Goldfields Getaway
7 June, 2021
A ride through history
Visitors to the Central Goldfields can travel back in time on board the Victorian Goldfields Railway (VGR), which runs between the historic towns of Maldon and Castlemaine. Passengers can relive the goldrush era onboard one of the restored steam...
Visitors to the Central Goldfields can travel back in time on board the Victorian Goldfields Railway (VGR), which runs between the historic towns of Maldon and Castlemaine.
Passengers can relive the goldrush era onboard one of the restored steam trains that once crisscrossed the countryside and now lovingly restored and operated by volunteers of The Castlemaine and Maldon Railway Preservation Society.
Bill Berryman recently stepped up as secretary of the VGR, just one of the many diverse roles filled by the team of volunteers that run the railway. Bill’s experience as a visitor to the area encouraged him to become more involved with the organisation.
“We fell in love with the railway as tourists, and often used to organise trips with groups of friends,” Bill said. “The genuine passion and friendliness of the volunteers is a key attraction to the organisation.
“It really is a unique and wonderful experience. So wonderful that I am now, like many others, a proud member of the Society and active volunteer.”
VGR offer a range of options for travellers. A family pass includes special compartments where children can experience what travel was like for people in the 1800s. First-class travellers will enjoy a touch of olde-worlde sophistication, with a choice of art deco or Edwardian elegance, as well as the option to obtain drinks and food platters from the fully stocked on-board bar.
Special events such as ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ nights and ‘Ales on Rails’ are running regularly this year, and Bill encourages people to book early via the website.
“It has been wonderful to welcome so many people back to the area, all looking for that special country experience. We are very proud that we can offer them such an experience – as a volunteer or a passenger.”
