A heritage passenger train conveying more than a hundred tourists from Melbourne to the Wimmera this weekend will provide a glimpse of Horsham's potential as an emerging short getaway destination.
Seymour Railway Heritage Centre (SRHC) will operate shuttle services from Horsham to neighbouring shires this Saturday and Sunday as part of its Wimmera Weekender tour.
The train, made up of restored former Victorian Railways diesel locomotives and 1937 Spirit of Progress carriages, will start its journey from Seymour on Friday and pick up passengers in Melbourne and Geelong before continuing its journey to Horsham.
Day trips to the Grampians (by road) and Beulah and Rainbow(train) are also part of the tour which runs from Friday to Monday.
Horsham Rural City Council welcomed innovative tourism offerings in the Wimmera.
"Our region has so much hidden potential when it comes to eco-tourism. As well as being a regional city, Horsham is the gateway to the silo art trail and the perfect base for exploring the surrounding natural attractions," Interim Chief Executive Officer Criag Niemann said.
"We look forward to welcoming SRHC and their patrons and hope they enjoy their stay," he said.
The Wimmera has a rich railway history.
But with the vast majority of the state's restored trains operating on broad gauge, vintage rail tours have been rarely sighted in Horsham since the Melbourne-Adelaide line was converted to standard gauge in the mid-1990s.
President John Crofts said SRHC had recently been able to grow its fleet of historic Victorian locomotives that were able to run on standard gauge.
"This weekend's train will be pulled by X and C Class locomotives, two heritage Victorian Railways diesels that will offer plenty of nostalgia for Wimmera people," he said.
"On Saturday, a shuttle service will run to Beulah and back, giving Horsham people a chance to attend the Murtoa's Big Weekend. On Sunday there will be a return trip to Rainbow which will take in stops at Dimboola and Jeparit.
"The shuttle trips will give locals an opportunity to come for a ride and experience iconic rail history, so it will be a great outing," Mr Crofts said.
Bookings are essential and tickets can be bought online at https://srhc.org.au/tours/.
Photo: Seymour Railway Heritage Centre
