West Coast Wilderness Railway in Queenstown, Tasmania | Railway company

West Coast Wilderness Railway

Locality: Queenstown, Tasmania

Phone: +61 3 6471 0100

Address: 1 Driffield Street 7467 Queenstown, TAS, Australia

Website: http://www.wcwr.com.au

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25.01.2022 A flashback to when thejimmywoodser (via Instagram) climbed on board an adventure to Dubbil Barril station return, our current running Rack and Gorge journey from Queenstown. This was one of the images captured from that day as we enjoyed scrolling their collection to view others from along the trip. We are very grateful for the recommendations of our railway and so pleased to read how memorable a trip is to our guests. Is stepping aboard one of our journeys on your to-do list? We are really looking forward to having you join us.

25.01.2022 A note regarding the 2021 123rd annual Mt Lyell Strahan Picnic Tuesday 26th January 2021 Labor Omnia Vincit We find a way, or we make it.... The Mount Lyell Mine at Queenstown was founded in 1891 through partnership between James Crotty and Bowes Kelly, and quickly became the richest copper mine in the entire world. Its success, however, relied on getting the copper to market. Queenstown is landlocked with no roads, and the nearest port is in Strahan. The success and future of the Mount Lyell Mine relied on an ambitious rail project construct a 30km rail line between the mine at Queenstown and the port of Strahan. If the rail project failed, so too did the mine. The challenge of building a railway in this wild terrain was vast. Rugged mountains, deep valleys, rivers, rock and impenetrable forest all stood in the way of success. But Bowes Kelly lived by a motto Labor Omnia Vincit. We find a way, or make it. [1] The COVID situation has changed the event landscape. Since our first annual Picnic in 1897, there have only ever been two occasions where the Picnic was cancelled both during World War II when coal was rationed, and excursion trains cancelled. It would have been an easy, understandable and acceptable decision to cancel the 2021 event given the global pandemic. However, we draw on the spirit of Bowes Kelly his fierce determination, resilience and adaptability. His hard work. His massive gamble on a rack and pinion system to get the riches of Queenstown to the port of Strahan. With his spirit in mind, we have committed to the 123rd Mount Lyell Strahan Picnic. This was a unanimous decision of the Committee at our recent meeting. No committee member could fathom the thought of cancelling Januarys Picnic. The program will look a little different. If, like us, you have memorised the program, there will be changes. There will be the usual COVID compliance matters to deal with: you will need to sanitise your hands before and after each event you participate in. Well have more on that, and other precautions, later. We will continue to be guided by the advice of Public Health. This decision has been made based on the current conditions and circumstances, our knowledge of the event and the COVID safe requirements for events such as ours. The outdoor nature of the event and the large area at West Strahan Beach lend itself to a COVID-safe event. However, we will continue working with the relevant authorities to ensure that risk is managed, and that up to date information is factored in when making decisions. For the moment, please keep Tuesday 26th January free for the 123rd Mount Lyell Strahan Picnic. We cant wait to see you. Side note - For those people who arent familiar with our history, the first Mount Lyell Strahan Picnic was held on 5th December 1897 when the Mount Lyell Mining & Railway Co. organised a day of fun and festivity for their employees in Strahan. Employees and their families would ride the Abt Railway through to Strahan for the annual Picnic. A call for committee members and volunteers We will shortly be advertising our Annual General Meeting. If youre passionate about the West Coast, keeping our history alive and giving back to the community, we invite you to attend. More details to follow.

25.01.2022 We're waiting to welcome you on board... See you in the morning!

24.01.2022 As the days are now longer and the sun slowly starts getting warmer the focus on beauty around the West Coast shifts slightly. From gushing waterfalls and refreshed green rainforests to picture perfect sunsets and stretching clear views. Timing isn't everything when you're on the West Coast because no matter where you are at any time there will always be beautiful views to admire. This image was captured by Jay Goninon Photography from the Rinadeena lookout between Queenstown and Strahan, it's a magical part of the world that we get to travel through.

