Great Southern: Brisbane to Adelaide

Overview

Starting from Brisbane, journey southward through the picturesque hills of New South Wales, pausing for a delightful beachside dining experience in Coffs Harbour. Explore the historic vineyards of the Hunter Valley and the scenic beauty of Port Stephens before reaching the charming coastal town of Newcastle. Continue your adventure into regional Victoria, with the option to explore Melbourne's cultural gems like the National Gallery of Victoria. Finally, traverse South Australia's landscapes before concluding your journey in Adelaide.

.

Inclusions

3 nights aboard the Great Southern, travelling from Brisbane to Adelaide

All-inclusive meals, fine wines and beverages

A regionally-inspired menu paired with a selection of local wines

Off Train Experiences at Coffs Harbour, the Hunter Valley Region, regional Victoria and Melbourne

Itinerary

Download Itinerary Expand All

Intro Map

Great Southern - Brisbane to Adelaide

Day 1 Brisbane & Coffs Harbour

Your East Coast journey begins at Hanworth House in East Brisbane, where you’ll check in and be welcomed at a celebratory gathering. After setting off from Brisbane on the Great Southern, savour lunch on board and spend a relaxing afternoon settling into your cabin before arriving at the coastal town of Coffs Harbour. As the sun dips beneath the horizon, enjoy drinks and canapes on the beach at Charlesworth Bay before a unique outdoor dinner – as long as the weather allows – where you’ll feast on local produce and fresh seafood paired with fine wines. Listen to the waves lapping at the nearby shore as the backing track for a live band playing the classics. After a few leisurely hours, you’ll reboard the train and set off for your first night on board.

Overnight stay aboard The Great Southern.

Lunch, Dinner

Coffs Harbour

Day 2 Hunter Valley, Newcastle, or Port Stephens

Start the day with a hearty breakfast on board before setting off on your choice of Off Train Experiences. You may choose to meander through the picturesque, historic vineyards of the Hunter Valley, Australia’s oldest wine region. Known for Semillon and Shiraz, here you’ll spend the day amongst the vines, visiting some of the region’s finest wineries and enjoying generous tasting times, allowing you to savour the full range of Hunter Valley offerings. Between wine tastings, you’ll sit down for a platter-style lunch featuring local produce.

Other options include exploring Port Stephens by land or sea. On the land tour, you’ll drive along and into the largest mobile sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere, the Stockton Bight Sand Dunes, in a 4WD vehicle. You’ll stop to admire your surrounds and drive to the top of a dune to take in the incredible views – you may even choose to sandboard down. On the water tour, you’ll be dazzled by the turquoise water as you soak up the stunning coastline from a relaxed boat cruise. You may be lucky enough to spot dolphins along the way. Whether by land or sea, after your Port Stephens adventure, you’ll enjoy a relaxed lunch before returning to the train in the afternoon.

Alternatively, explore Newcastle and discover the vibrant mix of old and new in the beautiful coastal city with a fun and insightful guided walking tour. After lunch, spend an hour at your leisure embracing everything Newcastle has to offer, and late afternoon, return to the train along with the rest of the guests to enjoy a regionally inspired meal and relaxing time on board before retiring for the night.

Overnight stay aboard The Great Southern.

_{Note that all Off Train Experiences are subject to change and minimum and maximum capacity limits apply.}

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Port Stephens

Day 3 Regional Victoria or Melbourne

After a leisurely breakfast on board as you travel through Victoria’s high country, you’ll again have a choice of Off Train Experiences.

Victoria is well-known for its excellent food and wine scene, which is on show at Clyde Park in the Moorabool Valley. Clyde Park is a beautiful vineyard, cellar door and bistro set among rolling hills. Here, you’ll enjoy a long lunch and sample cool-climate wines while being entertained on the glorious lawns.

Alternatively, opt to visit cosmopolitan Melbourne to find out why it’s considered the cultural and sporting capital of Australia. Explore the oldest and most-visited art collection in Australia at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) on a self-guided tour, or visit the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on an insightful tour. If you’re a history buff, you can choose to head to the Old Melbourne Gaol.

