List of heritage railways in Australia

This is a list of heritage railways in Australia, some of which can also be considered tourist railways. For convenience, heritage tramways have also been included. Most are members of Association of Tourist & Heritage Rail Australia (ATHRA).[1] In addition to active operations, abandoned and putative operations are also included, but static museum sites and rolling stock operators without a 'dedicated' line do not fall within Wikipedia's definition of heritage railways. Miniature railways with gauges of less than 380mm (15 in) are excluded. Lines named in red are lacking a detailed Wikipedia entry.

The world's second preserved railway, and the first outside the United Kingdom, was Australia's Puffing Billy Railway. This railway operates on 24 kilometres (15 mi) of track, with much of its original rolling stock built as early as 1898.

New South Wales

Tully Sugar Mill No.6 at Illawarra Light Railway Museum

1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) gauge unless otherwise stated. See also Transport Heritage NSW[2]

  • Byron Bay Train[3]
  • Campbelltown Narrow Gauge Railway—610 mm (2 ft) gauge[4]
  • Cooma Monaro Railway[5] (railway not yet operational)
  • Crookwell Heritage Railway[6] (railway not yet operational)
  • Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum[7] (railway not yet operational)
  • Glenreagh Mountain Railway[8] (railway not yet operational)
  • Illawarra Light Railway Museum—610 mm (2 ft) gauge[9]
  • Kandos-Rylstone Heritage Railway[10]
  • Katoomba Scenic Railway—1,275mm (4 ft 2in) gauge[11] (steepest railway in Australia—strictly, an inclined lift rather than a funicular)
  • Lachlan Valley Railway—Cowra[12] (static museum at Cowra but with aspirations to restore the Blayney - Cowra line)
  • Ladysmith Tourist Railway[13] (rail bike rides within static museum site)
  • Lake Macquarie Light Rail—Toronto—610 mm (2 ft) gauge (privately owned—not open to public)
  • Lithgow State Mine Railway[14] (railway not yet operational)
  • Michelago Tourist Railway (railway operation ceased from 2006)
  • Newington Armory Railway–Olympic Park—610 mm (2 ft) gauge (railway operation ceased from 2020)
  • NSW Rail Museum—Thirlmere[15]
  • Oberon Tarana Heritage Railway[16] (railway not yet operational)
  • Richmond Vale Railway Museum[17] (railway operation suspended from 24 February 2024)
  • Skitube[18]
  • Sydney Tramway Museum[19]
  • Timbertown Heritage Railway, Wauchope—595mm (2 ft) gauge[20]
  • Valley Heights Rail Museum[21]
  • Zig Zag Railway—1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge[22] (railway operation suspended from 2012— resumed 27 May 2023)

Northern Territory

1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge

Queensland

1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge unless otherwise stated.

  • Archer Park Rail Museum, Rockhampton[25]
  • Atherton—Herberton Historic Railway[26]
  • Australian Sugar Cane Railway, Bundaberg—610 mm (2 ft) gauge.[27]
  • Bally Hooley Steam Railway, Port Douglas—610 mm (2 ft) gauge.[28]
  • Beaudesert Rail (railway operation ceased from 2003)
  • Big Pineapple Railway, Woombye—610 mm (2 ft) gauge.[29] (railway operation suspended as at December 2022[30])
  • Brisbane Tramway Museum, Ferny Grove—1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) gauge.[31] (ride within static museum site)
  • Burrum Mining Museum, Howard—610 mm (2 ft) gauge.[32] (ride within static museum site)
  • Downs Explorer, Warwick[33] (run excursions over freight-only sections of state system, from Warwick to Stanthorpe, Wallangarra, Clifton, Wheatvale, Hendon, Toowoomba, Goondiwindi)
  • DownsSteam Tourist Railway & Museum, Drayton, Toowoomba[34] (a plan to run excursions over sections of the state system is not yet operational)
  • Dreamworld Railway, Coomera—610 mm (2 ft) gauge.[35] (little more than a funfair railway)
  • Ginger Train, Yandina—610 mm (2 ft) gauge.[36]
  • Gulflander : Croydon–Normanton.[37]
  • Kuranda Scenic Railway : Cairns–Kuranda.[38]
  • Mary Valley Rattler[39] (previously known as Mary Valley Heritage Railway and The Valley Rattler)
  • Mary Ann Steam Train, Maryborough[40]
  • Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway[41] (also known as Swanbank Railway)
  • Ravenshoe Railway Company[42] (railway operation suspended from December 2020[43] - plans for reopening in progress)
  • Rosewood Railway[44] (railway operation suspended as at December 2022[45])
  • Savannahlander—Cairns–Forsayth.[46]
  • Sea World Railway, Main Beach—610 mm (2 ft) gauge. (railway operation ceased by 2022; not to be confused with monorail which also ceased from 2022[47])
  • Southern Downs Steam Railway—former name of Downs Explorer, q.v. above
  • Swanbank Railway—see Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway (above)
  • Woodford Railway, Woodford—610 mm (2 ft) gauge.[48] (previously known as Durundur Railway[49])

South Australia

1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) unless otherwise noted

Tasmania

Mount Lyell No. 3 of West Coast Wilderness Railway at Strahan Station

1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge unless otherwise stated.