24.01.2022 We are excited to announce that our half day River and Rainforest journeys from Regatta Point will be commencing from 2nd January 2021! Initially these journeys will run of a Monday, Wednesday and Saturday lead by our 1953 heritage diesel engines to allow for track work to continue and loco down time, however demand will determine the need for an increase in journeys for the leading months. This is fast approaching and due to distancing requirements we encourage those wish...ing to join us to book in advance to reserve your seat on board, this can be done via our website or by calling our friendly reservations team on (03) 6471 0100 who also have a waiting list available if you require a certain date that may have already reached capacity. We are looking forward to re-opening our Regatta Point station and being able to run our River and Rainforest journeys once again, we do hope that you can holiday on the West Coast this coming summer season and that we can welcome you aboard whilst you're here! *Please note - some of the footage shown in this video is from our current running Rack and Gorge journey from Queenstown.*

24.01.2022 6 days to go!! This time next week our first passenger train will have resumed service completing its first Rack and Gorge journey and we couldn't be more excited, the countdown is on. This week will be spent finishing off those odd jobs at the stations and clearing the tools away, test runs are being done along with those last minute checks.... See you really soon! This steamy image of loco number 3 at Lynchford was captured by harry_mcmlxiii via Instagram.

23.01.2022 Andrew is getting ready to welcome you back on board! With a strong passion for our railway's history Andrew is positioned perfectly as a Guest Experience Supervisor for our journeys. It takes a special team member to do the role that Andrew does and it was proven that we are extremely lucky to have him on board when we asked him about his job... "Every time a passenger gets off the train and shakes my hand to thank me for a great day, it never fails to give that heart warmin...g feeling that you have helped someone have a great experience and memories to take away from their holiday." Andrew has resided on the West Coast for around 6 years, living in both Strahan and Queenstown. He has been a part of our team on a casual basis for this time and we have now secured him into a full time position. His favourite thing about the West Coast is its history and the passion of the people who live here. Andrew's current projects involve building the experiences at the stations and on board the carriages, ready for trains to re-commence, and to provide our guests with a fun and informative adventure. He is also working on learning more about the history that helped to shape Tasmania into how it is today, so if you are lucky enough to cross paths with Andrew next time you visit us, feel free to ask questions! He is an incredible wealth of knowledge with some very interesting stories to share!

23.01.2022 Did you know? Just over 12 months ago our team worked closely with the Tasmanian Transport Museum to move one of the limited original Mt Lyell locomotives No 2 up to the North-West where the rather large task of her full restoration began. From the initial strip down to sourcing the parts needed in her rebuild, the progress in her restoration process is moving along fast and the time is approaching for us to start making some pretty big decisions for her future and appearanc...e, and for that we need your help... Watch this space for the chance to have your say on decisions made for loco No 2 and for updates as the time moves closer to being able to bring her home to West Coast soil once again!

23.01.2022 Winter in Tasmania is as magical as they come. Image credit @simonsturzakerphotography

23.01.2022 Sunsets on the West Coast are quite an amazing sight at times, especially when they are alongside the view of a loco With school holidays and a couple of long weekends just around the corner Tasmanians are being encouraged to explore their own backyard. Are you heading over to catch a glimpse of these incredible West Coast views? This one was captured by jaygoninon_photography (on Instagram) from the Regatta Point station.

23.01.2022 'The train is being turned around on a giant turntable for the return journey back to Queenstown, Tasmania. It's hard to believe that 2 men are all it takes to push the turntable with a 26 tonne train on it' Repost by macrostudios.sg via Instagram.

23.01.2022 Have you been trying to reserve your seat on board? We have had to limit the amount of passengers that we can take on each journey due to social distancing requirements, which means that once our online system reaches a certain number for each journey it will display an error message stating that we have no more seats available for that journey. We would like to advise our guests that if you are trying to book online and receive this message please give our reservations and ...ticketing team a call, it will mean that the amount of distancing seats have been sold however as families and couples can be seated together we may be able to reshuffle where guests have been initially placed to fit your booking but keeping within requirements for social distancing. For more information on how we will be keeping you safe during your journey please feel free to contact us or visit our website and the COVID-19 option. We also urge now more than ever that if you have planned your desired date of travel to reserve your seats as soon as possible to avoid disappointment due to limited seating during this time. We look forward to seeing you soon!