Having worked up an appetite, visit Melbourne Skydeck, taking in the soaring views 88 floors above sea level, and then ascend one more floor to Eureka 89, where you’ll dine on a beautifully curated menu showcasing local and seasonal produce. After lunch, you’ll make your way back to the train to continue your journey south.

Overnight stay aboard The Great Southern.

_{Note that all Off Train Experiences are subject to change and minimum and maximum capacity limits apply.}

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4 Arrive into Adelaide

As the train rolls into Adelaide, enjoy your last breakfast on board and the end of your Great Southern train journey.

Breakfast

Adelaide

Accommodation

Great Southern

Upgrade available

The Great Southern journeying between Adelaide and Brisbane (or vice versa) showcasing spectacular scenery and an unrivalled experience both on and off the train. With a new route travelling through South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland, the Great Southern is a truly unforgettable journey just waiting to be discovered. With its rugged coastline, sun-kissed beaches, forested peaks, and exhilarating capital cities, the stunning journey between these major cities feels like nowhere else in Australia.

Gold (TWIN)

Gold Twin offers a comfortable sleeper cabin featuring private en suite and upper and lower berths that convert to a three-seater lounge by day

Features include

Power outlets in cabin
In-cabin music channels and journey audio commentary available
All-inclusive dining in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant
All-inclusive Australian wines, beers, base spirits and non-alcoholic beverages
All-inclusive Off Train Excursions and Short Stops
Luggage allowance is 60kg per guest

Single cabins available – or upgrade to the highest level of service onboard, Platinum Service.

Room Upgrades

Gold Single Cabin

A compact sleeper cabin featuring a bed that converts to a seat by day, private vanity, with shared shower/toilet facilities located at the end of the carriage. Gold Service Single is a comfortable sleeper cabin option that offers all the luxurious inclusions of the Gold Service Twin such as fully inclusive dining with three gourmet meals per day, all-inclusive Australian wines, beers, base spirits and non-alcoholic beverages, and your choice of Off Train Experiences as you travel.

Prices are dynamic based on travel dates. Please proceed to Book Now or Contact Us for details.

Gold Premium

For travellers who want that little bit more. Accommodated in newly designed, contemporary cabins, guests have exclusive access to the Gold Premium Lounge and Gold Premium Dining carriage for meals and socialising. The Gold Premium Lounge is your social hub. Think luxe leather banquettes and swivel chairs made for sinking into, and mood lighting creating an elegant ambiance that references the romance inherent in train travel.

Gold Premium Dining is a feast in multiple ways, with a contemporary design that respects Art Deco as the setting for carefully curated meals, from hearty breakfasts to two-course regionally inspired lunches and delectable four-course dinners, featuring the finest ingredients from local suppliers, farmers and providores. Naturally, this is accompanied by a selection of premium Australian wines.

Gold Premium Twin

A newly designed, contemporary cabin that converts from a lounge by day into sleeping berths at night.

Gold Premium Suite

The Gold Premium Suite has a three-quarter-size double bed plus a fold-down upper berth and a lounge area, with extra room to relax.

Gold Premium (Twin & Suite) service includes:

Premium amenities, luxuriously soft linen and silk eye masks
Exclusive access to the Gold Premium Lounge and Gold Premium Dining carriage
Two-course, regionally inspired lunches and four-course dinners
All-inclusive premium Australian wines, beers, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages
All-inclusive Off Train Experiences and preferences on tour selections

75kg checked luggage allowance per guest (3 x 25 kg each)
Priority luggage check-in
Power outlets in cabin
In-cabin music channels and journey audio commentary
Complimentary shuttle bus transfers available in Darwin and Brisbane to selected hotels in the city centre.

Prices are dynamic based on travel dates. Please proceed to Book Now or Contact Us for details.

Platinum

Nothing enhances the romance of rail travel quite like Platinum. Tailored for the discerning traveller, Platinum Service adds a new level of sophistication to your journey. Stylishly appointed and spacious cabins are complemented by discreet, personalised service and access to the exclusive Platinum Club carriage for meals, relaxation and socialising. As you’d expect, the food and wine are of the highest standard. Enjoy hearty breakfasts, two-course lunches and four-course dinners, all regionally inspired and paired with champagne and premium wines.

