The Savannahlander is funded by the Queensland Government and proudly operated by Cairns Kuranda Steam. For bookings and more information contact the Savannahlander booking office:

1800 793 848P.O. Box 718 Edge Hill

Queensland Australia 4870Ph: (07) 4053 6848 Fax: (07) 4053 6818

Email: info@savannahlander.com.au Web: www.savannahlander.com.au

All information is correct at the time of printing and subject to change without notice.Brochure valid until superseded by eighth edition.

Outback Odyssey Etheridge RamblerThis package features the highest level of accommodation Join the train at Mt. Surprise on Thursday afternoon and

and all the tours. Tours include Chillagoe Caves and town travel to Forsayth by train before heading over to Cobbold

tour, a morning Cobbold Gorge boat cruise and a two hour Gorge for an overnight stay. This is ideal for self drive

Lava Tube tour. Dinner and breakfast at overnight passengers who want to start their trip from the “bush” or

accommodation is included. This package is subject to caravanners who don’t want to leave the black top. This is

availability of accommodation. Book early, although arguably the most rugged and scenic part the track.

alternatives can usually be arranged.

Surprise GetawaySavannah Explorer Join the Savannahlander in Cairns for the Wednesday

This package offers all the tours, but staying in ensuite departure and stay overnight in Almaden.

accommodation in Forsayth and Mt Surprise rather than out On Thursday re-join the train for the run to Mt Surprise,

at the tour sites. Includes transfers, tour of Chillagoe Caves arriving in time for lunch. After lunch return to Cairns by

and Town, Cobbold Gorge and Undara, dinner and Coach.

breakfast at overnight accommodation.

Barron River RoverSavannah Rail Runner Join the Savannahlander in Cairns for a trip up the

This one is for those more interested in the train trip beautiful Kuranda Range, then continuing along the banks

than the tours, but who still demand a high standard of of the Barron River to Mareeba. In Mareeba there’s a short

accommodation. Included is dinner and breakfast at wait for the bus which will get you back to Cairns at

overnight accommodation. 11.15am, or get off at Kuranda and return by Skyrail.

Pub Crawl Other Short OptionsEnjoy the hospitality of the outback pubs on this trip. Meals Half day trips and tours on the Savannahlander are

are not included but pub counter meals are available at all operated by some local tourist parks. You can do Einasleigh

venues. You stay at the Railway Hotel at Almaden, to Forsayth with the Forsayth Tourist Park (07 4062 5324)

Goldfields hotel in Forsayth and the Mt Surprise Hotel. on Thursday or Forsayth to Einasleigh on Fridays.

These all originate and end in Forsayth with bus transfer

where necessary. The Bedrock Village Van Park (07 4062

3193) does Mt Surprise to Einasleigh tours on Thursdays

with a bus transfer back to Mt Surprise.

Travel on the Savannahlander provides a range of options catering for thosewho want to experience the varied attractions of the Queensland outback

and the Gulf Savannah, or for those who simply want to ride the train.

You can even get a few mates together and experience thehospitality of the local pubs in the area.

The prices of the following packages can be found onour website or by phoning the booking number 1800 793 848

Day 1, Wednesday – Cairns to Almaden: Day 3, Friday – Forsayth to Mt. Surprise:Departs Cairns 0630 Departs Forsayth 0830

Arrives Almaden 1315 Einasleigh 1115 – 1200 Overnight at Almaden or Chillagoe Arrives Mt. Surprise 1415

Overnight stay at Mt. Surprise or Undara Lava Tubes

Day 2, Thursday – Almaden to Forsayth:Day 4, Saturday – Mt. Surprise to Cairns:Departs Almaden 0800

Mt. Surprise 1130 – 1215 Departs Mt. Surprise 0815Einasleigh 1400 – 1445 Almaden 1145 – 1210Arrives Forsayth 1745 Arrives Cairns 1830

Overnight stay Forsayth or Cobbold Gorge

S A V A N N A H L A N D E R S C H E D U L E

Options that cater to every needOptions that cater to every need

The Savannahlander service operates between March and December. The above times are correct at time of going to pressbut should be used as a guide only. Check out our website or call to find out about new or changed options.