23.01.2022 Driver Bob and loco number 5 took our Rack and Gorge train out to Dubbil Barril and return today from Queenstown. Bob has been apart of our team for four years now where he has enjoyed 'being able to operate the old locos on such a picturesque line in the wilderness', and during our period of suspension Bob was responsible for testing the locos and keeping them active in assisting with remote station maintenance. A West Coast local for over 20 years now his favourite part of working for the railway is the team that he is apart of and the people that he gets to meet along the way. Bob's son James is also apart of our loco and maintenance team and we are very privileged to have this family duo on board.

22.01.2022 Many businesses and individuals have taken the recent downtime to work hard on areas that have needed attention, projects that needed doing and generally catching up before life as we know it resumes. Here at the railway we have had the rather large job of taking on not only a few projects but working on the entire railway, from stations to locos and even line maintenance. This has meant that our normal day to day set up has been slightly different to allow for these upgrades... to be completed. The clock at our Queenstown station, although always on display, is powered by electricity from the station, therefore if we lose power for scheduled works or we need to turn the power off for any period of time the clock stops and then displays the incorrect time once restarted. Due to the need to switch our power off and back on multiple times during these project works lately we haven't corrected the clock each time however now that we are on the countdown to our return this was one of the jobs completed ready for your visit to us from 22nd September. With this and many other behind the scenes jobs being done we are getting very excited!!

22.01.2022 Looking for somewhere comfortable now that the rain has returned? Our carriages provide shelter and warmth, along with adventure, scenery and an intriguing history lesson. Besides... who wouldn't want to journey through the rainforest in this weather.

21.01.2022 The countdown is on! 5 weeks until our first passenger train for the season makes it way out beyond the King River Gorge on an adventure once again. We are excited and are now working hard to have things ready and finished off in time for our guests to climb aboard. Won't you join us? This great shot of loco #3 was captured by @_tas_mania

20.01.2022 Back in August docdoran shared this image with us via Instagram in anticipation for our return and the longing of a loco whistle through the town.. We cannot explain how great it is to be back, not only to hear the train but to also welcome our visitors on board and share their excitement once again. We just want to thank you all for your continued support especially over the past 6 months and express just how grateful we are to be, Back on Track!

19.01.2022 All Aboard!... With a new week just around the corner we are looking forward to welcoming our passengers to join us for an adventure. Whether they are new to our railway experience or if they have traveled before, being able to show our guests what the West Coast has to offer from the comfort of our carriages is something we look forward to every week. This timely captured image was sent in to us by gbellphoto via Instagram from their recent adventure on board, stay tuned from more great images from their collection.

18.01.2022 In June our Rail Operations Supervisor Mark had his 20 year anniversary with the West Coast Wilderness Railway saying that the best part about his job is 'being an ongoing part of maintaining and ensuring a future for one of Australias most famous and beautiful steam railways. He also particularly enjoys encouraging the next generation of Enginemen to help ensure that this railway and others continue well into the future.' Mark looks after daily train control, rosters, timet...abling, purchasing/ procurement & technical services within his role and has a strong passion for the history of our railway. He is always a wealth of interesting and informative knowledge. A word from Mark on his time with the railway: 'As a former driver on this railway, I enjoyed meeting visitors from all over the world, telling them about our particular railway and hearing the stories they would tell of their travels. These days I might be office bound but I still stay in contact with many and continue to make new contacts particularly in the steam world, whilst sourcing specific and often hard to get bits of steam technology!' We are very lucky to have Mark as a part of our team, be sure to give him a wave from on board the next time you pass the Carswell Park station in Queenstown.

18.01.2022 Days of rest are for self care and doing what you enjoy. Loco number 5 currently has the huge effort of running our Rack and Gorge journeys solo for a short period while others are having important works done, she deserves the rest and maintenance here with a check over and boiler clean. Have a great weekend everyone!

