Great Southern Rail: Wrap Up
January 2020
My incredible journey on the Great Southern Rail started with one night pre tour accommodation at the “Majestic Roof Garden Hotel”, located in the heart of the Adelaide CBD. The hotel was a short walk from the mall and other points of interest. It had spacious rooms, free WI-FI, self or valet parking, laundry services, function rooms, mini gym, a roof garden and of course a generous and healthy buffet breakfast.
The next day I awoke excitedly as it was almost time to board our train. After being transferred to the Adelaide Parklands Terminal and checked in, I boarded the train and enjoyed some time settling into my Gold Twin share cabin. I explored the Outback Explorer Lounge area, a great place to meet with other passengers, have a chat, a drink or simply to enjoy the landscape passing by.
The day concluded with an excursion to the Boroka Lookout, a great spot to view The Grampians’ magical peaks, hazy valleys and forested slopes. Dinner was served outdoors, surrounded by curious kangaroos and emus.
The second day was spent in Canberra, known for having the richest population of native birds of any Australian capital. Over 200 species of birds have been recorded here.
We were given the opportunity to tour Parliament House and access areas that are usually restricted to the public. After this, we enjoyed a fantastic 4 course lunch. In the afternoon we had the choice of excursions to either The National Gallery, The National Museum, an extended tour of Parliament House or the profoundly moving Australian War Memorial.
Our last day had arrived, I enjoyed an interesting and informative coastal boardwalk to the beach in Urunga, a little seaside town about 30km south of Coffs Harbour. What was supposed to be a cloudy, rainy day had suddenly become splendid sunny and warm. This made me appreciate the beautiful scenery of the beach and its wild nature even more.
Taking advantage of the beautiful weather, I also took a shuttle through the banana plantations into the Great Dividing Range. The views from Forest Sky Pier at Sealy Lookout, a viewing platform suspended 310m above Coffs Harbour, was truly unforgettable and so was this journey through Australia, which ended in Brisbane later that afternoon.
From the moment I stepped on board The Great Southern Rail, I felt the thrill of a great adventure. There wasn’t a moment I felt disappointed; the service and care of the staff on board was superb, they coordinated each excursion and transfer effortlessly and without fault. Staff were efficient and organised which was no easy feat with so many people on board. The food was simply delicious and there was plenty of it. I highly recommend this journey, I enjoyed all aspects of it.
Unfortunately as with all the things, even this trip had to come to an end. However it is the great memories I have collected that will last forever.
Nicole
Client Testimonial:
“In early January 2020, we were fortunate to be part of a group of 27 Burnie Brae Members who participated in an unforgettable and exciting Great Southern Train Journey from Adelaide to Brisbane passing through four different States over a 4 day period. In addition to enjoying the camaraderie of fellow guests, other highlights to mention from our epic journey which covered 2885 km, include our Grampians Dinner, our visit to the Parkes Elvis Festival where we enjoyed listening to the Elvis Tribute Artist finals, as well as our visit to the Henry Lawson Museum in Gulgong.
Our appreciation must go to both Kristie and Nicole for such a professional and well organised trip. Every aspect of our holiday was planned down to the smallest detail, even to the extent of meeting our train in Brisbane and transporting us all to our final destination.”
