stories

Riding into history on a vintage train in Tasmania an experience of holidays On Tasmania's northwest coast is a wonderful preservation railway called the Don River Railway. I spent a few years there in my youth as a volunteer with a team of like minded people building tracks, restoring carriages, firing steam locomotives, clicking tickets, running trains and making sure rail heritage in Tasmania survived for future generations.   The one experience I always remember about the trains of the Don River Railway was the wonderfully clear Tasmanian air blowing gently through the gum trees alongside the Don River, mixing the scent of Eucalypts with the sweet tinge of coal smoke from the engine.   I worked at the Don River Railway when it was run entirely by volunteers. But times have changed, the operations has grown and now it's operated by a mix of staff and volunteers.   In fact, it's become such a successful tourist destination the railway runs mainline trips now boasts it's own post office. Yep - you can go to the Don River Railway to post a letter.   Thirty years ago we built the tracks with shovels and dog-hammers to drive home the dog spikes. Now, they've got pneumatic machinery to handle the job. A good thing as there's so much work to do to reclaim and recover lost locomotives and quaint carriages before they're all blighted by rot and scrap-metal recycling.   If you're in Tasmania, call in and take a ride into history. The Don River Railways runs vintage steam and diesel trains seven days. And the museum and workshop complex offer an extraordinary experience of the complex work of building, maintaining and running trains.     Thanks to Doug Kirkpatrick from Melbourne on 25/06/2008 share it pin it print it report it

Other Experiences of Doug Kirkpatrick

Those ticking street posts, Frequent flyers??, Max the dog, Flag on a dumpster, My backyard clotheslines, Clever street art, Australia Day in Port Hedland, Passing road trains, Lawn in the Pilbara, Big Australian Sky, Flying art, Lunchtime for 'Wombat', Hand of Friendship, Dodging busted Telecom pits, Tuned in to the nation, Hanging out to dry, Swimming Pool for One, broken flags, Genuine Aussie gladiators..., Shark Wrestling in South Australia, The Sydney-to-Hobart, Fantales - things of beauty, Street Junk, Dining IN, tradie's bit for the nation, Clean-up Day, ANZAC biscuits help keep peace in Kashmir, Cops on the beat, Spiders lurking, Eating Violet Crumbles, Coastal sandstone, Living among the gum trees, Feeling of wool, Outdoor shower, Regarding the 'Coathanger', Pausing to honour the 'Diggers', The rural gatepost where yarns are had, Celebrating Australia Day in Port Hedland, P-Plate, Kirribilli commute, Oz Day in the city, Dancing with the Stars - in Milson's Point, Sydney, Weekday oasis of calm, Bondi Beach - historic more than bohemian, Plunging escarpments ain't always pretty, Feeding wild lorikeets on the verandah at home, Walking the streets of Sydney, When you're driving in Australia..., Melbourne Cup in Martin Place, Taking a punt on the Melbourne Cup - Part 1 of 2, Taking a punt on the Melbourne Cup - Part 2 of 2, Cyclone Tracy revisited, Hot date with a Maytag washer in Darwin, The Port Hedland detention centre, Not ice, nor 'Ice', nor snow. Just Pilbara salt, Railmotor from Werris Creek, Camping with wild pigs, Telephone sockets in Australia, Werris Creek Station, Leaving their mark in stone, Being Australian on Christmas Day (Bondi Beach pt1), Christmas Day at Bondi Beach (pt2), Christmas Day at Bondi Beach (pt3), Camping holiday - best way to see Australia

Other experiences of holidays

The farm retreat by Apph, Somewhere in neverland by frankie1, My Holiday by mortisha, Oz Day in the city by Doug, Best place to go (Australia) by james, Just 21 Hours Away by Matty, Camping holiday - best way to see Australia by Douglas, Honesty and crocodiles in Port Douglas by gwen

