The Ghan Gold Premium introduces a new standard of train travel

Traverse Australia surrounded by lavish creature comforts in The Ghan’s Gold Premium carriages.

Whisking passengers through the Australian outback for almost a century, The Ghan has undergone countless upgrades since its first cross-country journey in 1929. While its amenities and cuisine continue to evolve with the years, the whimsical and romantic air associated with this tried and true way of travel remains rock solid.

The Ghan is a sightseer’s holy grail—an all-inclusive train ride spanning the southern and northern coasts of Australia, cutting through rarely explored terrain to bring you the best sunsets and skylines the country has to offer.

With the inclusion of Gold Premium, embark on a familiar route with the added luxuries of ultra-modern cabins, Gold Premium dining and lounge, all-inclusive Off Train Experiences and newfound travel essentials such as silk eye masks.

the ghan crossing a river — Travel the southern and northern coasts of Australia in luxury.

Cocoons of comfort

Switch off from the outside world and embrace the updated art deco cabins, home to exquisite brass detailing and plush fixed furniture with all the bells and whistles. The redesigned Gold Premium carriages feature Woods Bagot designs that pay tribute to painter Albert Namatjira’s lasting legacy of stunning artistic landscapes, and his impact seeps through the cabins and out to the newly designed lounge and dining carriages.

There are two variations of cabin configuration: Gold Premium Twin and Gold Premium Suite .

The Gold Premium Twin features comfortable lounges that convert to sleeping vessels when the desire to snooze becomes overpowering; the Gold Premium Suite comes fitted with a train-sized double bed for those who prefer to spread out a bit when they enter their REM cycle. Both options come complete with cosy cotton bedding and, as touched on, those enviable silk sleep masks that will soon become a staple in the getting-ready-for-bed routine. Keep an eye out for complementary amenities tucked away in the ensuite bathrooms attached to each cabin. Each cabin comes well-equipped with powerpoints.

the ghan gold premium twin cabin — The Gold Premium Twin features comfortable lounges that convert to sleeping vessels.

All-inclusive access

Both the twin and suite cabins give passengers access to some significant perks found aboard The Ghan.

For social butterflies, the Gold Premium Lounge is a mingler’s delight. Make use of the all-inclusive drinks menu and settle into the elegant booth-style seats that line the spacious carriage. From there, it’s only a matter of time before fellow rail riders will be regaling those around them with tales of their travels, either over a morning coffee or an evening cocktail.

Alternatively, bring a book for travel inspiration and perch on a chair near the window to lean into the serenity of a train ride. There’s no wrong way to ride The Ghan and everyone is free to move at their own pace.

Over in the Gold Premium Dining carriage, a feast awaits. From a berry-topped brioche in the morning, to a two-course, locally sourced lunch and a four-course dinner to round out the day, including regional and seasonal dishes like grilled Murray Bridge pork loin or a fragrant buffalo curry, nary a stomach will be left rumbling as you glide across the outback. As the carefully crafted menu is included in the train fare, there’ll be no reason to fret about choosing one or the other—when in doubt, get both.

Turn dinner into a buzzy affair and pair succulent dishes with the appropriate wines for an evening of merry bliss, before retiring to the cabins for a much-needed reunion with the eye mask.

the ghan gold premium diner — The Gold Preium diner offers a new luxury.

Off-train exploration

The Ghan isn’t merely a mode of transport – it’s a destination en route to the next. Included in the Gold Premium packages are a smorgasbord of off-train experiences that serve as an opportunity for legs to be stretched and sights to be seen.

For those travelling from Adelaide to Darwin, spend time in Marla and Katherine. Coober Pedy awaits those on the Darwin-to-Adelaide route, providing an opportunity to explore the opal capital of the world.

