The Ghan is adding a spectacular new stop in 2027

The Ghan is extending its long-loved northbound journey with a spectacular new stop.

Some pairings feel ordained: Tim Tams and cold milk, road trips and AC/DC, footy and beer. Now, Journey Beyond Rail is uniting two travel icons in a heaven-sent match. From 2027, The Ghan’s storied northbound itinerary will be extended to three nights and include a full day at South Australia’s Ikara-Flinders Ranges – the only Aussie destination to make Lonely Planet’s Top Places Hotlist 2026.

It’s a meet-cute 600 million years in the making.

A legend on rails

the ghan train — The Ghan’s first journey was in 1929. (Image: Journey Beyond Rail)

For the uninitiated, The Ghan is perhaps Australia’s most iconic rail journey and has been ranked among the world’s best. Its history stretches back to 1929, when the original Afghan Express was named for the cameleers who helped chart routes through the Red Centre long before steel tracks arrived.

Over the decades, The Ghan has evolved from a rattling lifeline to a rolling hotel, gliding north from Adelaide through the outback spine of the continent all the way up to Darwin. It’s the kind of journey that turns train sceptics into train evangelists, usually when they’re carving through glowing desert at sunrise with a coffee in hand.

The new 2027 itinerary

the ghan flinders ranges — The Ghan will stop for a day in the Ikara-Flinders Ranges. (Image: Journey Beyond Rail)

Journey Beyond Rail has revealed its 2027 season, and with it, a new itinerary from Adelaide to Darwin. What has long been a two-night northbound journey will stretch into a three-night, four-day experience, giving guests more time to tune into Australia’s Red Centre and bringing the classic journey in line with the popular Ghan Expedition southbound itinerary.

“By extending the northbound journey from two to three nights, we’re allowing travellers to slow down, deepen their connection to Country, and discover Outback Australia in a way that is both immersive and unforgettable," says David Donald, Executive General Manager of Rail at Journey Beyond.

flinders rangers aerial — The Ikara-Flinders Ranges in South Australia is 600 million years old. (Image: Getty/Greg Brave)

Notably, the new itinerary will also make a full-day stop at the Ikara-Flinders Ranges. The ranges are the traditional lands of the Adnyamathanha people, whose stories and cultural connections trace back tens of thousands of years. It’s an extraordinary layer of meaning atop already extraordinary scenery. And then there’s the geology: the rocks are older than multicellular life, and Wilpena Pound alone looks like a natural amphitheatre you’d expect dinosaurs to wander into at any moment.

“The Flinders Ranges has been named one of Lonely Planet’s Top 25 destinations for 2026," Donald tells Australian Traveller. “Shaped over 600 million years, this ancient and rugged mountain landscape is defined by peaceful tree-lined gorges, dramatic escarpments, and a seasonal wealth of wildlife. Its vast sense of space makes Ikara–Flinders Ranges National Park a truly remarkable destination for those seeking nature, culture, and untouched beauty."

platinum australis suite the ghan — The Ghan’s Australis Suite is luxury in motion. (Image: Journey Beyond Rail)

Departing Adelaide, guests joining The Legendary Ghan 2027 start with a celebratory dinner in one of South Australia’s top wine regions. Then comes the journey’s new showstopper: a full day discovering the Flinders Ranges, where guests explore spectacular ranges and deep gorges with The Ghan’s Off Train Experience.

“Guests will also step off the train for lunch in Quorn, a historic railway town nestled in the heart of the Flinders Ranges," adds Donald. “A paradise for history lovers, Quorn’s scenic landscapes have featured in iconic Australian films such as The Shiralee, Gallipoli, and The Water Diviner. The town is also home to the heritage-listed Pichi Richi Railway, where vintage locomotives evoke the golden age of rail travel."

From there, The Ghan resumes its legendary northerly sweep, pausing for an otherworldly sunrise in Marla; cultural adventures in Alice Springs; dramatic sandstone in Katherine; and finally rolling into the humid exhale of the Top End.

