Tracking pioneers’ footsteps

Dennis and Rosamund Knill discover there’s no mode of travel better than rail for an epic journey into the unknown.

So here we are at Darwin Berrimah Rail Terminal about to board the legendary Ghan. Our destination Adelaide and the start of a 2979km four-day journey from the top to the bottom end of Australia through some of the most isolated and rugged parts of this vast continent. It is fierce and uncompromisingly barren out there and, by and large, untouched.

Our 5-star hotel on wheels is the end result of a celebrated history that began in the mid-1850s, when the first Afghan cameleers opened up inland Australia to European settlers ferrying goods and supplies with their ships of the desert. The Ghan takes its name from those early tenacious pioneers, and follows their tracks through the Red Centre.

Today it’s all about splendour with the train divided into two classes of travel, Platinum and Gold. We’re travelling Platinum which is much cosier and a lot more spacious. Cabins include a foldaway writing desk, coffee table, four music channels, Wi-fi, built-in wardrobes, double or single beds, quality linen and bathrobes, an en suite with a full-size shower stacked with towels and a range of high-quality complimentary bathroom amenities. Gold is a little more compact with cabins transformed into sleeping berths with fold-down bunks at night, a separate shower and toilet. Whatever your choice or whatever you can afford, the experience will not disappoint.

We’re greeted and escorted to our elegant surroundings by Alison, who is just as thrilled; perhaps this is her maiden journey? With luggage quickly unpacked and stored away Isabela greets us with chilled Champagne and a colour booklet full of daily off-train experiences for us to choose en-route to Adelaide.

On cue, 10am and it’s time to travel. The wheels begin to turn slowly and as we pull away from the station a strong crowd of well-wishers are waving off friends from the platform. We sigh, settle back and sip our Champagne as the train slides gracefully out of Darwin.

Size goes with territory in Australia and The Ghan is no exception. During peak time, the train has up to 44 carriages stretching 1.1km. On this journey there are 27 carriages stretching 700m pulled by two powerful 4.400-horsepower locomotives. On board there are 178 passengers, including 54 Platinum, serviced by a crew of 12 including four chefs. This is first-class travel at its very best.

Relax, reflect and be invigorated with pre-dinner drinks and fine wines served with dinner by thoroughly professional wait staff in the exclusive dining cabin. Australia has a wealth of food ingredients and the cuisine on board offers an astonishing rich regional selection from a galley that takes pain with details and is unlikely to disappoint. Breakfast selections include fresh tropical juice, cereals and yoghurt, followed by mains that change daily. Equally appetising are the lunch and dinner menus — crocodile dumplings, duck breast with parsnip puree, grilled barramundi, braised beef finished with sensationally good desserts as gateau, ice cream, mousse and mango parfait are a taste of what is to come.

Table settings are immaculately laid with pure white linen, heavy silverware and vases of fresh flowers. During the day, barista coffee and tea with moorish biscuits are available.

First stop Katherine, the fourth-largest settlement in the Northern Territory. Full of gorges and misty waterfalls, thermal springs and ancient cultures, we opt for cruising the Nitmiluk Gorge. Winding our way through the gorge we experience dramatic ancient scenery, century-old aboriginal paintings and the shrill of the cicadas reverberating off the cliff faces while the tour guide gives a commentary on the indigenous Jawoyn people and their spiritual connection.

After a gourmet breakfast the following day we arrive at Alice Springs, the second-largest town in the Territory and gateway to the Red Centre. Nestled between the MacDonnell Ranges, Alice is famous for its desert landscapes, strong aboriginal culture, Royal Flying Doctor Service and home to the 150-year-old Overland Telegraph Line that once linked Darwin to Adelaide.

We sign up for the Simpsons Gap tour, a four-hour leisurely discovery walk and one of the locals’ favourite places to visit. One look at the spectacular landscape and it’s easy to see why. Located in Tjoritja National Park, this scenic oasis of gorges and towering cliffs encapsulates the best of Central Australia’s natural landscape.

Time to freshen up to rejoin our fellow guests before our coach transfers us to the historic Alice Springs Telegraph Station for an extravaganza barbecue dinner under a million stars. Seated in the courtyard, we’re treated with fine wines while a trio of musicians entertain us in the background. Tables were set with crisp white tablecloths and the soft night air was hauntingly beautiful, making this a night no-one would ever forget.

Day three starts with admiring the early morning colours of central Australia. Before our arrival at the remote railway siding of Manguri, we were fortunate to observe a mob of kangaroos engaged in Mexican stand-offs and a pair of emus streaking across the plains. After breakfast, we drive along the red dusty outback roads bound for Coober Pedy, the opal mining capital of the world and where people live underground.

Famous for its mine shafts and "that’s one small step for man" lunar-like landscape, quirky history and labyrinth of underground houses, hotels and shops. At first glance this seems like a rough and ready sleepy little town; however, it doesn’t take long to realise this place is full of life. After a morning of discovery and a determination to find the biggest opal, we lunch in an enormous underground cave.

The next day while enjoying a leisurely brunch, it suddenly dawns how time has passed so quickly. After four wonderful days as we edge towards civilisation, we observe a dramatic change in the landscape as the rich ochre tones of the vast outback make way for green fields and farmland. Approaching suburbia, even a well-known city like Adelaide can become a stranger from the window of a train and unable to escape the unsightly graffiti spattered on buildings and fences rarely seen by road.

As we pull into Adelaide Parklands Terminal, our suitcases are packed and the cleaners are waiting to board as the carriages empty. We are feeling a little sad as we say our goodbyes to the train staff and our new friends we met along the way. Another journey ends and another begins!

Need to know 

Getting there:     Qantas and Air New Zealand have flights to Adelaide and Darwin. 

Where to stay:     For comfort, reliability and the most affordable accommodation, we stayed at Accor Hotels in Darwin and Adelaide.