Skirt the coast on a Great Southern jaunt
We emerge from our cool four-wheel drive onto the desert dunes in 40-degree heat. I take in the vast vista of rolling, golden sand and I imagine it's not unlike the Sahara.
We are actually atop the largest moving sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere - at Stockton Beach in Anna Bay on the mid-north coast of NSW. You can explore these dunes by air-conditioned bus or by camel - I prefer the former but the latter certainly lends to romance.
It's our second state in as many days after leaving Brisbane on our train journey on the newly opened Great Southern route, which will take us along Australia's southeast coast through two more states by the time we finish up in Adelaide, 2885km and four days later.
The route is operated by Journey Beyond Rail Expeditions, which also operates the Ghan and India Pacific.
From dolphin spotting off Port Stephens to the vineyards of the NSW Hunter Valley and the Twelve Apostles along Victoria's Great Ocean Road, this short trip squeezes a lot in, and is a good balance between exploration off-train and relaxation on-board.
"It's a journey - this is much more than getting from A to B," says the Akubra-wearing guest experience manager Sonya Lemondine.
We first get to mingle with our fellow travellers at Coffs Harbour in northern NSW during a beachside dinner of fresh Nambucca Rock oysters and barbecued Black Angus eye fillet. We sit under fairy lights while a live band plays Men At Work's Down Under.
And so begins what is a very sociable tour, as couples, families and solo travellers befriend each other on this luxury four-state adventure.
"I think what makes a trip is the people you meet," says New Zealander Jennifer Daish, who is travelling with her husband Darrell.
Former teacher Patricia Roberts, from Noosaville on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, is always excited to meet new people.
"We try to sit with someone we haven't sat with before. There are some very interesting people on these trains."
Retirees, largely Australians wanting to see other parts of their country, make up the bulk of the demographic and this is reflected in the excursions, which generally transport us by buses and require minimal walking.
But train travel isn't just for the older generation. Alexa Maloy, a 22-year-old from California who now lives in Brisbane, loves how train travel forces her to slow down.
"It's nice and slow-paced and you can see more of Australia this way. I haven't really seen outside the cities so this is a good way to do it."
Alexa and I opt to visit the Twelve Apostles over Melbourne. It involves a four-hour round trip to get to the coast but the sight of the huge, limestone rock islands makes the travel time well worth it.
A short jaunt further up the road is the equally stunning Loch Ard Gorge, a beautiful cove with a miraculous 19th-century tale of shipwreck survival. From here, it's an hour's drive to the historic Coragulac House homestead where we enjoy an outdoor banquet. The sun starts to set, bathing the surrounding fields in a golden glow.
"They feed us well!" says Alexa. I agree; food is included in the ticket price and draws from local produce such as Coffs Coast king prawns, Hunter Valley fetta cheese tarts, South Australia's Beerenberg Farm marmalade and Mount Compass berry gin, which we enjoy in the lounge.
In our bathrooms, we savour Appelles Apothecary lemon myrtle and sandalwood-scented body wash for our morning showers. Everything is here to celebrate Australia.
Parts of the rail line along the route are used more for freight than passenger trains, which can result in a pretty bumpy and noisy journey at times, and I find it hard to get to sleep.
As a first-time overnight train traveller I wonder what tricks my fellow guests have picked up along their many journeys.
"Drink more wine," Darrell advises me, with a cheeky smile that tells me he's only partly joking.
But the couple aren't complaining.
"It's all part of the experience," Jennifer adds.
And an experience it is. I wake to a new landscape each day, from the sobering sight of burned-out bushland as we leave Queensland to lush greenery as we pull into Adelaide.
By the end of the 70-hour trip, it's hard to believe the ground we've covered.
IF YOU GO
Great Southern's maiden travel season runs until 27 January 2020. Guests can choose a three-day northbound itinerary from Adelaide or a four-day southbound itinerary from Brisbane.
Fares start from $1649 per person for Gold Single accommodation, $1829 per person for Gold Twin and $3899 per person for Platinum. All fares are inclusive of onboard dining, drinks and off-train excursions (excluding the optional scenic flight on the Great Ocean Road).
For more information or to book, visit www.greatsouthernrail.com.au or call the Travel Centre on 1800 703 357.