Prices begin at AUD $3390 per person and include regionally inspired meals paired with fine wines and beverages. The journey also includes a series of off-train experiences, from cultural learning to wildlife encounters and active expeditions.

“The Ghan holds a special place in the story of Australian travel, and guests have been asking for more time to experience its remarkable landscapes," explains Donald. The new itinerary answers that call, inviting guests to slow down, look out the window and let the wide, ancient spaces do their work.

The details

Journey name: The Legendary Ghan 2027
Length: Three nights, four days
Where: Ventures through the Ikara-Flinders Ranges and Red Centre from Adelaide to Darwin
When: Departs Saturday (March to November) and Tuesday (April to October) from 2027
Prices: From $3390 per person
Website: Journey Beyond Rail

From cabins to canvas, craft distillers to destination dining, Heathcote locals reveal their eco-savvy passions in ways that resonate with those seeking to travel lightly.

Heathcote , on traditional Taungurung Country in Central Victoria, is synonymous with its garnet-hued shiraz, but wine isn’t the only string to its bow. The town itself is sprinkled with heritage buildings from the gold rush era, and beyond that a growing collection of sustainable gastronomy and eco-friendly escapes. Nearby Bendigo, one of only 65 cities in the world recognised as a UNESCO Creative City and Region of Gastronomy, plates up an astonishing calibre of produce, wine and food for its size. Increasingly the entire region is taking up the challenge, though Heathcote in particular shines with its focus on sustainability.

Pink Cliffs GeologicalReserve — The dramatic landscape of Heathcote’s Pink Cliffs Geological Reserve. (Image: Visit Victoria/Emily Goodfrey)

The eco-stays bringing sustainability to Heathcote

Yellow BoxWood’s safari-style tents — Yellow Box Wood’s safari-style tents are nestled on 40 hectares of bushland. (Image: Emily Goodfrey)

Andee and Lisa Davidson spent years working in southern Africa before settling in Heathcote. “We had a vision of how this could be,” explains Andee. “We wanted a retreat, but one that was off-grid and environmentally sustainable.” Now, at Yellow Box Wood , two luxury safari-style tents are at the heart of 40 hectares of rolling hills and native bush, with kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas, goanna and birdlife aplenty. It’s all solar-powered, wood for the fire is mainly fallen timber, and water is collected on the carport roof. No lack of creature comforts though – en suite with rain shower, espresso coffee maker, comfy seating, wood-burning fire all set to go. There’s also a solar-heated, mineral salt pool in a bush setting, walking tracks, and even a mini bush golf course. On my visit, I put the vision to the test. Cocooned in the plush four-poster bed I can glimpse the stars, while the heater casts a golden glow on the canvas. In the morning, I wake to a blush-pink sunrise, kangaroos feeding and a soundtrack of magpies.

If a tent is not your style, Stephen and Cally Trompp’s carbon-neutral Mt Ida Eco Cabin might entice with its generous deck and farmland views. Inside the cabin, corrugated iron walls as rusty as a shearing shed, gleaming (recycled) floorboards, timber truss ceiling (crafted by Stephen), wood-fired heater and an old-school turntable with a pile of vinyls to spin. It’s fun, and a little boho. “Everything is recycled. The cabin takes maximum advantage of the sun in winter. It’s all solar-powered. Don’t panic, though,” says Stephen, “you can still charge your phone and get 4G reception!” Settle into an Adirondack chair on the deck or pedal off on a mountain bike to suss out the wineries.

A taste of Spain in Central Victoria

Another person with a vision is Evan Pritchard at his Three Dams Estate where the wines reflect his deep love of Spain and of Spanish-style grapes, such as tempranillo. Afternoons in the ‘wine shed’ or cantina are matched with music (flamenco is a favourite), Spanish bites from tapas to paella (with Evan on the pans!) and views to Mount Alexander. Sustainability is also a passion. “You don’t need to buy anything. We decided to be off-grid from the start, but it is a lifestyle change,” he says. “You need to think about it and be careful.” Everything here is recycled, reassembled, refurbished. Evan has an electric car (with solar-powered charger), solar-power for the winery, and even a jaunty little electric tractor/forklift. “I love the idea of all the things you can do using the sun.” Sipping a crisp rosado (a Spanish rosé) with Evan in the sunshine, I couldn’t agree more.

