AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS ITINERARY Sept 27-Oct 12th 2016 Magazine
Australia & New Zealand 2016 The latest destination for Special Interest Tours' train enthusiasts! All aboard as we head Down Under for scenic travel by rail. Day 1 Sept 27th Arrive in the vibrant city of Melbourne and transfer to our hotel in the heart of town. The hotel is located only one short block from Southern Cross, the main train station. The city also offers a vast free tram service in midtown, so once equipped with a city map and a tram pass, guests will be able to explore on their own. Guests will meet Steve Holmes, a knowledgeable railroad guide and local expert. Among other abilities, Steve can direct you to a large model train shop, or perhaps introduce you to Newport, a train storage facility and repair yard. Newport houses a very rare 1928 Diesel Electric Rail Motor (DERM). We are treated to a special event in the evening: dinner on the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant as it travels around the city.
Day 2 Sept 28th We begin traveling by way of a speedy, Velocity railcar out to Castlemaine, where we transfer directly to a steampowered mixed train. Here we ll ride the Victorian Goldfields Railway. The ride from Castlemaine to Maldon will include 2 beautifully restored cars, the Macedon Pullman Lounge and the Tambo Lounge/Open End Observation car. For a couple of hours, guests will explore Maldon, a once-colonial Victorian mining town, before heading back to Castlemaine, and on to Melbourne. Day 3 Sept 29 Today we ride by train from Southern Cross to Belgrave to ride Puffing Billy, Australia s most famous steam train. Guests can expect to ride the Gembrook train, operated by a Na Class 2-6-2T designed by Baldwin, built in Melbourne. In the evening, we leave on a late night train to Wagga Wagga, where we will be greeted just after midnight, by friendly locals who will escort us to the Hanericka farmstay.
Day 4 Sept 30 Having rested from our late night journey, enjoy a hot cooked breakfast and explore the farm at your leisure. Keep your eyes out for kangaroos! In the afternoon, our hosts will transport us to the Junee Railway Roundhouse & Museum, once the largest turntable in the Southern Hemisphere. On our return to the farm, enjoy a relaxing evening with an authentic Aussie dinner and a bonfire. Day 5 Oct 1 Enjoy a leisurely morning and a good hearty breakfast before we catch our midday train to Goulburn, home of the Streamliners 2016 event. This one-ofa-kind event celebrates 65 years of cab units with more than two dozen locomotives in a rainbow of colors from numerous operators. Join locomotive enthusiasts from around the world for a real Aussie BBQ and fireworks display.
Day 6 Oct 2 Day Day We join Streamliners on a day trip to Trainworks in Thirlmere, where you will see their Heroes and Legends exhibit, including: 6040 Garratt the heaviest and most powerful, massive steam locomotive in the nation 1905 steam engine the locomotive is of Beyer, Peacock of Manchester England construction. RS1962 Dining Car the envy of the world for luxury and speed in the years following World War II. 1709 steam engine one of the most profound expressions of 19th century travel in the collection. The Rail Pay Bus one of the oddest little items in the collection. It was once used for transporting employees wages all over the state Here we part with Streamliners to head to Sydney. Day 7,8,9 Oct 3,4,5 With our hotel within walking distance of Circular Quay and the Wharf, the next three days will be yours to use exploring and falling in love with all that Sydney has to offer. Known for its great sights: the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, and massive port, guests can stroll from shop to shop, quay to quay, or take a boat tour through the harbor. Take in the sights and smells of the botanical gardens, ponder in an art museum, sample fresh seafood along the Wharf, or catch a train into the Blue Mountains to visit the Three Sisters mountain formation.