18.01.2022 We need your help! The time has come for a pretty major decision in the progress of loco number 2, her colour... You may already know or can see here that in our fleet we currently have two green steam locos and our black beauty, the question is do we keep our black loco unique and stick with green, make it an even two black two green or change it up completely by adding a burgundy loco into the mix? Having your say by commenting below puts you into the draw to win 2 t...ickets on board one of our Rack and Gorge journeys from Queenstown in a heritage carriage. Are you ready to help shape the future for loco 2, which colour do you agree would look better steaming through the wilderness? Burgundy - Green - Black Image credits to maxxle5, mcbish_adventures and aankendall via Instagram. See more

18.01.2022 During the planning stages for the construction of the railway it was decided that the rack and pinion system invented by Swiss engineer Dr Carl Roman Abt would be used. Due to the 1 in 15 gradient climb in places between Halls Creek and Dubbil Barril the locos wouldn't be able to conquer these alone, especially with a load. Therefore the necessary equipment to both loco and track were fitted prior to the beginning of its operation in 1897. The view here can be seen from the balcony of a wilderness carriage during a Rack and Gorge or Queenstown Explorer journey, whilst being connected to this unique part of our history. https://www.wcwr.com.au/stores/dr-roman-abt

17.01.2022 More exciting news this week with loco number 1 heading out of the Carswell Park workshop. After an extensive strip down whilst her 10 year boiler inspection was being completed she has now had a complete overhaul and been restored as shiny as ever. The immediate future shows a number of test runs ahead for the loco including the Rack and Pinion and traveling under load before she can connect and lead your journey but this step forward makes us very proud. Stay tuned for her re-entry.. Back on Track!

17.01.2022 Along with our busy train schedule the team at Tracks Cafe have also been busy keeping up with the catering for our wilderness carriages, they do an amazing job and we are lucky to have such a hardworking team in the kitchen! Speaking of the kitchen, Jayden is happy to be back after his efforts on the remote station maintenance. We are very grateful for his help but glad to see him at home as our kitchen hand again. Living on the West Coast for five years now Jayden has been... a part of our railway family for a year and a half after his passion for the wilderness and history of the area brought him to us. We would like to thank Jayden for his dedication to the railway especially over the last few months and during these busier times. Next time you join us on an adventure consider taking a journey on board the wilderness carriage or calling in to see the team at Tracks, their meals are delicious... if we do say so ourselves!

16.01.2022 Although we aren't able to admire the view this season, these great winter memories are the perfect alternative. Thanks to @lochie.bevis for sharing this one with us.

16.01.2022 'A fantastic day out from Queenstown or Strahan. We love the West Coast Wilderness Railway for a family adventure!' Have you reserved a seat on board for our re-opening? Our Rack and Gorge will be running again from the 22nd September, just in time for school holidays. Jump online or give us a call to plan your journey and make tracks our way soon! Repost credit @berwickcottageandstudio

15.01.2022 The West Coast Wilderness Railway is back on track. Mr. Anthony brown was in the Studio with the exciting news. Extra Maintenance and behind the scenes work wer...e conducted in their down time and all the staff are eager to share it with you. Let's take the opportunity to get out there and explore our own backyard here on the West Coast. #7xsTAS #WCWR #BackOnTrack

14.01.2022 Welcome back everyone!!

14.01.2022 We are excited to announce that our Raft and Steam journeys with King River Rafting will be commencing from 5th October 2020, adventures begin with white water rafting down the King River before joining the Rack and Gorge journey at the Dubbil Barril station and catching the train back to Queenstown. https://www.kingriverrafting.com.au//king-river-gorge-raft Bookings can be made by contacting King River Rafting on 0409 664 268 or via their website at www.kingriverrafting.c...om.au Please note that King River Rafting aren't able to operate between 24th January 2020 and 20th March 2021 due to necessary maintenance to the John Butlers power station that has been delayed due to COVID restrictions. Thanks to @bcwatts125 for sharing this image with us from Dubbil Barril, where the Rack and Gorge train can be seen heading to collect the rafts with the c-wagon in tow.

