SteamRanger Heritage Railway operates a number of different heritage steam and diesel hauled tourist trains between Mt in the Adelaide Hills and through the coastal holiday towns of Goolwa and Port Elliot to the tourist resort town of Victor Harbor.
Trains operate on up to 140 days a year and are manned by volunteers from the Australian Railway Historical Society, who are also responsible for maintenance of the rail line and the heritage locomotives and carriages.
The most popular services are…..
The Cockle Train
Commences its run each day at Goolwa station, in the historic Wharf Precinct alongside the River Murray. After crossing the main Goolwa to Victor road the line heads off across the plains to Middleton, picking up or dropping off passengers on request, and then to Port Elliot where it reaches the Encounter Bay coast. The station here is operated by the local National Trust and features a small historical museum.
After leaving Port Elliot the train climbs to the top of the coastal cliffs and passengers then experiemce some of the most picturesque coastal scenery on the Fleurieu Peninsula, with nothing separating you from the beach below and a perfect view of the Southern Ocean – in winter the home of Southern Right Whale
After a 30 minute journey the train edges into Victor Harbor station, right in the centre of the town and surrounded with its iconic pine trees. Here, the locomotive is detached from the carriages and turned on our specially retained 30m long electric turntable before rejoining the carriages for the return journey to Goolwa.
The number of trains operated varies through the year. The Cockle train does not have reserved seats, passengers can buy tickets at any of our stations for one-way journeys in either direction along the line or for a bargain priced round trip. Trains wait for about 30 minutes at both Goolwa and Victor and roundtrip passengers can extend this period by returning on a later train.
For more information, current ticket prices and The Cockle Train Timetable visit www.steamrangerheritagerailway.org/our-trains/cockle-train
The Highlander
A short journey from Mt Barker to Strathalbyn and return on either the hertigage steam or diesel locomotive, with each leg taking about one hour, grab this fantastic trip most Sundays. The journey commences from Mount Barker station – a pleasant 20 minute drive from Adelaide along the South Eastern Freeway.
Leaving Mt Barker mid morning, the train first climbs up to the crest of the line and then winds down the eastern escarpment of the southern Mt Lofty Ranges, passing through several long abandoned station sites which bear testimony to the importance of this branch line a century ago.
Crossing the Angas River you then enter the historic township of Strathalbyn where many Scottish migrants settled in the early 1800s, influencing the early architecture which is still evident today. The town is well worth a visit to explore its well stocked antique shops and cafes.
You can return to Mount Barker after a short break or catch the afternoon train back and spend a few hours in Strath. Either way the bakery is a must we say!
For more information, current ticket prices and timetables visit here.
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