Rail Voyage on the Indian Pacific Perth to Sydney

Strains of Waltzing Matilda under the stars on the Nullarbor Plain

Perth arrival, nearly missing my train, but my Sikh taxi driver set me straight….

During all my years of travel to over 100 countries, I had never been to Australia. But a seven - hour flight from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport with the strains of “Waltzing Matilda” stuck in my head (1959 - remember that movie “On the Beach”, primarily set in Australia, describing the apocalyptic nuclear war’s end?) would change all that. Would I actually hear that Aussie bush ballad (unofficial national anthem) sung during my trip? Several days later, it did happen during an evening under the stars on the Nullarbor Plain, being entertained by a traveling musician from the Indian Pacific.

Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong, under the shade of a collabah tree; and he sang as he sat and waited while his billy boiled, you'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me.....

But now I was stuck in traffic to my hotel on the Perth Waterfront, (or Boorloo, the aboriginal name for Perth) and a conversation with my taxi driver ended up saving my train trip the next day.

I had just arrived by train to Perth Central Station from the airport and was scheduled to leave on my trip to Sydney on the Indian Pacific the next afternoon. Just a short distance from my hotel, should be an easy walk the next afternoon. So, why didn’t I walk today? My justification: It was a 3 am wake up call in Bangkok for my early flight, seven hours in the air….why not treat myself to a taxi ride for the final few hundred meters to the waterfront?

But, while chatting with my taxi driver, a tall Sikh, he told me that the Indian Pacific leaves from East Perth station, several kilometers from Central Station. I confirmed this by rereading a message from Journey Beyond, the travel company that controls train bookings: “departure from East Perth Station”; my taxi driver reminded me that it was two stations from Central. No problem, I remember I passed East Perth on the way from the airport, just about 30 minutes ago. “You need to increase my tip for that information” my driver, quipped. Taxi fare for the short trip to the waterfront came to A$25 – so ai added a few $ for his useful contribution to the success of my trip.

Indian Pacific at East Perth station

Before my Perth arrival, I had been traveling on my own, through Southern Vietnam, Bangkok and now Perth; but from tomorrow afternoon, the crew of the luxury train Indian Pacific would take me under their wing and escort me overland to the east coast port city of Sydney, on a five day and four-night voyage across the Outback, wine country near Adelaide and the Blue Mountains, just outside of Sydney.

Departure day, I navigated the Perth commuter rail system and found my way to East Perth and soon cast myself into the arms of the staff of the Indian Pacific. The train was a massive 28 coaches and would be the home to188 passengers; a bit strange for me, often traveling solo, but I had a feeling of security now, sitting on platform 1, while viewing preparations for the train’s departure.

Perth waterfront

Australia runs on immigrant labor. All the onboard train staff were foreigners, as were about half the station staff, cleaning and polishing the train’s interior and exterior.   Chinese, Turkish, Brazilian, and many other nationalities were represented by the onboard employees. Of the passengers I met, most were Australian and New Zealanders, one South African, an Irish couple and me. Hotel restaurant staff were Italian, French, and many other nationalities; very few Aussies. National statistics show that about 26% of all jobs in Australia are staffed by immigrants. Australia has one of the highest amounts of foreign-born residents in the world (both in total numbers, and per capita), as well as one of the highest immigration rates in the world. Immigrants account for 30% of the population, the highest proportion among major Western nations.[1]

..down came a jumbuck to drink at the billabong, up jumped the swagman, grabbed him with glee, and he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tuckerbag, you'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me....

Indian Pacific rolling stock is not new; it was built over 50 years ago, in Australia, under license from the Budd Company (USA). And this trip on a single train, across Australia, was impossible before 1970, as the country’s rail system had several gauges (distance between the rails) so long trips required several changes of train. First trips were made in 1970, soon after gauge-conversion activities rendered the entire trans-continental rail route of “standard gauge” (4’81/2”), same gauge of in North America and most of Europe. it is the third longest passenger train journey in the world, after the Trans - Siberian and Canadian routes.

During the second day on board, and most of the night, we traversed the longest straight track in the world is traveled by the Indian Pacific on the Nullarbor Plain – 297 miles or 478 km. I can’t say the trackside scenery was spectacular – most of the days, the view out the window was the Nullarbor Plain which is composed primarily of limestone and seashells, from its previous existence as a vast sea, millions of years ago.  Then more deserts with a few more trees, but the first change in scenery was from Port Agusta located north of Adelaide. More fertile soil here and entering wine producing territory.  

Typical view from the Indian Pacific

Australia is all about mining and not surprising, there were stops and off-train excursions at various mining communities at (first excursion involving a 06:00 departure from the train) Kalgoorlie and Broken Hill, showing restored villages from their heydays, also an interesting (to me) railway museum.