14.01.2022 'The King River Gorge, Raft and Steam Experience is a collaborative adventure between King River Rafting and the West Coast Wilderness Railway, combining the thrill of white water rafting with a return steam train ride through wilderness and history.' Do you like the idea of stepping your rail journey up a notch? Why not experience the thrill of riding the white water rapids before joining us for an adventure home through the rainforest... We are very excited to welcome King... River Rafting Tasmania back to the West Coast for their summer season where today our combined Raft and Steam journeys returned. Give the team a call on 0409 664 268 to make your booking or jump on their website at www.kingriverrafting.com.au for more information and to book. We look forward to seeing you soon at Dubbil Barril! See more

14.01.2022 We'd like you all to meet Brock.. After a busy week helping the team to restart our journeys and get the railway Back on Track we wanted you to get to know Brock before climbing aboard on a journey with him. As an integral part of our team we are grateful that Brock joined us 2 years ago and relocated to the West Coast to start his career as a Fireman, inspiring to become a professional train driver the loco crew have taken him under their wing and enjoy teaching him all the...y can about our amazing machines. Brock says - 'I would recommend the WCWR to anyone aspiring to a career on the railways. Here you can work with people who have local, national, and international experience on both Diesel and Steam locomotives. There are very few places in Australia where you can be exposed to that and earn a living at the same time.' During our downtime Brock was helping out our carpenters with project tasks, repainting safety lines around the workshop floors and firing up the locos for test runs and regular warm ups, however he is now back to doing what he loves and couldn't be happier! We hear you Brock, we are also thrilled to be back and are excited to welcome you all on board really soon.

13.01.2022 When connecting with the rack be prepared for a bit of steam! It can also get a little bouncy heading up the hill, but we feel that it all adds to the authentic experience. I think I can.... I think I can...

13.01.2022 Another beautiful spring day for traveling today, making the turn at Dubbil Barril for the return home. Thank to macrostudios.sg via Instagram for allowing us to share their great collection.

12.01.2022 Even Food and Beverage Manager Marcus hasn't escaped the change in job description these past few months and when we could finally catch him on a break he was more than happy to share his railway story... After relocating to the West Coast in December 2018 Marcus has been busy working with our Tracks and Tracks on Point teams to offer a quality service to both our passengers and visitors, not only to the railway but the West Coast itself. He has introduced successful new men...us to both cafes and had begun to run opening nights for Tracks on Point prior to our closure during his time here. The parts of Marcus' job that he enjoys the most are being able to interact with customers and help out with front of house and to be able to look after the forward planning for the cafe in an innovative and diverse environment. He says that he likes the community spirit that comes from the West Coast, knowing that if you need help here you never need to look very far. Marcus and the team at Tracks within our Queenstown station have done a fantastic job with keeping the cafe operational during the COVID lock down, providing delicious takeaways to our local community and businesses. They have also continued to follow compliance and restrictions set in place to keep all our guests safe when visiting. Don't forget to call in and see the team at Tracks (or Tracks on Point in Strahan once we re-open) on your next visit to the area, for a bite to eat, delicious coffee or a friendly chat. We'd love to see you!

11.01.2022 Gorgeous capture thanks to Anita Reeve Photography

11.01.2022 'The Iron Bridge at the former town of Teepookana used by the West Coast Wilderness Railway is flanked by Tasmanian Blackwood trees on the left, and majestic Huon Pines on the right.' Thanks to docdoran via Instagram for allowing us to repost this beautiful wilderness image, captured from along the King River.

10.01.2022 Nothing beats a cool, wet, wintery day in the rainforest on board an historic adventure.. Take me back! Thanks to @dianamphoto for allowing us to share this great image from a collection of memories captured during their journey.