  • Bush Mill Railway—381 mm (15 in) gauge. (railway operation ceased from 2004)
  • Derwent Valley Railway[60] (railway operation ceased from 2005, not yet restored to operation)
  • Don River Railway[61]
  • Ida Bay Railway, Lune River (railway operation suspended from 2018, not yet operational again[62])
  • Launceston & North East Railway[63] (railway not yet operational)
  • Launceston Tramway Museum[64]
  • Railtrack Riders, Maydena[65] (rail bikes on National Park—Florentine line)
  • Redwater Creek Railway—381 mm (15 in) gauge.[66] (formerly Redwater Creek Heritage Museum)
  • Tasmanian Transport Museum, Glenorchy[67] (operating ca. 2 km round trip from 23 May 2023, with plans to extend length)
  • Wee Georgie Wood Steam Railway, Tullah—610 mm (2 ft) gauge.[68]
  • West Coast Wilderness Railway[69]

Victoria

Puffing Billy train at Lakeside station

1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) unless otherwise noted

Western Australia

1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge unless otherwise stated.


See also

  • iconTrains portal
  • flagAustralia portal

References

  1. ^ ATHRA
  2. ^ Transport Heritage NSW
  3. ^ Byron Bay Train
  4. ^ Campbelltown Narrow Gauge Railway
  5. ^ Cooma Monaro Railway
  6. ^ Crookwell Heritage Railway
  7. ^ Dorrigo Steam Railway
  8. ^ Glenreagh Mountain Railway
  9. ^ Illawarra Light Railway
  10. ^ Kandos-Rylstone Heritage Railway
  11. ^ Katoomba Scenic Railway (gauge supplied by operator by email December 2022)
  12. ^ [1]
  13. ^ Ladysmith Tourist Railway
  14. ^ State Mine Railway
  15. ^ Rail Museum[permanent dead link]
  16. ^ Oberon Tarana Heritage Railway
  17. ^ Richmond Vale Railway
  18. ^ Skitube
  19. ^ Sydney Tramway Museum
  20. ^ Timbertown Steam Train Experience
  21. ^ "Valley Heights Rail Museum".
  22. ^ Zig Zag Railway
  23. ^ Friends of the North Australia Railway Adelaide River, NT
  24. ^ "Old Ghan Heritage Railway". Archived from the original on 29 December 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  25. ^ Archer Park Rail Museum
  26. ^ Atherton—Herberton Historic Railway
  27. ^ Australian Sugar Cane Railway
  28. ^ Bally Hooley Steam Railway
  29. ^ The Big Pineapple
  30. ^ "The Big Pineapple". The Big Pineapple. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  31. ^ Brisbane Tramway Museum
  32. ^ Burrum & District Museum
  33. ^ Downs Explorer
  34. ^ DownsSteam Tourist Railway and Museum
  35. ^ Dreamworld Express
  36. ^ Ginger Factory train
  37. ^ Gulflander (Queensland Rail)
  38. ^ Kuranda Scenic Railway (Queensland Rail)
  39. ^ Mary Valley Rattler
  40. ^ Mary Ann steam train
  41. ^ Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway
  42. ^ "Ravenshoe Railway". Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  43. ^ "Ravenshoe Railway". Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  44. ^ Rosewood Railway
  45. ^ Rosewood Railway
  46. ^ Savannahlander
  47. ^ Sea World
  48. ^ Woodford Railway
  49. ^ "The Durundur Railway". Australian Narrow Gauge Railway Museum Society. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  50. ^ Cobdogla steam museum railway
  51. ^ "Press release". Cobdogla Steam Museum. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  52. ^ Moonta Mines Tourist Railway
  53. ^ National Railway Museum
  54. ^ Pichi Richi Railway
  55. ^ Semaphore to Fort Glanville Tourist Railway
  56. ^ South Australian Light Railway Centre
  57. ^ SteamRanger Heritage Railway
  58. ^ Tramwasy Museum St. Kilda
  59. ^ Victor Harbor Horse Tramway
  60. ^ Derwent Valley Railway
  61. ^ Don River Railway
  62. ^ Ida Bay Railway Preservation Society
  63. ^ Launceston & North East Railway
  64. ^ Launceston Tramway Museum
  65. ^ Railtrack Riders
  66. ^ Sheffield Steam
  67. ^ "Where We Operate".
  68. ^ Wee Georgie Wood Steam Railway
  69. ^ West Coast Wilderness Railway
  70. ^ Alexandra Timber Tramway
  71. ^ Ballarat Tramway Museum
  72. ^ Bendigo Tramways
  73. ^ Bellarine Railway
  74. ^ Daylesford Spa Country Railway
  75. ^ Kerrisdale Mountain Railway & Museum
  76. ^ Melbourne Tramcar Preservation Association
  77. ^ Mornington Railway
  78. ^ Portland Cable Trams
  79. ^ Puffing Billy Railway
  80. ^ [2]
  81. ^ Tramway Museum Society of Victoria
  82. ^ The Stringybark Express old web page
  83. ^ "Victorian Goldfields Railway". Archived from the original on 29 December 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  84. ^ Walhalla Goldfields Railway
  85. ^ Yarra Valley Railway
  86. ^ Bennett Brook Railway
  87. ^ https://www.gdc.wa.gov.au/Profiles/gdc/Assets/ClientData/One_Mile_Jetty_Stage_3_Business_Case_Final.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  88. ^ Golden Mile Loop Line Railway
  89. ^ Hotham Valley Railway
  90. ^ Kojonup Tourist Railway
  91. ^ Pemberton Tramway
  92. ^ "Perth Electric Tramway Society - Ride a Tram".
  93. ^ Rottnest Island train
  94. ^ Wheatbelt Heritage Rail