General News
25 November, 2025
Mighty train returning to the region
ONE of Australia’s most magnificent travel experiences is set to include our region in its itinerary this summer, bringing with it the awe-inspiring sight of a majestic 700-metre long passenger train pulling into town for a quick stop as it traverses four states. The Great Southern journeys between Adelaide and Brisbane, showcasing some of Australia’s most spectacular inland and coastal scenery and stopping along the way for guests to embark on memorable off-train experiencies. In a massive coup for The Grampians, The Great Southern will include a stop in Stawell for the sixth time, with passengers embarking on the Adelaide to Brisbane journey spending several hours taking in some the local sights.
Senior staff from railway operators Journey Beyond visited Halls Gap last week to meet with local suppliers as they gear up to provide an exceptional Grampians experience, and confirmed the upcoming season will run with additional carriages, increasing weekly passenger numbers to around 260.
Halls Gap tour business Experience The Grampians play a key role in connecting Great Southern passengers with the Grampians, and operator Justine Hide is hoping for a smooth, uninterrupted season after two years of bushfire disruptions.
“About this time each year I start getting messages and phone calls asking what time the train will arrive in Stawell so families can bring their children to see it,” said Ms Hide.
"The answer is around 4:05 pm every Friday from December 12, with the final train arriving on February 20.”
At over 700 metres long with 28 or more carriages, The Great Southern briefly blocks the rail crossing near the station at approximately 4pm on Fridays to allow passengers to disembark in stages due to Stawell’s limited platform length, and again around 7:20 pm as passengers return to the mighty train.
Ms Hide said the region gets a huge boost from the influx of visitors The Great Southern brings.
“The whole region benefits from the 230-plus passengers and crew who visit each week, the short-term and long-term flow-on effects are really noticeable,” she said.
Journey Beyond deploys a fleet of six coaches each Friday, branded ‘The Ghan’ along with drivers and an operations manager to manage the logistics.
“We house those coaches for Journey Beyond for the entire season,” said Ms Hide.
“All the drivers love visiting this part of Australia and each week when they spend the night, they said they like to go to a different restaurant each week in Stawell and Halls Gap.”
Experience the Grampians provides guides and coordinates movements between destinations, and this season guests will visit key locations across the region including Grampians National Park, Halls Gap, Stawell, Fallen Giants, Pomonal Estate and the WAMA Foundation.
“I always wish we had more time to show them even more but every year I meet returning passengers who loved their first visit and have come back to explore the region further, which is fantastic,” Ms Hide said.
Read More: Stawell