A RAIL-CRUISE ADVENTURE WITH WARBIRDS, WINE TASTINGS, GREAT FOOD AND GOOD COMPANY

With Scott McGregor, Jeff Watson and David Lowe • SunsetbanquetinBathurst• WinemakersreceptioninGriffith• ‘LiquidGeography’lunchinCanberra• Warbirdsair-showinTemora• Rail,WarandArtmuseumsintheACT• FinediningandbaronboardtheAurora• Cosyovernightsleeperaccommodation

WINESOCIETYMEMBERSRECEIVE

FREEGIFTWITHEACHBOOKING

3bottlesofpremium

winesfrom

our

sponsoredregions

Value$75

Escape aboard the iconic Southern Aurora sleeper train on a unique adventure through southern NSW. Your on-board excursion celebrates the creativity of regional winemakers with dinners and functions showcasing their vintages. Be enthralled by a special airshow of rare war birds at Temora’s famous aviation museum and explore the rail, war and art museums of Canberra in one entertaining weekend rail cruise. Savour the toasting and tasting in the long shadows and deep colours of country sunsets on the last weekend of daylight saving. Mid-autumn is an ideal time in the bush for cruising through the countryside in one of our truly great trains.

Day1-Friday4thApril

You’reinvitedtocentralstationataroundmiddaytocheckin,andmeetthetraincrewandyourcarattendantwhowillshowyoutoyourcompartment,yourhomeawayfromhomefortheadventureahead.JoinScottandyourfellowtravellersforawelcomeintheloungecarasthetrainbeginsitsjourneywestdepartingat12.53pm.AfternoonlightenhancesthesceneryoftheBlueMountainsandthetablelandcountrybeyonduntilthetrainpullsintoBathurstinthelateafternoon.TransferbycoachtotheastoundingbaronialmansionofAbercrombieHouse.EnjoyBathurstregionwinesontheterraceandhearthestoryofthisgrandestateonaprivatetourwithitsowner,ChristopherMorgan.Aneveningofwineandmusicfollowswithathree-coursebanquetintheatmosphericGreatHall.Returningtothetrain,youcanjointherevellersintheloungecarforanightcaporretiretoyourcosysleeperfortheovernightjourneyintotheheartofSouthernNSW.

Day2–Saturday5thApril

Themorninglightilluminatingthefarms,townsandrailwayjunctionsofthesouthernslopesaccompaniesyourdeliciousbreakfastpriortoarrivingatTemorashortlyafter9.00am.TransferbycoachtotheTemoraAviationMuseumandatouroftheaward-winningdisplayofvintageaircraftandmemorabilia.Youwillbeabletowitnessaspecial‘Fly-In’featuringwarbirdsfromthe‘ThePacificCampaign’includingaSpitfire,aWirrawayandaHudsonBomber.Avoucherentitlesyoutoapremiumcoffeeandabarbequelunchtouseatyourleisureduringtheday.Returntothetraininthemidafternoonforasedate2hourjourneyfurtherwesttoGriffith.LocalwinesfromAustralia’slargestwineproducingregionwillbeshowcasedatasunsetwinemakers’receptionatthenewwinemakersmuseumintheheartofGriffith’sPioneerPark.Backonthetrainenjoyalavish3-coursedinnerintherestaurantcarsoftheAuroraasthejourneycontinues,headingeastthroughJuneejunction,GoulburnandontothebranchlinetoCanberra.

Day3–Sunday6thApril

EnjoybreakfastasthetrainamblesthroughthescenicMolongoloGorgechangingontotheshortbranchtoCanberraatthehistoricstationofQueanbeyan.AspecialmodeofrailtransportwillbeonhandatthestationtoferryyouacrosstoCanberra’sextensiverailwaymuseum.Youwillbeguidedthroughoneofthestate’smostsignificantcollectionsofhistoricrailwayrollingstockandbewitnesstoapreviewofAustralia’slargestlocomotiverestorationproject,anextraordinaryprojectbringingthemighty200tonneBeyer-Garrett6029backtolife.AftermorningteaatthemuseumyoucanthenchoosetovisittheNationalGalleryorjoinaguidedtourofthewarbirdsattheAustralianWarMemorialbeforeregroupingforlunchatthestunningMountStromloScoperestaurant,thesettingforsamplingqualitywinesfromCanberra’sbusywinemakers.ThereturnjourneythroughtheSouthernHighlandswillbecomplementedwithanon-boardHighTea.PullingintoCentralintheearlyeveningmarksthecompletionofthisuniqueweekendescapeandyourwonderfulRailwayAdventureonthelegendarySouthernAurora.

DavidLowehasbeenmaking,appreciatingandpromotingwineformorethan35years.HebeganworkatRothburyandprogressedtobecomeChiefWinemaker.In2000DavidestablishedLoweWineryinMudgee.Apioneering‘flying’winemakerwithapenchantforBordeaux,Davidisalsoawineconsultantandan

accreditedwineshowjudge.Hehasbeentherecipientofmanyindustryawards,trophiesandmedals,includingBestZinfandelatthe2003InternationalWineChallengeandtheQantasCupfortheBestAustralianChardonnay(1985).Lowe’s2009Zinfandelwasawardedthe‘WineoftheShow’atthe2011Australia/NewZealandOrganicWineShow.HeisaprominentwineindustryadvocateandholdsseveralkeypositionsincludingVicePresidentoftheWinemakers’FederationofAustralia,VicePresidentoftheNSWWineIndustryAssociationandPresidentoftheMudgeeWineGrapeGrowersAssociation.