The vineyard redefining sustainable winemaking

Silver Spoon winery — The Silverspoon Estate winery is completely off-grid. (Image: Graham Hosking)

On the other side of Heathcote, Silver Spoon Estate demonstrates sustainability on a more extensive scale. Tracie and Peter Young’s winery, cellar door, award-winning restaurant and their own house are all solar-powered and off the grid. Sustainability is intrinsic to everything they do. The property sprawls across 100 hectares, with 20 hectares under vine – shiraz, viognier, grenache, tempranillo. As the climate has changed, so too has the approach. These are dry-grown vineyards. “We prune for drought. That means lower yields but more intense flavours,” says Peter. The fine-dining restaurant offers sweeping views, a wood-burning fire and a deck for languid lunches. Head chef Ben Hong sources regional, sustainable ingredients and weaves estate wines into the menu – think crispy wild mushroom arancini, viognier-infused chicken breast.

Silver Spoon’s award-winning restaurant.

Heathcote’s other hidden gems

Not all local wineries have a cellar door, but I find local treasures at the Heathcote Wine Hub , a petite 1855 timber church in the main street, lovingly returned to life by Karen Robertson and Carey Moncrieff. “Carey is a scrounger,” says Karen. “He doesn’t throw a single thing away.” He does, however, craft things into something quite special. Heritage floors, light-filtering lancet windows and shelves of regional wines create the perfect ambience for wine tasting. Or order a glass and linger over a cheese platter.

Heathcote is not all wine, of course. Nathan Wheat and partner Vanessa Curtis run Envy Distilling with a committed sustainable ethic – and a serious love of gin. Their small-batch distillery produces grape-based gin, and soon brandy. Distilled water is reused in an ingenious cooling system. All waste is treated on site. They buy excess wine from winemakers to distil and buy recycled barrels. “Distilling with the sun,” as Nathan says. Each Envy gin has its own story. Spicy, award-winning The Dry, is designed to capture the region’s dry, rugged nature. Pull up a stool at the bar (reclaimed timbers and tiles, of course), order a Gin Flight, or kick back with a cocktail and let Nathan share his eco journey.

Envy gins — Sample gins at small-batch distillery Envy.

A traveller’s checklist

Getting there

It’s less than two hours’ drive from Melbourne. The scenic route we take goes past Sunbury, then along a splendid country road through Romsey and the magic, boulder-strewn landscape of Lancefield. Watch for kangaroos on the road!

Staying there

Go off-grid in style at Yellow Box Wood for glamping or try Mt Ida Eco Cabin for a couple’s weekend hideaway.

Eating there

French dishes at Chauncy — Award-winning French restaurant Chauncy.

At award-winning Chauncy , French chef Louis Naepels and sommelier wife Tess Murray have created a tiny, elegant pocket of rural France. Meticulously restored 1850s sandstone building, sun-drenched dining room, impeccable service, a menu suffused with local flavours and thoughtful wine pairings.

Fodder is both cafe and social hub. Chef Mo Pun and sister Lalita serve classic Aussie breakfast-to-lunch fare, though their Nepalese heritage sneaks through.

Playing there

Sanguine Estate ’s cellar door and terrace overlook bucolic vineyards. Its award-winning, dry-grown wines include the distinctive D’Orsa Blanc dessert wine, reflecting the family’s Swiss-Italian heritage. Order a charcuterie board and stay a while. Keep it carbon neutral by cycling some (or all) of the 50-kilometre O’Keefe Rail Trail to Bendigo.

At Bridgeward Grove , learn about the property’s Old Mission Grove heritage olive trees, do a sommelier olive oil tasting, and stock up on sustainably grown olives and oil. Explore the unique landscape, wildflowers and wildlife of pink cliffs geological reserve.

Australia’s most iconic train journey is changing in 2027