Stop by next time: Steamrail’s annual Snow Train steams through Warragul on its way to Moe and Traralgon. Steam services could soon be stopping in Warragul and Yarragon. Image: phunnyfotos via Flickr. Used with permission.
Additional tourist steam train services with stops in Warragul and Yarragon are on the cards following the annual Gippsland Snow Train service on the weekend.
The service is being considered a success by Steamrail Victoria and the Baw Baw Shire Council, despite the service not stopping anywhere in Baw Baw.
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Responding to questions from The Warragul Citizen, a Baw Baw Shire Council spokesperson said Steamrail is discussing new projects in the region.
“Streamrail has indicated that this was a roaring success and conversations about future additional train services have begun, with potential stops at Warragul and Yarragon being considered,” the spokesperson said.
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“Steamrail are now keen to explore how we can bring more steam trains into the region.”
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Over 120 people crowded Warragul station to watch the Snow Train pass through, while others watched from the Aldi car park, Trinca Lane and other viewing points throughout Gippsland.
Although the train did not stop until Moe, passengers were given the chance to disembark to visit Baw Baw Shire townships.
One hundred and fifty passengers visited Erica and Walhalla for lunch, and the Walhalla Goldfields Railway was booked out.
The Baw Baw Shire Council part-sponsored a carriage to encourage passengers to return to the area.
“We had Wild Dog Winery providing wine tastings and selling wine, Trafalgar Butcher Shop selling cabanas, and [The] Baw Baw Shire Council manning the tourism information stall armed with a collection of various brochures,” the spokesperson said.
“We are hoping that this would encourage return visitation to the Shire, as we are in close proximity to Melbourne and the South Eastern Suburbs.”
“There was a great response with many of the brochures being taken by the tourists.”
Jindi Cheese and the Warragul Travel Club were also represented.
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You can see footage of the train as it passed through Drouin at about two minutes into the video below:
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Love it.. Yes I am a train spotter.
Yes,there’s nothing to compare to the sounds of those old steam locomotives.. Re minds me of when I could see them going along the tracks on the flat land between Pakenham and Officer,and we lived in the foothills overlooking that area…big plume of smoke trailing behind the trains and all,AND we were 4 miles from the tracks too!