FEEL like a get-away kind of Christmas? Train buff Kevin Pearce regularly organises group trips from Perth and this year passengers will travel to Busselton via Bunbury on board the refurbished Australind train.
The trip leaves on December 23, with travellers spending four leisurely days in and around Busselton.
Accommodation is at the first-class Abbey Beach Resort, with sightseeing tours including Wellington Dam's giant murals and a river cruise at Augusta.
All meals are provided including Christmas lunch, with drinks at the award-winning Flutes Restaurant at Brookland Valley Winery.
The original Australind began operation in 1947 between Perth and Bunbury.
The wooden coaches, hauled by a steam locomotive, were the height of luxury at the time, with fluorescent lighting, comfortable club-style seating and a buffet car serving refreshments.
The oil-burning "U" class steam locomotive ran at an average speed of 69 km/h, then the fastest narrow-gauge train in Australia.
In 1985, it was decided to build a new train and the current Australind began running in 1988.
It will be replaced in 2023. In the meantime, it has been refurbished at a cost of more than $2 million to provide a reliable service until the new train is completed.
Tour prices start at $1668 for pensioners.
- Kevin Pearce Tours 9316-1504
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