09.01.2022 The return of our train journeys has been a very exciting time for us, being able to welcome guests back on board and run our half day experience from Queenstown once again. However the question has been asked as to why we aren't running journeys from Strahan just yet and this short video from deep in the wilderness may help to explain the answer. Our track replacement program is well underway throughout the Strahan end of the line and by holding off on the return of any departures from the Regatta Point station allows our team to have an uninterrupted line for the work you see happening here. We are taking bookings for our half day River and Rainforest journey from the 2nd January 2021 and we do hope that you can join us to see first hand the exciting progress of this upgrade.

09.01.2022 Have you ever wanted to climb aboard our Rack and Gorge journey? This four-hour return trip out of Queenstown takes you on an adventure back in time, through the wilderness with views like no other. Experience the rack and pinion system in action, try your hand at gold panning and watch up close as your driver and fireman turn the loco by hand. Our seats are filling fast and we don't want you to miss out, reserve your chance to take this journey of a lifetime today, we are excited to welcome you on board. Toot toot!

09.01.2022 Have you been keeping track of our project updates over the past few months? The down time brought on by our current suspension of services has allowed us the time to begin some maintenance projects, progressively work through some that had been started and complete others, from all areas of the railway. From maintaining locos to a thorough cleaning of each station our teams have been busy utilising this time. If you'd like to catch up on their work and the progress that's been made jump on our website at https://www.wcwr.com.au/ne/getting-back-on-track-post-covid and check it out. We commend the team on the efforts made for these projects and the final outcomes that are being produced in preparation for our re-opening in September. Image credit @robertarmitagephotography

07.01.2022 So exciting! Best weather to see the rainforest too...

07.01.2022 What a beautiful sight to arrive to at work this morning! Overnight the West Coast has seen snow fall and settle on most parts of its towns and surrounds, and although we aren't able to see a train off into the winter wonderland we get to admire this view today from the station.

07.01.2022 'Journey through ancient rainforests on the Rack and Gorge Tour with the West Coast Wilderness Railway.' @taylordtravels 4 weeks to go until we can once again admire this view from our Queenstown station!

07.01.2022 The project to shine a little light on the situation at Rinadeena has been completed with new lights installed into the old mining cave. If you would like to learn the story from this area or to see it for yourself we'd be more than happy to show you... during your next journey on board a Rack and Gorge or Queenstown Explorer train!

05.01.2022 After a spot of rain over the weekend the sun has returned but not before refreshing the rainforest and restoring the lush green scenery, many would agree with us that these conditions are the best for travel. With rain on its way again soon can we tempt you with an adventure through the rainforest? To avoid disappointment give us a call when planning your journey West, seats have been filling fast and we don't want you to miss out. This great image was sent in to us by mcphertography via Instagram.

05.01.2022 2 weeks to go! In case you haven't heard , our return passenger train departs the Queenstown station at 9am on Tuesday 22nd September which means we are now into our final fortnight. The movement of locos and carriages has begun, both for testing and cleaning and after a long wait it's a very welcomed sight. ... This one was captured by @aankendall during their last visit to us.

05.01.2022 Beautiful Thursday for a test run... 4 days to go!

04.01.2022 We've really enjoyed getting back on track this week! It's been so good getting back to what we do best. One of our team stitched together this little video of a trip we took out last week and we thought we'd share. We hope to see you soon!

04.01.2022 A great angle of Loco #3, patiently waiting at the Dubbil Barril station back in February. Despite being down for minor repairs at present she is still patiently waiting, this time for Loco #1 to head back out on track. She will then take it's place in the workshop, being next in line for a major overhaul. Image credit @bcwatts125

04.01.2022 The weeks are steaming along and now there is only 3 left to wait for the return of our passenger journeys! Exciting times here at the railway as we are bustling to get projects tidied up and preparation of carriages and stations underway. Like us, many of the locals are looking forward to hearing the echos of the train whistle through the town again as it makes its way out into the wilderness. If it isn't possible for you to be in Queenstown on Tuesday 22nd September don't ...be disappointed, we will be sure to capture some footage for you to join in the excitement with us until you can visit again. Watch this space! Thanks to @bcwatts125 for this great image of loco 3.

