RegionalRail has a vision to once again connect regional and rural South Australia with not only South Australia but Australia. By introducing rail back to regional and rural South Australia and making Balaklava, Burra and Kapunda regional hubs.

RegionalRail in the very near future will be submitting an official show of interest with the un-used railway infrastructure from Gawler to Balaklava and all other branch lines such as Kapunda and Burra.

RegionalRail has documentation and plans for vegetation control as well as the removal of all current hazards as well as vermin within the rail corridors. By the removal of both hazards and vermin, RegionalRail will endeavor to build a great community working relationship with all locals as well as councils. This will also be achieved by maintaining the rail corridors free of hazards and vermin.

RegionalRail will also plant 10 trees for each and every shrub or tree that is removed for being too close to the rail infrastructure.

RegionalRail will work close to the farmers and also organiser/s behind the fundraiser/community crops grown within the rail corridors, this being a simple compliance with CFS and/or council hazard removal once the crop season has ended, reducing fire hazards and vermin. 

RegionalRail main aim is to work in association with local and local town and community businesses.

RegionalRail believes there is no better way to move people more than by rail. Regional and rural South Australia would once again have the opportunity to host more out in regional and rural communities, towns, and even charters for events departing from Adelaide.
RegionalRail’s main aim is to get tourists and people out of the city and enjoy a simple day or evening out at a regional or rural towns or events, even the weekend away. "RegionalRail, will get you there."
There are more details of the plans that I have chosen not to mention; however, once I explained the plans in detail to many businesses in regional and rural South Australia, the replies were positive as much as we would come on board.
Out of the many businesses I have dropped into, there has not been any negative feedback or remarks of no support.

“Getting there by Rail, is Half the Fun”

Aurizon Holdings Limited acquired GWA in 2022/23, with no attachment to the former lease agreement that I am aware of; in fact, Aurizon was unaware South Australia was also broad gauge, let alone knowledge of broad gauge being part of the acquisition. This was after some phone conversation with Aurizon Head Office in Queensland.

Due to both sides of the State Governments of South Australia, failure to hold the Lessee the once at an operating standard railway infrastructure and buildings was not maintained as required under the Lease Agreement.

This leaves the railway infrastructure rusting ribbons of steel, the building in disrepair, with possible demolishment.

The rusting ribbons of steel and the building in disrepair are now an unwanted burden for the lessee and both sides of the State Government of South Australia.

The State Governments of South Australia have simply put their heads in the sand, ignoring the fact that state infrastructure is a public-owned asset of the state, as Governments are creatures of statute, meaning they cannot own anything; they can only manage the infrastructure for the people of that state. This also applies to councils.

The railway infrastructure, such as railway buildings, is another topic. Over the years, the State Government of South Australia has sold off publicly owned assets of the railways. The railway stations have been sold off without any referendum as required, as the infrastructure again is a public-owned asset of the State of South Australia. 

Infrastructure simply cannot be sold off; the people of South Australia have the decision what happens with public-owned assets.

Even the councils are selling and/or doing deals with business owners in land swaps, like the Tanunda Railway Station, which was swapped for land opposite or around the same area.

Now, the Tanunda Railway Station has the “same architectural style of Chateau Tanunda, and was a GIFT from Chateau Tanunda to the People of Tanunda” in approximately 1911.

GIFT from Chateau Tanunda to the People of Tanunda,

Not State Government, Council, nor Business Owners... 

but “to the People of Tanunda.”

This fact has been quoted from a photo.

I would not trust any governments or councils with a bag of lollies!

Even the local councils in regional and rural South Australia have also removed sections of rail infrastructure, and it’s believed without authorisation there are also locals that have stolen infrastructure and also removed sections of railway infrastructure.

Even with many businesses and locals crying out and supporting the plan and idea for the return of regional and rural rail services, it’s just another "put head in sand, "with some comments saying it’s not viable. Well, my comment on that is - 

"If the infrastructure was maintained as required under the Lease Terms and Conditions, the infrastructure would be operational, and in the past, both passenger and freight were viable." And with so much regional and rural growth within South Australia, the need for rail is well called for, but at the end of the day, the state governments make more from the registration of vehicles and the Transport Association. (taxis), not rail services.

South Australia is one of 3 countries with rail infrastructures direct from the CBD’s central railway station to a wine region, but both sides of state governments want to keep it disused and even have it removed the rail infrastructure. And yes, the other 2 countries operate successful paying trains into their wine regions.

But not in South Australia; you can only get out to the Barossa Valley by road, bike trail...

Sad really, how both sides of governments in South Australia have had the audacity to simply allow what once was a rail infrastructure that was at an Standard of Operations to just become a rusting ribbon of steel and hold the lessee not financially responsible, and at voting time they want the people to vote for them, but they simply ignore the people any other times...

The then Liberal transport minister of South Australia Stephan Knoll who represented the South Australian House of Assembly electorate of Schubert decided to in his total arrogance removed 150 meters of rail infrastructure just outside of Tanunda to make way for a roundabout, even with engineers designers with other evidence being advised to Knoll, that the rail infrastructure can be retained and implemented into the roundabout, but no Knoll did not want the rail every returning into the Barossa, and if it did at a costly expense to the party that wants the infrastructure, but it was not only Knoll there was also others also wineries involved in the push to not have the rail infrastructure implemented in to roundabout.

Knoll was pushed to announce an Expression of Interest for the use and/or lease of the Barossa rail line; however, mysteriously, no submissions were successful... Funny that hey…?, with Knoll putting the icing on the cake, and that was a Bill being introduced and passed that the Barossa Valley does not have the ability to have Uber transport, protecting the taxis of the Barossa or some sort of No Uber in the Barossa.

After sending an email to one of the Barossa taxi companies’s for feedback about the tourist train back to the Barossa, if Redhens 311 and 402 are introduced as the Barossa Wine Tourist Train, there will be no taxis engaged for this as the feedback email was very much, I have no idea, and people don’t want to come to the Barossa on a train... and that's where I will leave it...