Day 4 Day 10 March, 11th Oct 6 Once aboard our coach bus, we will depart Chena and return to Fairbanks. Along the way, we will stop We briefly into at the Queenstown, Alaskan Pipeline, New a great architectural Zealand, feat where in they harshest have no of trains, climates. but plenty of steam! The TSS Earnslaw Late afternoon steamboat, will with bring engine a brilliant visible tour highlight: Bob Berman s passengers, major will illustrated take across presentation the lake Light and Color to the in Walter the Universe. Peak farm. At the farm we ll enjoy a gourmet BBQ dinner and Come attend evening, a delightful assuming farm weather show conditions - a great prove fair, we introduction will charter to a this coach beautiful to transport country. our group to a special remote location, in an attempt to experience the impressive aurora lights! Day 11 Oct 7 A coach will take us to Middlemarch, where we ll ride the Taieri Gorge Railway, through 10 tunnels, and over bridges. Trains have been known to make drop offs for anyone wanting to hike across the highest viaduct, picking up on the other side. This train ultimately heads into Dunedin, with a particularly beautiful station- advertised as the most photographed building in New Zealand. From Dunedin we will fly to Christchurch.
Day 4 Days 12, 13 Oct 8, 9 March, 11th Located west of Christchurch are the Once aboard our coach bus, we will depart Chena and Southern return to Alps Fairbanks. mountains. Along the For way, the we next will 2 stop days, briefly we at will the traverse Alaskan Pipeline, them on a the great architectural feat in the harshest of climates. TranzAlpine, and head out to the small town of Greymouth for an overnight, Late afternoon will bring a brilliant tour highlight: then returning to Christchurch. Bob Berman s major illustrated presentation Light and Color in the Universe. Day 14 Oct 10 Come evening, assuming weather conditions prove fair, we will charter a coach to transport our group From Christchurch, we take the Coastal to a special remote location, in an attempt to experience Pacific train the impressive to Picton, aurora traveling lights! along the northeast coast of South Island. Once in Picton we ll board the Interislander ferry for the journey to Wellington, New Zealand s capital. Day 15 Oct 11 New Zealand is such a beautiful country: mountains, rolling hills, vast forests, beautiful farmland, and we want to explore it all. We are on our last train ride today, an all-day affair as we ride the Northern Explorer from Wellington to Auckland, New Zealand's other large city. Day 16 Oct 12 Finally, after an overnight stay in Auckland, we have the morning to explore this diverse city, before heading to the airport for departure flights.
Day 4 Included in Cost of Tour Australia: March, 11th All lodging Skybus from Melbourne airport to Southern Cross nce aboard our coach bus, we will depart Chena station nd return to Fairbanks. Along the way, we will Entry to Newport Workshops & ARHS Railway Museum top briefly at the Alaskan Pipeline, a great Colonial Tramcar dinner rchitectural feat in the harshest of climates. Victorian Goldfields Railway ride Puffing Billy ride Trains to Wagga Wagga & Goulburn ate afternoon will bring a brilliant tour highlight: Transportation to/from Hanericka Farmstay ob Berman s major illustrated presentation Light Meals at Hanericka Farmstay nd Color in the Universe. 3-day pass to Streamliners Streamliners day trip to Train Works ome evening, assuming weather conditions prove New Zealand: ir, we will charter a coach to transport our group o a special TSS Earnslaw remote steamboat location, dinner in an excursion attempt to xperience the impressive aurora lights! Coach to Dunedin Railways train Dunedin Railways train ride Flight from Dunedin to Christchurch All 4 KiwiRail train rides Interislander ferry ride Not Included in Cost of Tour All ground transportation with Myki card (Melbourne) and Opal card (Sydney) Taxis Admission to Junee Rail Museum Activities in Sydney Meals not listed International flights Items of a personal nature
Hotels Please see the list below for hotels we will be staying at: Holiday Inn Flinders (Melbourne) Hanericka Farmstead (Hanericka) Goulburn Heritage (Goulburn) The Menzies (Sydney) Copthorne Hotel & Resort Lakefront (Queenstown) Ibis Hotel (Christchurch) Kingsgate Hotel (Greymouth) Rydges Hotel Wellington (Wellington) Mercure (Auckland)