Seventh Edition

T H E O U T B A C K R A I L E X P E R I E N C E

S A V A N N A H L A N D E R P A C K A G E S C A I R N S - F O R S A Y T H - C A I R N S

KurandaMareeba

DimbulahAlmaden

Chillagoe

Undara Lava TubesEinasleigh

Mount SupriseForsaythCobbold Gorge

CairnsBus

Rail

I N T R O D U C T I O N J O U R N E Y S T O P S

Want to travel on the Savannahlander and Gulflander in the same week?

Ask us about our packages that combine these two great journeys.

S AVA N N A H L A N D E R & G U L F L A N D E R

Extend your Outback Rail Experience...

KurandaThe 34km rail journey through north Queensland’s heritage listed rainforest encapsulates one of the most incredible rail engineering feats of the 19th century. The historic railway was opened in 1891 and climbs through man-made tunnels, across bridged ravines, past the spectacular Barron Gorge on it’s way to Kuranda, the Village in the Rainforest.

MareebaOriginally called “Granite Creek”, Mareeba was a bustling railway centre servicing ore trains of the Chillagoe Railway. Today, Mareeba’s progressive shire is home to Tinaroo Falls Dam, with a surface area two thirds that of Sydney Harbor. Nature-lovers can discover Emerald Creek Falls, Davis Creek, Granite gorge and Mareeba Wetlands.

Almaden & ChillagoeAlmaden was the junction of the Etheridge Branch (to Forsayth) and the now closed Chillagoe line. This is real cattle country and the town is located right in the middle of an operating cattle station. A coach transfer operates to the historic mining village of Chillagoe where ruins of the century old smelters still dominate the skyline. In the early 1900’s this region operated the largest private rail network in Australia, servicing the surrounding mines and smelters. Other attractions include the spectacular Chillagoe Limestone Caves, the Balancing Rock Formation and Aboriginal rock-art sites.

Mt Surprise & Undara Lava TubesA centre for gem fossicking including; topaz, quartz, garnet, caringorn and aquamarine. Mt. Surprise is on the edge of the immense Undara lava field caused by volcanic eruption inthe McBride Plateau. Undara crater erupted 190 000 years ago, sending a molten lava flow that travelled over 160 km and soon covered an area of 1550 square kilometres. As the exterior lava hardened it formed tunnels through which molten lava continued to flow, creating Undara's black basalt tubes.

EinasleighEinasleigh was once a copper mining town. It is set amongst the flat top hills (or mesas) that rise up out of the grasslands. The journey between Einasleigh and Forsayth through the Newcastle Range is a photographer’s dream, with spectacular vistas. On the Copperfield River and Copperfield Gorge with sheer walls dropping into the sandy river bottom. The river has cut though a lava fissure giving the visitors another aspect of the lava flow.

Forsayth & Cobbold GorgeLies at the end of the old Etheridge Railway line, which was originally built to transport gold ore from the Etheridge Goldfield. Gold nuggets can still be found by amateur prospectors using metal detectors. Visitors can cruise the narrow channel waters of Cobbold Gorge, carved over eons of erosion.

Great sights...Great sights... ...great times...great timesOnce a week, the 1960s railmotors head out fromCairns on their four day, 850km return trip to Forsayth. For much of the journey, the Savannahlander has the railway line to itself and this allows passengers to experience a type of train travel that most won’t have come across before.

Want the driver to stop so you can take a photo? Just ask! Need to stop and take a closer look at the termite mound? No worries! Want to sneak up on a mob of wallabies? Too easy! Want to drive? No, sorry but you can have a seat up front next to the driver!

The mood is relaxed and you can do as much or as little as you want. The Savannahlander stops overnight in three different outback towns, each offering the traveller something different.

Where to stay overnight? There are many optionsfrom the cheap (bring your own tent and stay at the caravan park) to the not so cheap (en-suite rooms with meals included).

There are side trips to be done too, many of which are included in our standard packages. You can take a tour of the famous Chillagoe Caves, take a lava tube tour at Undara or see the spectacular Cobbold Gorge.

The choice is yours.

The Savannahlander

is a unique way to see

the Atherton Tablelands

and beyond to the

Gulf Savannah.

The Outback Rail ExperienceThe Outback Rail Experience