Golden West Rail Tour

Your Golden West adventure starts at Sydney’s Central Station.
Once onboard you can choose to relax in the lounge carriage, or
settle into your cabin while we travel to the spectacular Hawkesbury
River. Here you step off for your first off-train experience, joining
the famous ‘Riverboat Postman’ for a lunch cruise. Enjoy the
magnificent scenery of the lower Hawkesbury River as we deliver
the mail and other essentials to the river-access-only settlements
upriver from Brooklyn.

When you rejoin our train, you’ll enjoy views from the train which
we think are some of the best in Australia. You’ll see the whole
length of the train as we round curves and the line traces the waters
edge at Mullet Creek. The waterside theme is continued after we
go through Woy Woy Tunnel and alongside Brisbane Water. We skirt
around Newcastle and onto Maitland in the Hunter Valley. The train
will be stabled for the night at Paterson.

Today you will be visiting the Hunter Valley, and we have three offtrain experiences for you to choose from.

Option 1: Lunch at Twine Restaurant Hunter Valley
Established in 2013, Twine Hunter Valley celebrates seasonal local
produce and delectable dining options, paired with quality wines,
picturesque views & impeccable service. Overlooking some of
the oldest vineyards in the region, Twine is home to a wonderful
restaurant, also the perfect spot for our Muscat tasting experience.

Optional Upgrade: Hunter Valley Helicopter Experience
(limited capacity)
Soar to new heights with a breathtaking helicopter flight at additional
cost. Experience unforgettable aerial views of the Hunter region,
before joining lunch.

Option 2: Margan Wines
Travelling by coach to Broke, you’ll walk down the garden path
through the kitchen garden, then past the olives and vineyards
into the winery for a guided, behind the scenes tour. Learn how the
single vineyard and sustainably farmed wines are made from vine
to glass in this award-winning winery. Enjoy a wine tasting and lunch
at this family owned winery and restaurant.

Following your tour, board the coach for the return journey to
Branxton Station where you’ll board the train, travelling the remainder of the Hunter Valley, and on through Ardglen Tunnel to Werris Creek. Dinner will be served onboard the train at Werris Creek, where it will be stabled for the night.

This morning enjoy breakfast onboard the train, before another day
of discovering the charms of the Golden West.

Your adventure begins with a visit to the Quirindi Rural Heritage
Village. The village has been designed to collect, preserve, restore,
interpret and exhibit artefacts that relate to the history, heritage and
culture of the region. From here we head to Werris Creek,
the first and last railway town in NSW, located on a major railway
junction. The Werris Creek railway station is the third largest in NSW.
It houses the Werris Creek Rail Journeys Museum, which brings this
town’s railway past back to life.

Your afternoon is then spent travelling along the freight only line from
Werris Creek, headed for Orange. Dinner will be served onboard as
your train makes its way for a late arrival into Orange for the evening.

Waking up in Orange this morning, your adventure continues as we’re soon departing for Bathurst, where you will again have the choice of two off-train experiences.

Option 1: Abercrombie House
It wouldn’t be a visit to Bathurst without first taking on the mountain Mt Panorama. You’ll then head onto Abercrombie House, a heritage
treasure of NSW set in stunning grounds at Stewarts Mount just west
of Bathurst. A grand country home, and a 1870s cultural gem, the
home of the Morgan Family for half a century, see gardens, paths
and outbuildings, explore the reception rooms, grand staircase,
ballroom, first floor bedrooms and more, before enjoying lunch.

Option 2: Mayfield Gardens
A spectacular 65-hectare private garden that delivers not only
a significant horticultural experience but also a day out that is both
magical and unexpected. Mayfield Gardens is considered to be
one of the largest and most spectacular cool climate gardens
in the Southern Hemisphere. Here a self-guided tour awaits, with
a delicious boxed lunch which can be enjoyed in your own quiet
spot of the gardens.

Enjoy your final breakfast onboard the train. We’ll then board coaches traveling from Rylstone, a beautiful district settled in the 1820’s, making it one of the oldest settlements west of the Great Dividing Range. Rylstone’s streetscape features 19th century sandstone public houses, cottages and government buildings. From here we are welcomed to the Lowe Family Wine Co in Mudgee. Based around certified organic & biodynamic farm, vineyard, winery
and food garden, enjoy a spectacular last lunch in the cellar door
before returning to Rylstone Station and your return journey arriving
late into Sydney Central station.