Other experiences from people feeling happy

Frequent flyers?? by Doug, Max the dog by Doug, Clever street art by Doug, Australia Day in Port Hedland by Doug, Golf by Greg, Kimberly's W.A. by potsy, Riding taxis on Sydney Harbour by Grannie, The odd sunny day in the mountains by dylan, Aerial view of syd cbd by punter, Vegie Garden by potsy, Better than Monkey Mia? by roofus, Beaconsfield Miners FREED - hooray!! by roofus, Barramundi Nationals by potsy, MUD CRAB by roofus, Fruit Platter! by Maria, The Sydney-to-Hobart by Doug, Fantales - things of beauty by Doug, Equality or solidarity by Timothy, My Country by maggie, Dining IN by Doug, tradie's bit for the nation by Doug, Living on the Edge by chris, ANZAC biscuits help keep peace in Kashmir by Doug, Cops on the beat by Doug, Broome and The Kimberley by yarralea, Experiencing Uluru by Eve, Our Dog by Eve, Mates by Ripley, My morning concert by shorter, Sazette by Sazette, Waterways of Sydney by aintnomountain, Beach by ccharli, Volunteer by Kaggles, Our Lucky Place by lexie, Rugby League - the Best Australian Sport by Penny, Sydney Harbour by Penny, Eating Violet Crumbles by Doug, Coastal sandstone by Doug, New South Wales by Young Newk, Feeling of wool by Doug, G'Day by Lion, Coming Home to Paradise by Tammi, Regarding the 'Coathanger' by Doug, Behind my window by e-rad, My world by amandal, My Town by maryls, Anzac Hero by brockstar, Murray River by eidurt, Being Australian by mummybec, No spare tyre by julia, Kangaroo Stew by mandy4889, Miss by suelovexx, high 5! by katkatkat, Paradise by darla, Why I love Australia by katkatkat, My Holiday by mortisha, Thoughtful strangers by jodyandbenny, My Little Aussie by shanny, My little nephew by marialoveshercheese, cisco kid by ciscokid, Advance Australia - Share by Anna, Celebrating Australia Day in Port Hedland by Doug, The most welcoming place by Anna1981, We are many, but we are still one by Oz_89, Riding on the 3801 by Rodney, Bondi Beach - historic more than bohemian by Doug, Climbing the Australian 'Coathanger' by Eric, Abseiling in the Blue Mountains by Eric, Plunging escarpments ain't always pretty by Doug, Ginger marmelade on toast by Ginger, a prime minister drowns by Colette, Being social in the bush by Gillian, So happy to be back in OZ by Pat, Port Douglas by Doodie, Feeding wild lorikeets on the verandah at home by Doug, LOVING LOLLIES by NICOLEKIDMEN, Best place to go (Australia) by james, The lighthouse I grew up with by Rosemary, being australian by bigboy, Tripping in the Park by Matty, Santa In the Drink by Rosemary, Frenchman goes to water by Ginger, Just 21 Hours Away by Matty, Plenty of Water by Matty, Wild Australian animals by Bozo, Famous Falcon - a truly Australian driving experience by Jay, Happy to be here by Rodney, Hot date with a Maytag washer in Darwin by Douglas, Old telegraph wires on lonely Australian road by Jay, Railmotor from Werris Creek by Douglas, Helicopter flight over rugged NT wilderness by Rodney, The giant iron or ships of China by Rodney, Flying like a bird by Raymond, Camping with wild pigs by Douglas, A locomotive cab ride in Australia's northwest by Rodney, Kayaking on the harbour by Matty, Life in Newman, WA by Matty, Women drivers surprising the blokes at Australian mines by Matty, Library melts into street by Robin of Melbourne, Chooks in my backyard by William1, Metal cake by Matty, Golden Fleece that way it used to be by Reginald, Being Australian on Christmas Day (Bondi Beach pt1) by Douglas, Christmas Day at Bondi Beach (pt2) by Douglas, Christmas Day at Bondi Beach (pt3) by Douglas, A great place to propose by Grot, Australia: Diversity, sun, fun and fabulous Sydney harbour by Jo, Camping holiday - best way to see Australia by Douglas, The Isa in the '60s by Gry, Going on camp by Johnny, Australia Day with my family by Bunyip, Feeling Australian by Alex Portnoy, ''Ta!'' by N, She'll Be Right! by Celeste, Backyard BBQ by bobchic, Saturday in South Australia by TJ, Meat pies by cat.cantabile, I am Australian. Celebrating 4 Years in Australia by swood2, Aussie in Sth Florida USA !!! by Kat, SISTERS by nay25, A ride on Puffing Billy by Rodney, Origin by Sophdog, Aching to belong to something bigger... by Sunflower10, An Australian School Uniform by Sunflower10, We got up at 4am to watch Australia... by Sunflower10, What a cup of tea! by Sunflower10, The road often travelled by Andrea, A family home in Australia... by Sunflower10, Riding on the bus by Derek, Honesty and crocodiles in Port Douglas by gwen, Aussie coat of arms by Jasie, The Gundagai dog on his tuckerbox by Jasie, Camping on the Delegate by Harry, Waiting for the train from Jincumbilly by Harry, Opera house bush style by Potsy

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