Great Australian Railway journeys - 2010 AUSTRALIA

Great Australian Railway journeys - 2010 AUSTRALIA

Australian trains cross the continent east to west and south to north, covering great distances over often isolated and difficult terrain. They also cover smaller distances in rugged and precipitous mountain country. These trains were once the primary means of linking isolated settlements with more populous centres.

The issue showcases great Australian trains that traverse inaccessible places of Australia. Some, like the Indian Pacific, cross the continent from east to west, traversing thousands of kilometres, while others, like The Ghan - celebrating its 81st anniversary this year - link Adelaide in the south with Darwin in the north.

As well as these long-distance railways there are the shorter Kuranda Scenic Railway in northern Queensland and the West Coast Wilderness Railway in Tasmania. Both these engineering feats opened up previously inaccessible country and recall the importance of the railway to remote Australian settlements.

Today it is hard to imagine how difficult the country was. In the case of the Indian Pacific, for instance, there were mo permanet fresh watercourses, which was a real problem for steam trains. Bores and reservoirs had to be established along the line, the water often proving unusable. As a result trains had to carry their own water supply.

Today these train journeys provide Australian and international travellers alike with the chance to see the scenic attractions of Australia - from the Queensland and Tasmanian forests to the Nullarbor Plain and the great deserts of Central Australia.