Theme: Historic Steam Train Journey
Best Time to Visit: March-November

Highlights:

• Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society (PRRPS)
• Riding the historic Ghan line
• Woolshed Flat
• Quorn township
• Flinders Ranges views

Cost: Train tickets vary

Best For:

• Steam train enthusiasts and history buffs.
• Caravanners travelling through the Flinders Ranges.
• Families looking for a relaxing day out.

Preserving History with the Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society

Will the love of steam trains ever die? I certainly hope not and neither do the wonderful Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society (PRRPS) volunteers. They have been restoring, maintaining and running this railway since 1973. What a great job they do of it, too.

Booking Tickets: A Lesson in Planning

We had planned to go on a Sunday in September, but they were fully booked. So, we decided to see a bit more of Port Augusta, but Peter made one more phone call on the off chance, and it paid off. There had been so many more people who wanted to come along on that day that the PRRPS added more carriages and we got two seats!

Views of the Flinders via the ‘Old Ghan’

The line is part of the old Ghan line, and it chugs along through the Flinders Ranges mainly uphill to Woolshed Flat. The slight rocking and repetitive sound of the wheels on the track are very calming, it can be hard to stay awake. The views are also calming, no houses, no large developments, just easy going views of the countryside.

A Stop at Woolshed Flat

Once you get to Woolshed Flats you can get some lunch at the cafe there. We didn’t as the queue was very long, but that gave me the time to climb on board and get into the driver’s seat. I didn’t blow the whistle as tempting as it was, because that was the signal to everyone to get back on board.

Was it Worth it?

It was a simple day, calming and great fun. I can imagine how it would be when the carriages were full, and you had ‘yet to be friends’ sitting opposite you in the carriage. It was one of those ‘I’m so glad we did it’ experiences, and hard to forget. If you’re around that part of SA, put Pichi Richi Railway on your must do list. I’m really glad we did.

A Quorn Lunch Secret and Final Thoughts

P.S. We found a great lunch deal at a local pub in Quorn for fish and chips, take away only in paper. They had tables and chairs outside so we sat and met some of the locals. Great idea and excellent value.