6 to 8 May 2022
Heritage Steam and Diesel hauled slow rail journey
to Sea Lake, Wycheproof and the Silo Art Trail
Step back in time onboard THE GRAINLANDER and enjoy a weekend of slow rail travel to some of the Victorian Mallee country's most beautiful townships. Along the way, visit Sea Lake, Wycheproof and some of the now famous Victorian Silo Art Trail locations. You'll journey in style from Melbourne, travelling in lovingly restored sleeping carriages which once worked on some of Melbourne's most prestigious overnight interstate trains. Hauling the train on this epic adventure is steam locomotive R 707, "The City of Melbourne" which was built in 1951 in Glasgow, Scotland. Assisting our steam engine with the heavy train will be heritage diesel locomotives. Throughout this slow rail journey, you'll have time to explore regional communities that are usually forgotten such as Maryborough, Sea Lake, Wycheproof and Nullawil. At Sea Lake, you'll transfer to air-conditioned road coaches for a tour along a large part of the now famous Victorian Silo Art Trail. Along the way, you'll make many precious new memories that will not be easily forgetten and you'll join new found friends as we travel deep into the Northern Mallee on this COVID-Safe weekend slow rail cruise. Book your tickets here.
The hustle and bustle of Melbourne's Southern Cross Station is easing in the evening, however at 10.10 pm THE GRAINLANDER will wake up the station, as the whistle is sounded announcing our departure. Join your fellow travellers and tour organisers in one of two luxury Club Carriages with a welcome aboard drink and evening supper in as we head west toward Ballarat and Maryborough. Retire to your private sleeping cabin for an evening of rest your steam hauled slow rail cruise climbs up the Great Dividing Range through Bacchus Marsh, on through Ballarat and Maryborough during the night.
On Saturday morning, watch the beautiful sunrise over Mallee country as we approach Charlton and Wycheproof. Start Saturday morning with a delicious breakfast as we continue deeper into Victoria's grain belt. We'll have 90 minutes at Wycheproof before the journey continues and we arrive into Sea Lake, at around 11.00 am. In Sea Lake we transfer directly to the recently restored Royal Hotel for lunch.
After lunch, join luxury road coaches for the next stage of your slow rail cruise. This is a journey like no other, in the heart of the dry Mallee country we visit Lake Tyrell, Victoria's largest salt-lake. This shallow, salt-crusted depression just a few kilometres North of the township of Sea Lake has recently become a tourist mecca with photographers and social media users who visit to take photographs of the lake's mirror like surface during winter. During dry periods, visitors can walk out on to the lake area by using places where salt has formed a solid surface.
After leaving Lake Tyrell, you'll journey along the now famous Silo Art Trail. Your Silo Art Trail journey today will travel to three of four works of art (as time permits) from Sea Lake to Patchewollock, Lascelles, Rosebury, Brim or Sheep Hills. You'll meet back up with the train and your sleeping accomodations later this evening in Wycheproof, just in time for a delicious dinner.
Twinette Sleeper Roomette Sleeper Non-AC Twinette WANDO
On Sunday morning, breakfast is served fresh before we travel to one last Silo Art display, and this is certain to become a highlight of your weekend. The train will travel a short distance to Nullawil, where you'll have the opportunity to leave the train, and photograph the train, our diesel engines, and our heritage carriages as it sits under Smug's Nullawil Silo artwork. Sam Bates (Smug) is the artist who transformed the face of the Nullawil silo.
After Nullawil, we commence the all-daylight rail cruise back to Melbourne. Relax and enjoy your Sunday afternoon as we travel south pausing briefly in Maryborough, then onwards to Ballarat for dinner. It's then a quick run into Melbourne, Southern Cross, where our train will arrive and terminate at 9.10 pm.
We also have the option of one-way travel from Maryborough and Ballarat to Melbourne Sunday, including dinner.
Our heritage train features:
- Cafe Hudson espresso bar
- Licenced Club Carriages Victoria and Lounge Car 708
- Air conditioned restored 1950's carriages
- Relaxed vintage travel atmosphere
- Breakfast served each morning to your cabin
- A range of travel and sleeping options
- Two course dinner on Saturday night in Wycheproof
- Lunches both days on the train
- Dinner on the train on Sunday evening
Travel Options
We have range of travel options for the trip (weekend trip options include all meals) including:
- The NAM Carriage: Premium Twinette private sleeping compartment for up to two people with lounge seats by day and bunk beds by night (including linen). Each compartment contains a private shower and wash basin, with private toilet facilities located in each sleeping compartment.