...down came the squatter mounted on his thoroughbred, up came the troopers, one, two, three, "who's that jolly jumbuck you've got in you tuckerbag?..you'll come a waltzing Matilda with me....

Conversations with fellow passengers have always been one of my favorite pastimes during long rail journeys.  Single travelers (like me) were always seated with others, to share stories and impressions to while away the hours as the arid landscape drifts past our windows. I shared meals with an elderly Australian couple, making this trip for the third time. I also met a New Zealand gentleman (born in the Netherlands) who writes books about ceramics in English and Dutch, and a couple from Dublin. Probably of most interest to me, was a South African lady (I lived in South Africa for over 30 years) from Johannesburg, recently emigrated to Sydney – her children now in the US, England, Israel and Australia – she had no one in South Africa. Not an easy life, though, as she has been waiting for over 3 years for her permanent residency. We had many discussions about life in South Africa, recent security issues there, and her decision to emigrate.    

Kalgoorlie - bright and early

Kalgoorlie street scene

Strains of Waltzing Matilda ring out in the Outback night

Indian Pacific

Highlight of the last day on board was an excursion in the Blue Mountains. This region is located on the escarpment at the edge of the high dry plains, transitioning down to the seaside city of Sydney; a steep funicular transports passengers into the valley, then back up to spend time in the gift shop, then a short bus ride into the town for lunch. By early afternoon, passengers board a special chartered multiple unit electric train for the final run into Sydney Central station, about a 2 – hour ride. It was on board this chartered train that the only mechanical problem of the entire journey occurred. Just before boarding our Sydney – bound chartered train the group had a nice lunch, with beer and wine at a local restaurant. Upon boarding the train to Sydney, there was a rather unwelcome announcement that none of the toilets on board were operational for the two - hour trip. Thinking fast, Indian Pacific staff organized a “comfort stop” at Springwood, about one hour out of Sydney Central. 

Finally, a change of scenery - the Blue Mountains

Sydney’s waterfront provided many hours of entertainment, visiting the Opera House (unfortunately no performances that day), dramatic views of the Harbour Bridge from my ferry to Watson’s Bay, walking along the waterfront with the crowds and a glorious Italian dinner at a waterside restaurant.

Mural at Springwood station, our "comfort stop" on the outskirts of Sydney

A light breakfast at my Sydney hotel

Of course, the iconic Sydney Opera House

Summary

So, what is the verdict on my Indian Pacific journey? I wanted a long train ride – indeed it was that; four nights out. But each day included off-train excursions for several hours’ duration to mining towns, a railway museum, winery and an evening under the stars with a guitar-playing singer for entertainment. Also, the Blue Mountains were spectacular, and the stop included several hours’ tour by funicular and cable car, strolls through gift shops and a final ride to Sydney Central Station by chartered electric commuter train

But it was a pleasant train ride, not a railway adventure; meeting new people; a South African, some New Zealanders, couple from Ireland and many Australians. It was my first Australian experience and I did see much of the country and now know a bit of its history and people.

I give “Journey Beyond” full marks for a well – organized rail journey and off train excursions. The program for each coming day was printed on a single sheet of paper and placed in each passenger’s compartment during the evening before. For the three passenger coaches in “my” vicinity (passengers from several coaches enjoyed drinks in a lounge car and meals in a separate dining car), an energetic Chinese lady Zoe was responsible for all organization and communication with passengers; she did an outstanding job.

Paul Theroux wrote:

“If a vacation represents a traveler’s dream, the ordeal is the traveler’s nightmare. Yet, the travel book that recounts an ordeal is the sort that interests me most, because it tests the elemental human qualities needed for survival: determination, calmness, rationality, physical and mental strength.”

I have had several “travel ordeals” over the years. Cape to Cairo rail adventures, train breakdowns and bus substitutions in Turkey; my “Toy Train” to Darjeeling sideswipes a vehicle at a grade crossing – I continued my journey by truck; while enduring a slow train from Blantyre to Lake Malawi which was described by my wife as “the worst day of my life”; even while riding Amtrak’s City of New Orleans experienced a multi-hour delay and total heating failure during a mid-winter trip to Chicago. A few ordeals.  

...up jumped the swagman sprang into the billabong, "you'll never take me alive" cried he, Now his ghost may be heard as you pass beside the billabong, you'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.

My Australian rail adventure falls into the first category – not a travel ordeal, it did not test my survival instincts; everything was organized for me; it was not even a great railway experience but rather a pleasant few days’ railway ramble across Australia and a learning experience about a bit of the land “down under”.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign-born_population_of_Australia