Embark - Queensland Rail

The Sunlander
farewell tour
The Sunlander shines bright as one of
Australia’s longest running and most
endearing rail journeys. For over 60
fabulous years The Sunlander has
weaved its way along Queensland’s
scenic coastline providing a relaxing,
comfortable journey that runs between
Queensland’s tropical capital, Brisbane,
and laid back Cairns.
Today the ideal journey for anyone
seeking new discoveries still has to
be rail.
The onboard experience of rail travel
evokes nostalgia and a sense of
adventure like no other journey can,
and there is no other rail journey like
the Sunlander.
Your holiday experience on The
Sunlander begins the moment you
step aboard at one of our 27 stops.
While the surroundings are comfy and
cosy, and the ever changing scenery
is sensational, it’s the warm and very
social atmosphere that makes The
Sunlander so special.
Indulge in The Golden Era of Grand
Train Travel. When you travel on “The
Sunlander”, you will be treated to a
service that some describe as a cruise
on wheels and there’s a view from
every window!
The superb facilities of this train are
everything you would expect of a
superior rail journey. An all-inclusive
price allows you to travel in first class
sleeping berths with meals specially
selected to showcase Queensland
cuisine. The Coral Cay Restaurant is an
experience in fine dining indulgence,
while the Daintree Lounge and
Canecutter’s Bar are perfect for predinner
drinks or to sit and watch a
movie. Well appointed cabins are fully
air-conditioned with comfortable beds,
overhead reading lamps, washbasins,
distinctive linen and complimentary
amenities.
It is without doubt, a journey that
you will long remember.
In the beginning...
The Sunlander Story.
It was Monday 27 May 1935 when the
Sunshine Express made its debut on the
Queensland Railways. The new wooden
bodied train was on steel underframes and
made up of three AAS first class and three
FBS second class cars, a first class sitter,
second class sitter and parlour car.
Initially six services per week were
provided to Townsville, with three
continuing through to Cairns. Northwards
of Townsville a railmotor provided a
connecting service.
The external appearance of the vehicles
was especially impressive and featured
a varnished exterior with a polished
interior. During the Second World War, the
Sunshine Express service was curtailed,
due to the emergency war time conditions
enforced on rail travel throughout Australia
and were reintroduced on a six day a week
service at the end of 1946. The varnished
exterior of the carriages was also changed
to a painted Tuscan red colour scheme.
The Brisbane-Cairns service became The
Sunlander, replacing the Sunshine Express.
The Sunlander commenced operations on
4 June 1953.
The introduction of air-conditioned sleeping
cars was a major innovation in this period,
and they were the first air-conditioned
sleeping cars to be built in Australia.
The new trains to run to Charleville,
Cunnamulla, Winton and Mount Isa, were
christened the ‘Landers, after the different
regions of Queensland they would serve,
the west, inland, tropical and central areas.
An order of 20 new cars was placed in
the early 1980’s, ten sitting cars, five first
and five economy class the final series of
ten cars were built as roomette (single)
sleeping cars each with shower facilities
at the end of the cars. The mid 1980’s saw
five new dining cars for the long distance
services, being a major overhaul of the
Traveltrain fleet and an upgrade of travel
for the future.