JeffWatsonworksasafreelancejournalist,filmmakerandwriter;hisareaofexpertiseisaviation,withspecialinterestintheextraordinarypeoplewithinthatworld.Heisafamiliarfacefrommorethan40yearsworkinthemediaandiswellknowforhispresentingofBeyond 2000, Getaway, 60 minutesandFour

Corners,justtonameafew.HismanydocumentariesincludeSpitfire Over Australia, Curtiss Kittyhawk, The Ansett Story, Qantas: 50 years of QF1andthedocodramaThe Last Plane Out Of Berlin.Jeff’sbooksincludeHeads I Win, The Best of Travellers Tales andabiographyofClive Caldwell, Killer Caldwell: Australia’s Greatest Fighter Pilot.JeffhasbeenatrusteeofthePowerhouseMuseumandanAustraliadayAmbassador.HeisaFellowoftheRoyalAeronauticalSociety,anhonorarymemberoftheSpitfireAssociationoftheRAAFandPatronoftheAustralianAirLeague.

ScottMcGregorhasbeeninvolvedinthemediaforover30yearsasanactor,presenter,writerandproducer.GraduatingfromNIDAin1979,heappearedinawiderangeofstage,filmandTVrolesandhaspresentedandhostednumerousprime-timeratingswinnersincludingtwoseriesofhisownRailwayAdventures.Aswellas

RailwayAdventuresheownsandoperates‘Ruwenzori’-hisOrientExpressstyletouristretreatnearMudgeeNSW.

THESOUTHERNAURORA

TheSouthernAuroraisaniconofAustralia’srailwaystory,50yearsoldandstillgoingstrong.ItoriginallyoperatedbetweenMelbourneandSydneyandfirstranon16April1962aftertheopeningoftheNorthEaststandardgaugelinefromMelbournetoAlbury.First-classthroughout,includingthediningfacilities,theSouthernAurorafeaturedall-sleeperaccommodationonanovernightservice.Todaythetrainisexpertlymanagedbystaffandvolunteersfromthestate’spremierrailheritagecollection.Therearetwoloungecarswithfullylicencedbars,anothertworestaurantcarsandprivatesleepingcompartments,mostwithen-suites.Bigpicturewindowsinvitetheoutsideinsoyoudon’tmisstheever-changingpanoramaonthisuniqueadventure.

THETEMORAAVIATIONMUSEUM

TheTemoraAviationMuseumisanAustralianaviationmuseumlocatedinTemora,NewSouthWales.Themuseumwasestablishedinlate1999,basedonthecollectionofwarbirdaircraftownedbyDavidLowy.Lowyremainsthepresidentofthemuseum,whichisoverseenbyaseven-membergoverningcommittee.ThemuseumishometomanyhistoricmilitaryandcivilianaircraftthatrangefromtheWorldWarIIeratotheVietnamWareraandholdsFlyingShowcasestodisplayindepthoneofitsoperatingaircraft.

CANBERRARAILMUSEUM

CanberraRailwayMuseumisrunbytheACTdivisionoftheAustralianRailwayHistoricalSociety(ARHS).Themuseumhousesdisplaysofhistoriclocomotives,passengercars,freightvehicles,trackmachineryandrailwaymemorabilia.Themuseumprecinctalsoservesasabaseforthesociety’srailoperations.Membersworktowardpreservingandrecordingrailwayhistory;andoperatingtrainswithrestoredrollingstock.TheCanberraRailwayMuseumishometoAustralia’soldestoperatingsteamlocomotive,oneoftheworld’soldest‘mainline’steamlocomotivesbuiltin1878,andalsotheheaviestlocomotive,the265tonneBeyer-Garrattsteamlocomotivewhichiscurrentlynearingadecade-longrestorationbacktoworkingorder.

ABERCROMBIEHOUSE

AbercrombieHouseatBathurstwasbuiltintheGothicrevivalstylein1870sbytheStewartfamily.WilliamStewartcametoAustraliafromEnglandin1825.HewastheLieutenantGovernorGeneralofNewSouthWalesandwasgivenlandinBathurstasarewardforhissterlingeffortsincolonialadministration.WilliamStewart’seldestsonJamesbuiltAbercrombieHouse.ThehouseislistedontheNSWHeritageRegisterandsince1969thecurrentowners,theMorganfamily,havemademajorrestorationstothehouse,recentlyaddingtheGrandBallroomtothefinishedlist.

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PRICE

$1650perpersonPhone1300733353orEmailscott@railwayadventuresforbookingformanddetails

INCLUSIONS

• 2nightsaccommodationintwinshareorsinglecompartments• Allmealsandmorningandafternoonteas• Complimentarywineandbeerwitheveningmeals,andSundaylunch• Allmuseumandgalleryentrances.

Airticketsandothertravelarrangementscanbemadewithourtravelpartner

GuidepostTours

ThistourisoperatedbyGuidepostTours,adivisionofSCTTravelGroupinconjunctionwithScottMcGregor’sRailwayAdventures

T/ALic.No.2TA5895

1962 - 2012