Unless you are a masochist, it’s a lot better to be a spectator than take part in outback races. Here are four events worth the long, long trip to sit back and enjoy.
Camel Cup, NT (12 July)
Alice Springs’ annual Lasseters Camel Cup is as the event slogan promises: “temperamental, terribly unpredictable and very entertaining". Drawing crowds of 5000-plus, the day is a spectacle as riders race to the finish line… that’s if their noble steeds feel like cooperating. Outside the arena is more family-friendly entertainment with dancers, rides, food stalls and Mr and Miss Camel challenges.
Yabby Races, Qld, (3 september)
Whoever said race meets require four-legged competitors? Windorah’s annual International Yabby Races, 1200 kilometres west of Brisbane, is a testament to just that, attracting hundreds of passersby for the night as they make the voyage to the Birdsville Races. The 10 competing yabbies in each race (there’s four main events) are named and auctioned off beforehand, with funds raised going back to the local community and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Lightning Ridge Big Dig, NSW, (18–20 April)
Every Easter long weekend, this little opal-mining town (730 kilometres north-west of Sydney), comes alive with its annual festival that centres around The Big Dig. That is, a large mound of soil is dumped in the main street hiding $10,000 worth of local opals inside. You’ll need to buy tickets to go into the draw to compete, or watch on as those drawn dig madly to find the sparkly treasure. But the competitions don’t end there – throughout this three-day fest there’s also a busk-off for buskers, horse races and the Miner’s Challenge, which sees opal miners, coal miners and hard rock miners compete against each other to showcase who has the fastest skills.
Birdsville Races, Qld , (5–6 september)
Home to the granddaddy of outback races, Birdsville (700 kilometres south-west of Longreach) swells from a population of about 100 to 6000 during this iconic event. And if you tire of the trackside races, head to the town’s main drag for the ‘Not the Birdsville Races’ event, where wooden horses are raced down the street, drawn by reel and string. And beyond the fillies, fascinators and 80,000 beer cans consumed each year, there’s also live music, comedy acts and cocktail parties, with funds raised going to the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
From country landscapes to the coast, Vintage Rail Journeys blends the grandeur of the golden age of rail travel with immersive local experiences.
Travelling aboard the historic Southern Aurora train is the ultimate scenic journey through regional NSW. Operated by Vintage Rail Journeys, the former Southern Aurora is a step back in time, from the lovingly restored carriages to the Off Train Experiences that spotlight local history, artisanal crafts and regional producers.
Once the overnight express that ferried passengers between Sydney and Melbourne throughout the 1960s, this train has been revived to its former mid-century glory, from the cabin layouts to the original lettering. Today, the train takes passengers on scenic and historic five-day journeys – starting and ending in Sydney – through three distinct regions of NSW: The Riverina, Golden West and North Coast.
Be transported into the golden age of travel. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)
One of the most magical parts of travelling with Vintage Rail Journeys is waking up on the train. Each night, the train stables at a station so guests can enjoy a restful night’s sleep in stillness, before departing again at dawn. Passengers awake to the gentle motion of the carriage, flicking open the blinds to watch the landscape unfold at sunrise. There is no better way to start the day.
The onboard experience come evening time is just as picturesque. Guests enjoy the all-inclusive food and beverages, nursing cocktails in the Art Deco-inspired lounge carriage or lingering over a three-course dinner in the dining carriage. Outside the window, Eastern grey kangaroos bound across open plains and flocks of cockatoos scatter from the gumtrees. It’s an old-world way of travelling, a slower pace that’s increasingly rare amid the frenzy of modern life. From coastal sojourns to adventures through agrarian landscapes, these are the multi-day Vintage Rail Journeys itineraries transporting guests back in time.
The Riverina
Travel through the agricultural heartland of NSW. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)
The Riverina is the agricultural heartland of NSW. Over five days, Vintage Rail Journeys takes passengers through the region to experience its celebrated produce, wines and local history. Travelling in a loop through the Central West, guests can sample sweets at the Junee Liquorice & Chocolate Factory, housed inside a former flour mill, tour an olive grove alongside a second-generation olive farmer, and enjoy tastings at family-owned wineries where the grapes are harvested mere metres away.
The Riverina is also a region shaped by passionate local historians. The Fairground Follies museum in Bowral houses one of the world’s largest collections of mechanical music and carnival memorabilia – a riot of colour and nostalgia tucked away where you’d least expect it. Meanwhile, Temora Rural Museum offers a glimpse into the history of everyday life in rural NSW. It’s home to the NSW & ACT Ambulance Museum (yes, a museum within a museum), packed with ambulances that span the past 120 years (including horse-drawn!). And seeing it all aboard a vintage train makes it feel not just like you’re visiting history, but living inside of it.
North Coast
Take in the views from Forest Sky Pier. (Credit: Destination NSW)
This five-day journey is all about ocean views and slowing down in tune with the rhythm of coastal life. As you make your way north from Sydney, the water is never too far from sight, whether Vintage Rail Journeys is tracing the Gloucester River or travelling alongside sweeping stretches of coastline. You’ll want to sit by a window as the train passes through the Coffs Harbour region – it’s one of the most scenic stretches of the whole journey.
Guests can also disembark at Coffs Harbour to take in the beauty of the Great Dividing Range at the Forest Sky Pier – a surreal lookout point that looks like a runway disappearing into the sky. The train continues onward to Byron Bay, where guests can disembark to explore the iconic beach town at their own pace. And on the return journey to Sydney, keep your eyes peeled for dolphins – they’re known to frequent the Kooragang Wetlands near Newcastle, which guests visit on a lunch cruise on the final day.
Golden West
Jump off the train for a windery experience. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)
Travelling through the Golden West by rail is like stepping into a Frederick McCubbin painting – a nod to the golden era of rail travel. This five-day journey evokes the era of Australian Impressionism, passing through some of the country’s most painterly landscapes while tracing a path through history.
Starting in Sydney, the train makes its way to the Hawkesbury River, where the train crosses a historic rail bridge over the bronze, glassy waters below. Guests disembark here to cruise the brackish inlet aboard a historic postal boat before returning to the train to continue into Gold Rush country. Ahead lie grand heritage towns and historic estates, including the 1870s Abercrombie House in Bathurst.
Special event journeys
Enjoy all-inclusive dining and beverages on the way to special events. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)
Regional NSW is home to some truly one-of-a-kind events, and Vintage Rail Journeys offers a memorable way to get there. Planning a trip to the Bathurst Repco 1000? Vintage Rail Journeys’ special itinerary combines accommodation, dining and transport into one seamless experience. Guests take the scenic route to Bathurst, where the train becomes a unique home base for the event, complete with transfers, all-inclusive dining and beverages, and three days of reserved grandstand seating before returning to Sydney Central Station.
For something a little more playful, guests can also join fellow Elvis enthusiasts on a special overnight journey to Parkes for the town’s iconic annual Elvis Festival. It’s a vintage rail journey – with a little added rock ‘n’ roll.