- The LAN Carriage: Premium Roomette private sleeping compartment for one person with lounge seat by day and bed by night (including linen). Each compartment contains a wash basin, with shared shower facilities located at the end of the carriage and shared toilet facilities located in this carriage.
- The SJ Carriage: Standard Twinette private sleeping compartment for up to two people with lounge seats by day and bunk beds by night (including linen). Each compartment contains a private shower and wash basin, with shared toilet facilities in adjoining carriages.
- WANDO Non-Air Conditioned Twinette: in our Edwardian carriage WANDO, private sleeping compartment for up to two people with lounge seats by day and bunk beds by night (including linen). Each compartment contains a private wash basin, with shared shower and toilet facilities located in adjoining carriages.
- Wycheproof local residents day trip, join the train at Wycheproof for a return journey to Sea Lake (including lunch served on board the train) and return to Wycheproof on Saturday 7 May. Local travel does not include lunch at the Royal Hotel in Sea Lake.
- Wycheproof to Nullawill shuttle (rail-only) on Sunday 8 May.
- Wycheproof/Maryborough/Ballarat saloon seats for a one way trip to Melbourne (includes meals) Sunday 8 May.
Our train is a COVID-Safe environment in line with Victorian Government requirements, including checkin and contact tracing for all passengers, enhanced cleaning of the train during the trip and refund policies.
Saloon Carriage Seating Compartment Seating
Fares
| Weekend Fares | |
| The NAM Carriage - Premium Twinette Sleeper (for two people) |
$1095 pp (SOLD OUT - Email for waitlist) |
| The LAN Carraige - Premium Roomette Sleeper (for one person) |
$995 pp |
| The SJ Carriage - Standard Twinette Sleeper (for two people) | $945 pp (SOLD OUT - Email for waitlist) |
| WANDO - Non-AC Twinette Sleepter (for two people) | $700 pp (1 berth for 2 people remaining) |
| Saturday Fare | |
| Wycheproof to Sea Lake and return Adult | $60 |
| Wycheproof to Sea Lake and return Child (4 to 16 years) | $35 |
| Sunday Fares | |
| Whycheproof to Nullawill Shuttle Adult | $35 |
| Whycheproof to Nullawill Shuttle Child (4 to 16 years) | $15 |
| Wycheproof to Melbourne (One Way) | $200 |
| Ballarat to Melbourne (One Wat) | $100 |
| Motorcader Donation (1) |
$10 |
(1) For those motorcading our train to photograph, please consider donating towards the costs of running our trip - donate here. For your donation, we will provide a detailed schedule and tour notes 24 hours prior to departure and SMS updates should the train fall behind schedule in excess of 30 minutes.
Train Travel Times - subjct to confirmation
The following train times are approximate and subject to change. Please visit our website two days prior to departure to check for any updates.
| To Sea Lake/Wycheproof - Friday 6 May | |
| Depart Southern Cross Station | 10.01pm (Updated) |
| runs via North Shore Geelong | |
| Saturday 7 May | |
| Ballarat |
2.10 am |
| Maryborough | 4.00 am |
| Charlton | 7.30 am |
| Wycheproof | 8.20 - 9.20 am |
| Nullawil | 10.00 am |
| Sea Lake | 11.15 am - 12.30 pm |
| Silo Art Trail tour (Sea Lake to Wycheproof) | 1:00pm - 7:00pm |
| Arrive Wycheproof | 2.05 pm |
| From Wycheproof - Sunday 8 May | |
| Wycheproof | 9.30 am |
| Nullawil | 10.10 - 10.50 am |
| Wycheproof - Depart | 11.30 - 12.30 pm |
| Charlton | 1.00 pm |
| Maryborough | 3.25 - 4.25 pm |
| Ballarat | 5.50 pm |
| runs via Bacchus Marsh | |
| Arrive Sourthern Cross Station | 9.10 pm |
Please note for this trip we will not be boarding passengers at our Newport Depot.
Revised: 12 April 2022