Regardless of which way the train is headed, passengers will stop in Alice Springs, often considered the centre of Australia. Here, along with a range of land-based experiences, there’s an optional upgrade available to join a 15-minute helicopter flight , providing a birds-eye view of Simpsons Gap, Mount Gillen Ridgeline and the Larapinta Trail all with expert commentary on what you’re seeing from the pilot. Another option is a guided camel tour through the MacDonnell Ranges.

For those on The Ghan Expedition, the star-soaked dinner at the Old Telegraph Station is a definite highlight, where the sky comes alive and each course is more delectable than the last.

dinner at the Old Telegraph Station with the ghan — Don’t miss the star-soaked dinner at the Old Telegraph Station.

Video credit: Tourism Australia

From coast to mountains, hiking in Gippsland offers a stunning array of landscapes, with trails that take you deep into the region’s heritage.

I step out onto the sand and it cries out underfoot. Kweek! I take another step and there’s another little yelp. Screet! Picking up the pace, the sounds follow me like my shadow, all the way down to the water. It’s obvious how this spot got its name – Squeaky Beach – from the rounded grains of quartz that make the distinctive sounds under pressure.

For many, Wilsons Promontory National Park is the gateway to Gippsland , and the best way to explore it is by walking its network of hiking trails, from coastal gems such as Squeaky Beach through to the bushland, among the wildlife. But it’s still just a taste of what you’ll find on foot in the region.

Venture a bit further into Gippsland and you’ll discover the lakes, the rainforest, and the alpine peaks, each changing with the season and offering summer strolls or winter walks. Just like that squeaky sand, each step along these trails has something to tell you: perhaps a story about an ancient spirit or a pioneering search for fortune.

The best coastal hikes in Gippsland

sunset at Wilsons Promontory National Park — Wilsons Promontory National Park is a sprawling wilderness with many coastal bushland trails. (Image: Mark Watson)

Wilsons Promontory National Park (or ‘The Prom’, as you’ll end up calling it) is an easy three-hour drive from Melbourne, but you might ditch the car when you arrive, with much of the park’s 50,000 hectares accessible only by foot. From the inky water of Tidal River (dyed dark purple by abundant tea trees), I like the easy walks along the coast, among lichen-laden granite boulders, to golden beaches and bays.

a couple on Mount Oberon — Panoramic views from the summit of Mount Oberon. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

The trail to the panoramic views at the summit of Mount Oberon is a bit harder, up steep timber and granite steps, but it’s a popular 6.8-kilometre return. The more remote hikes are found through the open banksia and stringybark woodland of the park’s north, or along the multi-day Southern Circuit , which ranges from about 35 to 52 kilometres, with sunrises and sunsets, kangaroos and cockatoos, and maybe even whales.

a golden sand beach at Wilsons Promontory National Park — Walk ‘The Prom’s’ golden sand beaches. (Image: Tourism Australia/Time Out Australia)

You might also see whales on the George Bass Coastal Walk , even closer to Melbourne on the western edge of Gippsland. This dramatic seven-kilometre trail along the clifftops takes in sweeping views of the wild ocean, occasionally dipping down from grassy green hills to coastal gullies and a secluded beach. It also now links into the Bass Coast Rail Trail for an extra 14 kilometres.

Over at the eastern edge of Gippsland, in Croajingolong National Park, you can wander along the lakeshores beneath koalas and around goannas (I keep my distance since one chased me here!). For those who are even more adventurous, the park is also the starting point for the 100-kilometre Wilderness Coast Walk , usually done over seven days.

the Croajingolong National Park, Gippsland — Wander along the lakeshores in Croajingolong National Park. (Image: Tourism Australia)

The best bush hikes in Gippsland

the Baw Baw National Park — The alpine heath of Baw Baw National Park. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

Deep in the Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine at Walhalla, mining guide Richard tells me how this small town in the mountains east of Melbourne boomed when prospectors found gold here in 1862. These days, you’ll find most of the town’s treasure – its heritage – above ground, with the Walhalla Tramline Walk a wonderful way to explore it.

