Railway Preservation Across Australia
From the West, East, North and South, of Australia there are Railways current and under Preservation...
Railway Preservation from around the world is one of the fundamental aspects of Railways, Railways that operate currently and of the past, the once was that help build a Country’s and connect towns and communities even if was a one house along the railway line.
Railway Preservation Society’s should be acknowledged due to the Dedication and Devotion put in by ALL the Railway Preservation Society Volunteers to ensure the Railways History of that Country is keep alive for all current and future generations.
So, from Grant McDougall to ALL the Society’s Volunteers, I say a Very Big Thanks you.
Here in Australia, Railway Preservation societies are not the only Dedicated and Devoted Preservationists as all States have some sort of Museum and Preservation, of some sort of time gone by here in Australia.
Listed below is a State by State and Territories of Australia many Preservation Societies and Museums of time gone by.
Preservation Society’s and Museums turn back the hand of time for all current and future generations to enjoy and experience time gone by.
Queensland
- Archer Park Rail Museum, Rockhampton
- Atherton - Herberton Historic Railway
- Australian Sugar Cane Railway, Bundaberg
- Bally Hooley Steam Railway, Port Douglas
- Beaudesert Rail (railway operation ceased from 2003)
- Big Pineapple Railway, Woombye (railway operation suspended as at December 2022)
- Brisbane Tramway Museum, Ferny Grove (ride within static museum site)
- Burrum Mining Museum, Howard (ride within static museum site)
- Downs Explorer, Warwick (run excursions over freight-only sections of state system, from Warwick to Stanthorpe, Wallangarra, Clifton, Wheatvale, Hendon, Toowoomba, Goondiwindi)
- DownsSteam Tourist Railway & Museum, Drayton, Toowoomba (a plan to run excursions over sections of the state system is not yet operational)
- Dreamworld Railway, Coomera (little more than a funfair railway)
- Ginger Train, Yandina
- Gulflander : Croydon - Normanton.
- Kuranda Scenic Railway : Cairns - Kuranda.
- Mary Valley Rattler (previously known as Mary Valley Heritage Railway and The Valley Rattler)
- Mary Ann Steam Train, Maryborough
- Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway (also known as Swanbank Railway)
- Ravenshoe Railway Company (railway operation suspended from December 2020 - plans for reopening in progress)
- Rosewood Railway (railway operation suspended as at December 2022)
- Savannahlander - Cairns - Forsayth.
- Southern Downs Steam Railway - former name of Downs Explorer, q.v. above
- Swanbank Railway - see Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway (above)
- Woodford Railway, Woodford - (previously known as Durundur Railway)
- Workshops Rail Museum
Victoria
- Alexandra Timber Tramway
- Ballarat Tramway Museum
- Bendigo Tramways
- Bellarine Railway
- Coal Creek Bush Tramway (railway operation ceased)
- Daylesford Spa Country Railway
- Kerrisdale Mountain Railway & Museum
- Melbourne Tramcar Preservation, Haddon (tramway operation ceased)
- Mornington Railway
- Portland Cable Tram
- Puffing Billy Railway
- Red Cliffs Historical Steam Railway
- Steamrail Victoria - Newport
- South Gippsland Railway (railway operation ceased from January 2016)
- Tramway Heritage Centre, Byland (tramway operation ceased 2009)
- Victorian Goldfields Railway
- Walhalla Goldfields Railway
- Yarra Valley Railway (operation between Yarrawarra tunnel and Yarra Glen suspended pending restoration of 2009 fire damaged trestles and track)
- Newport Railway Museum
New South Wales
- Byron Bay Train
- Campbelltown Narrow Gauge Railway
- Cooma Monaro Railway (railway not yet operational)
- Crookwell Heritage Railway (railway not yet operational)
- Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum (railway not yet operational)
- Glenreagh Mountain Railway (railway not yet operational)
- Illawarra Light Railway Museum
- Kandos Heritage Railway
- Rylstone Heritage Railway
- Katoomba Scenic Railway (steepest railway in Australia - strictly, an inclined lift rather than a funicular)
- Lachlan Valley Railway - Cowra (static museum at Cowra but with aspirations to restore the Blayney - Cowra line)
- Ladysmith Tourist Railway - (rail bike rides within static museum site)
- Lake Macquarie Light Rail - Toronto (privately owned - not open to public)
- Lithgow State Mine Railway (railway not yet operational)
- Michelago Tourist Railway (railway operation ceased from 2006)
- Newington Armory Railway - Olympic Park - (railway operation ceased from 2020)
- NSW Rail Museum - Thirlmere
- Oberon Tarana Heritage Railway (railway not yet operational)
- Richmond Vale Railway Museum (railway operation suspended from 24 February 2024)
- Skitube
- Sydney Tramway Museum
- Timbertown Heritage Railway
- Valley Heights Rail Museum
- Zig Zag Railway (railway operation suspended from 2012— resumed 27 May 2023)
Western Australia
- Bennett Brook Railway
- Carnarvon Jetty Tramway (tramway operation ceased by 2007 - future plans not clear)
- Golden Mile Loop Line Railway, Boulder, Kalgoorlie (rail operation ceased from 2004, assets disposed in 2024)
- Hotham Valley Railway (incorporating Steam Ranger, Dwellingup Forest Train and Etmilyn Restaurant Train)
- Kojonup Tourist Railway (railway operation suspended from 2018)
- Pemberton Tramway Company
- Perth Electric Tramway Society, Whiteman Park, Perth
- Oliver Hill Railway, Rottnest Island
- Wheatbelt Heritage Rail, Dowerin - (railway not yet operational)
- Western Australian Rail Transport Museum
Northern Territory
- Adelaide River and Snake Creek Railway, Adelaide River (project abandoned)
- Ghan Preservation Society ("The Old Ghan"), Alice Springs (railway operation ceased from 2001)
- National Road Transport Hall of Fame - Alice Springs
South Australia
- Cobdogla Irrigation and Steam Museum Railway (railway operation suspended from December 2022)
- Moonta Mines Tourist Railway
- National Railway Museum - Port Adelaide
- Pichi Richi Railway
- Semaphore to Fort Glanville Tourist Railway (associated with National Railway Museum - see above)
- South Australian Light Railway Centre - Port Milang
- SteamRanger Heritage Railway
- Steamtown - Peterborough
- Tramway Museum - St Kilda
- Victor Harbor Horse Drawn Tram
Tasmania
- Bush Mill Railway (railway operation ceased from 2004)
- Derwent Valley Railway (railway operation ceased from 2005, not yet restored to operation)
- Don River Railway
- Ida Bay Railway, Lune River (railway operation suspended from 2018, not yet operational again)
- Launceston & North East Railway (railway not yet operational)
- Launceston Tramway Museum
- Railtrack Riders, Maydena (rail bikes on National Park - Florentine line)
- Redwater Creek Railway (formerly Redwater Creek Heritage Museum)
- Tasmanian Transport Museum, Glenorchy (operating ca. 2 km round trip from 23 May 2023, with plans to extend length)
- Wee Georgie Wood Steam Railway, Tullah
- West Coast Wilderness Railway