Platinum guests receive private transfers before and after your journey, beginning the adventure in style. Platinum cabins offer premium extras, like a full-size en suite, expansive window views from the train, and exclusive use of the Platinum Club carriage. Add to that the luxurious linen, French Champagne, Bracegirdle’s chocolates, a nightcap at turndown and more, and you’re in for an exceptional experience.

Platinum includes:

All-inclusive dining, beverages, and Off Train Experiences
Spacious Double or Twin cabin almost twice the size of a Gold Service Twin cabin
By day, cabins are set up lounge-style with a moveable table and two ottomans
By night, lounges are converted to double or twin beds
En suite equipped with separate shower, vanity with cupboard space, toilet and Australian bathroom amenities
Power outlets and in-cabin safe
In-cabin music channels and journey audio commentary
Panoramic windows offering views from both sides of the train
Access to the exclusive Platinum Club for dining and socialising
Freshly prepared continental breakfasts served upon request in-cabin
Refreshments served in-cabin
Transfers at the start and end of your journey available for guests within 60 km of the terminal
90 kg checked luggage allowance per guest (3 x 30 kg each).

Prices are dynamic based on travel dates. Please proceed to Book Now or Contact Us for details.

Additional information

Excluded

International airfares and taxes
Domestic airfares and taxes, unless otherwise specified in our holiday package
Visa expenses, processing and issuance fees
Meals other than as specified in our holiday package
Travel Insurance or expenses of a personal nature (mini-bar, phone call, laundry, etc.)
Tips or gratuities to guides, drivers, porters, hotel, restaurant or boat staff, etc.
Or any other travel expense that has not been included or mentioned in our holiday package

FAQs

Can I request a forward-facing seat?

Yes, you are able to request forward facing-cabins aboard Great Southern at the time of booking; however, as approximately half the cabins face forward, we are unable to guarantee a forward facing cabin depending on the number of requests received for any given departure.

Can someone with mobility limitations travel on the Great Southern?

The Great Southern has a Gold Access Cabin available for wheelchair bound/physically impaired guests travelling in Gold Service. This cabin is subject to availability and assessment of the guest’s Fitness to Travel. Please ask us for more information.

What are the meal times onboard the train?

In your cabin when you first board the train, you will find a card with the breakfast, lunch and dinner meal times for your journey. Your On-Board Attendant will advise you of the process. If you have any special requests regarding meal times, please speak with a member of the On-Board team when travelling.

Does the train have Wi-Fi?

Limited Wi-Fi is available in the Outback Explorer Lounges and Platinum Club carriages.

Please note that Wi-Fi availability is dependent on mobile network coverage, and as we travel through some remote locations it may not always be available.

What special dietary requirements can be accommodated on board the train?

Most special dietary requirements can be accommodated – including vegetarian, gluten free, lactose free and vegan. Please ensure this is advised at the time of booking.

Is there a dress code when onboard Great Southern?

It’s your holiday and we want you to be comfortable so smart casual attire is recommended.

We also recommend:

Warm clothes for Outback Experiences as mornings and evenings in the Outback can be cool
Hat, sunscreen and comfortable walking shoes for your Off Train Experiences.

Can I smoke onboard?

No, smoking is not permitted onboard Great Southern.

Do I need to check-in prior to arrival?

Check in opens approximately 2 hours prior to your scheduled departure time.

We ask all guests to check in at least 60 minutes prior to departure to be welcomed onboard. Please bring your travel itinerary and Photo I.D.

Are there luggage restrictions?

Luggage limits apply for both carry on and checked luggage. These limits vary depending on the level of service you are travelling in and by train.

While on board Great Southern, you can access one piece of hand luggage plus a garment bag, cabin bag or briefcase per person, and store this within your cabin.

Checked luggage cannot be accessed during your rail journey, and will be stored on a separate part of the train. Checked luggage limits apply:

Platinum Service (per person): 3 x 30kg
Gold Service (per person) 2 x 30kg

Will I need travel insurance?

As with all holidays and trips abroad, we strongly recommend that you have travel insurance. Please consult with our agents at time of booking and we can assist you with this.

Great Southern: Brisbane to Adelaide (Tour code: 12877)

Highlights

Overview

Inclusions