Journey Beyond Rail
Adelaide Classic City Stay 2026 (Indian Pacific, Perth to Adelaide)
Indian Pacific crosses the Nullarbor to Adelaide with wine touring
6 daysfrom $2,568
67% of days by rail
Railway Adventures · Escorted tour
Northern Tablelands Express
Six-day private charter train tour through Northwest New South Wales
Railway Adventures runs the Northern Tablelands Express, a six-day, five-night fully escorted private train tour through Northwest New South Wales, starting in Sydney and finishing in Timbumburi. Two Tour Leaders, Richard Boyce and Scott McGregor, described by the operator as its 'train men,' lead the group throughout. The tour crosses the Liverpool Plains and calls at towns including Paterson, Gunnedah, Narrabri, Werris Creek, Tamworth, Quirindi, Pine Ridge, Currabubula and Nundle, with a rare private charter run on the Walgett Branch line to Burren Junction as a centrepiece. Along the way the tour visits Gunnedah, linked to poet Dorothea Mackellar, Quirindi's silo art, and Nundle's woollen mill. This trip suits travellers who already love rail touring and want to reach towns off the main lines, rather than a first look at Australia's better-known cities.
What to know before you look closer
- No day-by-day itinerary is published, so which towns, such as Gunnedah, Narrabri, Tamworth, Quirindi and Nundle, are visited on which of the six days is not detailed here.
- Only one departure is currently scheduled, for October 2026.
- Single travellers pay $5,070 AUD, more than the $4,685 AUD twin-share fare per person, a notable single supplement.
Questions travellers ask
- How much does it cost?
- From A$4,685 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $3,360 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
- Is the train travel included?
- Yes, this is a fully escorted private train tour, including a rare charter run on the Walgett Branch line to Burren Junction.
- Is it escorted or independent?
- Fully escorted, with two named Tour Leaders, Richard Boyce and Scott McGregor, throughout.
- Where does the tour go?
- Sydney to Timbumburi through Northwest New South Wales, via Paterson, Gunnedah, Burren Junction, Narrabri, Werris Creek, Tamworth, Quirindi, Pine Ridge, Currabubula and Nundle.
- What are the highlights?
- A rare journey on the Walgett Branch to Burren Junction, Gunnedah's Dorothea Mackellar connection, Quirindi's silo art, and Nundle's woollen mill.
- When does it run?
- One departure is currently scheduled, for October 2026.
