Have you ever wanted to experience the golden era of rail travel? Then don’t miss the inaugural Wimmera Weekender tour, hosted by the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre.
Departing on Friday 6 and returning on Monday 9 October, travellers keen to step back in time can embark on the four-day heritage tour from Seymour, Southern Cross, or North Shore station and go as far as the rarely travelled Hopetoun branch, north of Warracknabeal, in Yarriambiack Shire.
FRIDAY 6 OCTOBER: Get comfortable aboard the iconic Spirit of Progress compartment car or an open saloon car pulled by a diesel locomotive as you soak in the scenic vistas of the You Yangs and the picturesque grazing districts of Victoria’s west.
Make new friends over a drink in the Parlor car or the open-air observation car as the train steams towards Horsham. On arrival passengers will be transferred to their hotel for check in, then the evening is there to savour, whether it’s dining in at the Capital Inn Horsham or venturing out to experience the GrainCorp Murtoa Sound & Light Show or the DMS Lake Cinema and Music experience, both part of Murtoa’s Big Weekend event and one of several tour upgrade options available.
SATURDAY 7 OCTOBER: Choose one of four ways to spend your day:
Murtoa’s Big Weekend:
Purchase a return train shuttle ticket and head to day two of Murtoa’s Big Weekend, where you can enjoy the Murtoa Cup, tour the remarkable National Heritage-listed Stick Shed, admire Murtoa’s captivating silo art, or have a social roll at the Murtoa Bowls Club. Other events to experience include a show ‘n’ shine, morning market, farm tours, Dunmunkle Sumpoilers historic engines display, and tours of the Water Tower Museum. Complimentary bus shuttles will get you to all the events thanks to the Murtoa Progress Association, so how you spend your day here is entirely up to you!
Grampians Halls Gap tour:
Alternatively, pre-book the Grampians Halls Gap tour, which explores the magnificent Grampians National Park, Gariwerd, by private coach. This tour includes stops at Zumsteins historic site, Reed & Boroka Lookouts, Brambuk: The National Park & Cultural Centre, Lake Bellfield, and provides leisure time in Halls Gap for you to enjoy at your own pace.
Grampians Wine tour:
The Grampians Wine Tour is sure to thrill wine enthusiasts looking to discover their new favourite wines. The pre-booked tour includes a visit to Best’s Wines, complete with a guided tour and wine tastings and then takes you to Grampians Estate for more tastings before a delicious lunch and a paddle of wine at Pomonal Estate. The wine tour, hosted by Experience The Grampians, concludes with tastings at the award-winning Mount Staplyton Wines.
Horsham:
Finally, if you prefer to stay put, explore Horsham for the day, where you can stroll along the banks of the picturesque Wimmera River, visit the botanical gardens, or see the latest exhibition at the Horsham Regional Art Gallery.
SUNDAY 8 OCTOBER:
On Sunday, the heritage train departs from Horsham and embarks on the rarely travelled Hopetoun Branch, a route that last saw regular passenger services back in 1976.
The train’s first stop is in Murtoa, where passengers who missed the Big Weekend festivities the day before and are not continuing the Hopeton & Silo Art tour, can disembark and enjoy the activities there. Additionally, Murtoa is the departure point for the shuttle bus to Rupanyup, perfect for those interested in visiting the Woods’ Farming & Heritage Museum.
For passengers who pre-booked the full Hopeton & Silo Art tour, they will have the opportunity to admire the magnificent silo art at Sheep Hills and Rosebery along the way. They’ll also have the option to disembark at either Warracknabeal or Beulah for a special Big BBQ lunch, specially arranged for the train passengers.
MONDAY 9 OCTOBER:
After a delicious breakfast of your choice in Horsham central, rejoin the train late morning from Horsham then enjoy a light lunch as you retrace the journey back to North Shore, Melbourne or Seymour and the end of our Wimmera weekend adventure with new friends.
The organisers expect to see around 2,000+ visit the region across the weekend and encourage people to purchase tickets in advance. Tammy Smith, CEO, Yarriambiack Shire Council said: ‘There is something for everyone across this big weekend, all of it showcasing our amazing region and its community spirit. The experiences to be enjoyed by Wimmera Weekender passengers, including Murtoa’s Big Weekend, is the result of the generous support of our local sponsors, volunteers and community who work hard to bring this event to life’.
Marc Sleeman, CEO, Grampians Tourism said: “We’re incredibly thrilled to welcome passengers to the Grampians from the Wimmera Weekender, a heritage train experience which will allow visitors to take in the beauty of the region as they travel.’
Prices for this exciting journey start at just $580 per person, which includes return train travel in an N type saloon or S type compartment car, as well as three nights of accommodation in Horsham. If you prefer just the return train travel without accommodation, it starts at $360 per person for a round trip. Additionally, one-way tickets are also available for your convenience.
Shuttles, tours, and event tickets you choose to add to your experience are separate and come with their own pricing with many of the activities at Murtoa’s Big Weekend free of charge, adding excellent value to your journey.
For further information and to book visit https://www.
For further information on the Seymour Heritage Train journey visit www.srhc.org.au/tours
For further information about Horsham and the Grampians go to www.visitgrampians.com.au
