Australian Traveller competition terms and conditions

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General terms and conditions of entry for Australian Traveller Media competitions and giveaways.
  1. Instructions on how to enter and prize information forms part of these Terms and Conditions. Participation in any competition is deemed as acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.
  2. The promoter is Australian Traveller Media Pty Ltd (A.B.N. 29 113 975 438). of Suite 101, 15 Belvoir Street, Surry Hills NSW 2011 (Promoter).
  3. Competitions are games of skill and as such, winning entries are selected based on the creativity or accuracy of entries submitted.
  4. Entry is open to residents of Australia aged eighteen years or over only. Employees of the Promoter and their immediate families, suppliers, associated companies and agencies are ineligible to enter. Persons under the age of 18 years are not considered adults and therefore are not able to enter. If a winner is discovered to be under 18, they will automatically be disqualified.
  5. Promotion commences and closes on the dates shown. Only the winner(s) will be notified by email and must respond within 48 hours or the prize may be reallocated. Reallocation will be based on remaining competition entrants.
  6. Australian Traveller Media reserves the right to share entry data with the prize promoter. On the occasion that this occurs, Australian Traveller Media will clearly specify this for privacy reasons.
  7. To enter, entrants must follow the entry instructions and answer all competition questions. Entries must be received by 11.59pm on the closing date. Incomplete or automated entries will be disqualified. Multiple entries from the same IP address, same email address or from automated competition entry services are invalid.
  8. One entry per person and per household. Multiple entries from the same person or same household will be disqualified.
  9. The promoter’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
  10. Prize is not transferable or exchangeable and cannot be taken as cash. No responsibility is accepted for any variation in the value of the prize. If the prize includes travel and accommodation it is the responsibility of the winner to liaise with the prize provider if cancellations or changes are made by the provider. The Promoter cannot take responsibility for cancellations to bookings. Transport to and from an event and all other ancillary costs are the responsibility of the winner.
  11. All competition entrants must reside in Australia. Winners entering from outside Australia will be disqualified.
  12. The Promoter reserves the right to, at any time, verify an entry or entrant and disqualify an entrant the Promoter has reason to believe has submitted an entry not in accordance with these Terms and Conditions.
  13. All entries in the competition become the property of the Promoter. The Promoter collects personal information from entrants to conduct the competition and may, in the course of business, disclose the personal information to third parties, as required. Entry in this competition is conditional on provision of the personal information requested. Entries may be entered into a database and the Promoter may use the entrants’ names and addresses for future promotional, marketing and publicity in various forms by the Promoter, and the entrant consents to such use. Entrants may direct any request to access their personal information to the Promoter. Additionally, all literary works submitted as part of an entry become the property of the Promoter and it is a condition of entry that those literary works may be used by the Promoter for their own promotional, marketing and publicity purposes without restriction. The promoter may share the entry details with the prize provider.
  14. The Promoter reserves the right to modify, suspend or terminate the competition without notice.
  15. The Promoter is not liable for any loss (including loss of opportunity) or damage (including, but not limited to, direct, indirect or inconsequential loss) or personal injury in relation to this competition or the use of, or participation in, the prize.
  16. Terms and conditions of any prize tickets must be adhered to. Some events have age restrictions and these must also be adhered to.
  17. Prizes can only be sent to addresses in Australia and any tickets are only valid in or from Australia.
  18. These Terms & Conditions will bind this and any future entry by you into a competition on an Australian Traveller Media site and may be updated from time to time.

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3 vintage train journeys to step back in time and explore NSW

(Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

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.

Vintage Rail Journeys Southern Aurora train carriage
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

Vintage Rail Journeys Southern Aurora train travelling through nsw
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

Forest Sky Pier
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

winery experience in new south wales
Jump off the train for a winery 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

meal onboard Vintage Rail Journeys Southern Aurora train
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.

Step back into the golden age of rail travel at vintagerailjourneys.com.au.