Australia by Rail (and the Red Centre)
Australia has a big piece of my heart. I lived there, I've spent more than a few Christmases there, and I've still got family and friends all over the country. So when a set of rail itineraries landed on my desk recently, I couldn't wait to share them. Australia is huge, and flying between cities means you miss most of it. Going by train lets you actually watch the country change outside your window, from tropical Darwin to the red desert to the vineyards of South Australia. Some of these journeys are iconic, and some are hidden gems most people have never heard of. Here's my guide to all four, plus how I'd add a few nights at Uluru onto the Ghan.
The Ghan: straight through the Red Centre
The Ghan runs north to south through the middle of Australia, linking Darwin, Alice Springs and Adelaide. You can do the whole thing end to end or just one leg, in either direction:
• Darwin to Alice Springs, or Darwin to Adelaide
• Alice Springs to Darwin, or Alice Springs to Adelaide
• Adelaide to Alice Springs, or Adelaide to Darwin
The stops off the train are what make the Ghan so special. In Katherine you can cruise through Nitmiluk Gorge, or take a helicopter flight over it if you want the full view. Further south is Coober Pedy, the opal mining town where more than half the locals live underground to escape the heat. It's one of the strangest and most memorable places I can think of.
Indian Pacific: ocean to ocean
The Indian Pacific is named after the two oceans it links. From Sydney to Perth it covers more than 4,300km, starting on the Pacific coast and finishing on the Indian Ocean.<br/>On the first day you climb up through the Blue Mountains, with their sandstone cliffs and eucalyptus forests. Later the train crosses the Nullarbor Plain, which has the longest dead straight stretch of railway in the world: 478km without a single bend. It's the sort of emptiness you can only really take in from a train.
Journey
Sydney to Perth, the full coast to coast, 4 days / 3 nights
Sydney to Adelaide, the Mountain Explorer, 2 days / 1 night
Adelaide to Perth, the Nullarbor Crossing, 3 days / 2 night
TheOverland and the Great Southern: the quieter two
The Overland has been running between Melbourne and Adelaide since 1887, when it started life as the Adelaide Express. Today it's a relaxed day train in either direction, through the Adelaide Hills and the Victorian countryside. I love it as a way to link two cities on a bigger trip, without losing a day to airports.
The Great Southern is the one most people haven't heard of. It runs between Brisbane and Adelaide in either direction, and only in the Australian summer. Heading north there are stops in the Grampians, Canberra and Coffs Harbour. Heading south you stop in the Hunter Valley, Australia's oldest wine region, which is a pretty good reason to pick that direction.
Adding the Red Centre onto the Ghan
If you're doing the Ghan, my advice is to step off in Alice Springs and spend a few nights in the Red Centre before you carry on. It's what turns a great train journey into a once in a lifetime trip.
There are packages that do exactly this. One I've seen from Journey Beyond is the Red Centre Spectacular, 10 days and 9 nights from Adelaide to Darwin. It has one night on the Ghan each side of a week of small group 4WD touring through the West MacDonnell Ranges, Kings Canyon and Uluru. Of course, I can also tailor something around you if you'd rather go at your own pace.
Here's what I wouldn't miss:
• Walk the base of Uluru. Most people only see Uluru from a distance. The full base walk is 10.6km, and up close you'll find caves, waterholes and rock art the postcard shot never shows. If that's too far, the 2km Mala Walk is a lovely alternative.
• Don't skip Kata Tjuta. Uluru gets the fame, but Kata Tjuta is just 20 minutes west and has 36 huge domes. The 2.6km Walpa Gorge walk is easy, and the 7.4km Valley of the Winds loop takes you right into the heart of it. Lots of people tell me they actually preferred it.
• See the Field of Light after dark. Artist Bruce Munro's installation has more than 50,000 glowing spheres spread across the desert. You can just walk through it, or book it with sunset canapés or a dinner beforehand.
• Give it time. Two nights is the minimum I'd suggest. Three gives you sunrise, sunset, Kata Tjuta and the Field of Light without rushing.
One more thing worth knowing: climbing Uluru has been banned since October 2019, out of respect for the Anangu, the traditional owners. Walking around it is the far better experience anyway.
So, which would you choose?
If it were me, I'd go for the Ghan with a few nights at Uluru tagged on. But I have a real soft spot for the Great Southern too, partly because hardly anyone knows about it. If one of these has you daydreaming, get in touch and I'll put something together for you. I can build the train, the hotels and the time either side into one trip, so all you have to do is enjoy it.
Email me at sorrel.ashton@MyTC.com or message me on Instagram at @sorrel_travel.
