The West Coast Wilderness Railway

On a picture perfect day we boarded a beautifully restored train at Regatta Point Railway Station. It’s part of the West Coast Wilderness Railway, one of Tasmania’s most famous heritage rail experiences. It’s not just nostalgia, it’s the heart and bones of how the West Coast used to function.

The original railway was built in the late 1800s, completed up to Regatta Point around 1899. It was constructed by the Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company to haul copper from the mines at Queenstown down to the port at Strahan. Roads didn’t exist back then, so this railway was the only practical link between the rugged inland mining communities and the outside world. Read more here.

The terrain was brutal. Mountainous rainforest, steep gradients that conventional trains couldn’t handle, and relentless weather meant engineers adopted a clever Abt rack and pinion system on the steepest sections. That let the locomotives climb and descend safely where a normal train would slip. West Coast Wilderness Railway

For decades it was essential infrastructure. Apart from moving ore, people used it for travel, mail, timber, supplies, and just staying connected. Then, as roads improved (including the Murchison Highway opening in 1932), the railway became less vital. The original line finally closed in 1963 as trucks and highways took over the heavy work.

After sitting unused for decades, local passion and government funding in the late 1990s brought it back as a tourist railway. By 2002 the full reconstructed line was open, complete with restored locomotives and carriages that echo the originals.

Regatta Point Station itself dates back to the original era and was the terminus for loading freight and ore onto ships. The restored station is part of preserving that history.

The train trip had been shortened because of work on the track. It’s a slow pace through the rainforest, with commentary here and there. As usual, food was involved. We were served sparkling wine and canapes on the journey and stayed on board for a light lunch after the trip was finished (although, to be honest, we weren’t particularly impressed with lunch).

That afternoon was free for people to visit the wharf and do some shopping (or laundry). We watched the cricket, which was fun as Australia demolished the Old Enemy. Dinner was in the hotel restaurant and certainly wasn’t up there as a culinary delight. We rated the hotel as a 6/10 but in this wilderness location that’s not too bad.

If you’d like to follow the whole trip, go here.