Just seven kilometres long, the walk takes you through decades of Gold Rush history, following the original rail trail from lush bushland to the mining sites, and through the charming village of just 20 residents with its wooden cottages and old shopfronts adorned with turn-of-the-century advertising posters. Blazing a trail where trailblazers once opened up the region, this is also the starting point for the 650-kilometre Australian Alps Walking Track.

Nearby, Baw Baw National Park has walks through gnarled snow gums and alpine heaths that show off the colourful wildflowers in summer and the pristine carpet of white in winter. Several trails are perfect for snowshoes, including a 45-minute route from St Gwinear up to vast views across the Latrobe Valley.

Further up into the mountains, the Toorongo and Amphitheatre Falls Loop Walk is an easy 2.2-kilometre path that serenades you with the sound of flowing water as you pass mossy rocks and tree ferns en route to two sets of waterfalls cascading over boulders in the remote wilderness.

The best cultural hikes in Gippsland

the Mitchell River National Park, Gippsland — Hike the Mitchell River National Park. (Image: Parks Victoria/Grace Lewis)

Across a pool in a natural sandstone amphitheatre, deep within a cave behind a waterfall, it’s said the Nargun has its lair. A fierce creature, half human and half stone, that abducts children and can’t be harmed by boomerangs or spears, the story of the Nargun has been told around the campfires of the local Gunaikurnai people for generations.

As a culturally significant place for women, hikers are asked not to go into the Den of Nargun, but a 3.4-kilometre loop walk leads you through a rainforest gully to the entrance where you can feel the powerful atmosphere here in Mitchell River National Park , along Victoria’s largest remaining wild and free-flowing waterway.

the bee-eaters at Mitchell River National Park — Bee-eaters at Mitchell River National Park. (Image: Parks Victoria/Grace Lewis)

The Den of Nargun is part of the Bataluk Cultural Trail , a series of important traditional Gunaikurnai sites through central Gippsland. Another location is Victoria’s largest cave system, Buchan Caves Reserve, with trails to important archaeological sites of human artefacts up to 18,000 years old. The FJ Wilson Interpreted Walk includes the naturally sculpted white limestone steps of the 400-metre-long Federal Cave, while the Granite Pools Walk goes among tall timber and moss-covered gullies.

the ancient rainforest of Tarra-Bulga National Park — The ancient rainforest of Tarra-Bulga National Park. (Image: Josie Withers)

Also important to the Gunaikurnai people is Tarra-Bulga National Park , known for its ancient myrtle beeches and enormous mountain ash trees. Just 40 minutes return, the Tarra Valley Rainforest Walk offers a taste of this verdant landscape, while the Grand Strzelecki Track takes you deep into the lost world of forest giants on an epic 100-kilometre trail rich with tradition.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

the WildernessRetreats in The Prom — Wilderness Retreats in The Prom. (Image: Christian Pearson)

Wilderness Retreats in Wilsons Promontory offers glamping-style tents with luxurious queen beds. Star Hotel is a reconstruction of a Gold Rush-era hotel from 1863 in the heart of heritage Walhalla. Caves House is a historic three-bedroom house with views over the Buchan River.

Eating there

the Carrajung Estate, Gippsland — Enjoy a post-hike lunch at Carrajung Estate. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

Kilcunda General Store serves great coffee and meals of local produce at the George Bass Coastal Walk. Alpine Trout Farm is located near Toorongo Falls in Noojee. Fish for your own lunch and barbecue it with the provided cookware.

Carrajung Estate is a short drive from Tarra-Bulga National Park. The winery’s restaurant offers a seasonal menu of regional ingredients and you can stay at The Lodge.

a seafood feast at Carrajung Estate, Gippsland — The table is set for a seafood feast at the estate.

Video credit: Tourism Australia

The Ghan is introducing the gold standard of train travel

Traverse Australia surrounded by lavish creature comforts in The Ghan’s Gold Premium carriages.

Cocoons of comfort

All-inclusive access

Off-train exploration

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