the platform when we arrived. The train departed Normanton Station at 7:29, a minute early. The Wednesday train was not supposed to make photostops as keeping to the timetable was important. However, Ken, the Officer in Charge, and our driver for the day, had made arrangements so that we could indeed get a photo of the Gulflander crossing the Norman River. A second train, the "Motor Rail" service was also going to follow us all the way to Croydon. The safeworking rules allowed for a second train to follow, using line-of-sight, minimum 200 metres, and radio contact. The trip was fascinating and unusual - and also very bumpy! We stopped for a late morning tea at Blackbull, supplied by the wife of one of the local station (that is, farm) owners. For just three dollars, we received a cup of tea, coffee or cordial, and a cake of our choice. The Gulflander finally arrived at Croydon about 20 minutes or so, down on the timetable, and the "Motor Rail" train was only about 5 to 7 minutes behind. After an excellent cold meat and salad lunch at the local hotel, we continued to Georgetown by coach. Our coach had followed us, empty, from Normanton. The afternoon warmed up, and a few participants were eager to test the swimming pool at our Georgetown accommodation.

Thursday 30 July 1998

Accommodation was a little tight at the Latara Resort on the outskirts of Georgetown, however the facilities were good. Several people had got their washing done, some swam in the pool. This morning we had a" barbecue breakfast" before an early start in the coach to visit the Undara Lava Tubes, and (of course) to inspect the Undara Resort, where the facilities and accommodation are ex-Sunshine Express railway carriages. Photography of the Lava Tubes is difficult (due to light extremes) and does not show the full beauty of tise structure. Being pushed for time, we made a quick exit from Undara and a very quick stop at Mt Surprise to each our packed lunch. Unfortunately, part of the road from Mt Surprise to Einasleigh, where we were to catch the Savannahlander, was a very corrogated gravel road. Thanks to our expert coach driver, Mr Dave Cooke, we arrived at Einasleigh only 4 minutes and 20 seconds after the official departure time. Having spoken to the driver earlier in the day and confirmed our getting on board at Einasleigh, we were a little surprised to find out from the porter that the train had left on time (or perhaps even a minute or so early). In any event, this lead to an interesting, though not entirely planned afternoon, chasing the Savannahlander by coach on some pretty awful dirt roads. Having been unable to stop the train at Narrawa, we eventually caught up with it at Wirra Wirra - and only just! The Savannahlander "arrived" before our coach was able to stop and let us out. The final leg of the journey to Forsayth was made on the train, and this turned out to be some of the most interesting parts of the line, as the train snaked its way along a very narrow strip calved out of the embankment left behind by the ravages of the river over thousands of years. One of the features of this final leg is the feeding of the rock wallabies at the lineside. Accommodation will be tight again this evening, and most of us will share facilities. This is as good as it gets in Forsayth!

Friday 31 July 1998

		The Savannahlander sat at Forsayth railway station with the driver in the cab ready to leave, at least half an hour before the departure time. Such efficiency! We eventually left Forsayth only a minute early, and were soon back to the spot where the rock wallabies had been seen the day before. Although there were a couple to be seen this morning, the driver explained that they don't like to come out of the comfort of their caves when the wind is up, as it was this morning. At 188km, we stopped to look over the site of a former mining settlement. There were many artifacts to be found on the ground, not far from the train. Only a few kilometres further on, we stopped again to look at a native bird"s nest. Next stop was Einasleigh, where we arrived half an hour ahead of schedule, and which is little more than a railway station and a few houses. This stop allowed the passengers to take morning tea, supplied by the locals, and to take a look around. All road access to Einasleigh is gravel, so you would have to be a rail enthusiast/tourist to visit here. A magnificent gorge carved out by the Copperfield River is just 500 metres on the Mt Surprise side of Einasleigh. The Savannahlander left Einasleigh on time at 11am and collected photographers on the far side of the bridge over the Copperfield. The journey ended at Mt Surprise, but in the future, the Savannahlander is planned to continue to Cairns.

Read also: The second week