04.01.2022 We would like to advise that locals and those visiting Queenstown tomorrow may get to catch a glimpse of the train out on the line. We will be holding an emergency practice and procedure day (Tuesday 15th September) in preparation for our journeys to return into the wilderness and to refresh the process with our team members should the unavoidable situation of an emergency ever occur. We wanted to notify of this scheduled event so as not to alarm or cause any concern to those that may see us out practicing with the loco and carriages, just the perfect opportunity to hear the train whistle throughout the town again as we head into our final week until passenger journeys resume! Image credit @asha.eff

04.01.2022 As one of Tasmania's favourite experiences prepares to re-open, we caught up with Ashley from the West Coast Wilderness Railway to hear about the upside to downtime and what we can expect when they're back on the rails. Read here: https://www.strahanvillage.com.au/blog/wcwr-reopening

03.01.2022 'Loved this historic railway in a beautiful part of the world' @theadams created this great short video of their time spent at Dubbil Barril. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

03.01.2022 Be sure to stop by and check out the new menu next time you're in town!

02.01.2022 Throwback Thursday! Riley Railcar on the ABT section of the King River Gorge, dated 1899.

02.01.2022 A few months ago we had these wonderful international guests join us on board. Now all our visitors are special to us and VIP (very important passengers) however these ones bring with them an interesting story.. They traveled to our little railway as fellow Abt railway workers to say hello and ride our train. Back home in Germany they work on a Hartz Mountain Cog Rail as drivers, guards and stewards where Dr Carl Roman Abt invented one of the original Rack and Pinion syste...ms that still operates today. Our steward Katrina was thrilled to hear their story and enjoyed their company during the journey, she captured these great images as keepsakes of their time with us and to share this great news story with you all. We are really looking forward to the return of our international visitors when it is safe for everyone to be able to do so once again. See more

02.01.2022 As the weather changes and the rain makes it way to the West Coast it's hard not to spare a thought for the workers when building the railway. The dense terrain and freezing temperatures that those men would have endured, only to be kept warm by manual labour such as digging out cuttings like this one by hand. @bcwatts125 snapped this great pic from the balcony of his wilderness carriage after coming around the bend during his last journey on board. Keep your eye out for more of Brian's scenic railway collection.

02.01.2022 Imagine if this was the view from your office window... our loco team members feel privileged to have one of the most enjoyable jobs in the world. Working for the railway becomes more of a passion that a position and we are looking forward to being able to share that with you again in September. Have you reserved your seats on board? Bookings are filling fast and with current social distancing restrictions the number of passengers on board is limited, give us a call on (03) 6471 0100 or visit the website www.wcwr.com.au to secure your desired date of travel. Thanks to @macrostudios.sg for allowing us to feature this different angle from our railway.

01.01.2022 Myah's usual daily job description looks slightly different to the work being done today... On a normal day Myah would be one of the friendly faces that would greet you at Tracks Cafe, however recently she has been helping out with the projects and upgrades, pictured here doing a great job on restoring chairs for the cafe. Working for the railway for two and a half years now Myah is a local to the West Coast and only ever residing away for college and university. The recent... suspension of the railway has given her the opportunity to try her hand at some very different and more manual tasks than her usual Food and Beverage Attendant position has. From sanding and painting to electrical assisting we are most grateful for Myah's can do and outgoing attitude during this period. When asked what she most enjoys about working at the railway and living on the West Coast Myah says: 'All the wonderful people that I get to work with and the different people I get to meet working in the cafe. The beautiful scenery around us here and the community spirit when times are tough' Serving the cafe regulars is her favourite part of the day, especially the Blackaby's. Whether you are joining us on board or passing through Queenstown be sure to call in to the cafe and say hi to Myah, she would love to see you.

01.01.2022 We have been very lucky with some amazing weather on the West Coast this winter with locals used to quite a bit of rainfall for this time of year, if it wasn't for the slight chill on the air we could argue that winter hadn't even found us yet. Team member Ash captured this gorgeous shot from our Regatta Point station as she took a moment to enjoy the view.