On Saturday, February 8, Seymour Railway Heritage Centre will be offering a unique experience to dine and socialise backdropped by the northern Victorian landscape.
With many of the carriages on the train being over 100 years old, the dining train experience is vastly different from the V/Line travel that many of us are accustomed to.
SRHC board member Matt Tennant said the niche dining train experience was “something you haven’t been able to do in decades”.
The train will depart from Seymour in the afternoon, making short stops in Nagambie and Shepparton on the way to Tocumwal, where passengers will have an hour and a half to support local businesses, grab a bite to eat or simply take in the sights.
Passengers can book first-class for a novel dining experience, or have the option to book a seat in one of the compartments and dine locally in Tocumwal.
The first-class carriage not only offers passengers a delicious three-course meal but also provides them with an opportunity unique to this train.
The heritage train, which is compiled of carriages dating back to 1906, is the only one of its kind operating on a mainline in Victoria with an observation deck.
First-class passengers will be able to step out on to the deck between meal times to feel the wind on their skin as the hills, gumtrees and cattle roll by.
Mr Tennant said that thousands of dollars flowed into Seymour alone just by running these trains, with SRHC sourcing locally to run the experiences.
“It just moves money around the community,” Mr Tennant said.
The operation of these trains also sparks awareness of the region, with passengers having travelled from as far as Tasmania and Sydney for the experience.
While SRHC helps to funnel money into the community, it is also asking for assistance from community members themselves.
“We are desperately seeking volunteers,” Mr Tennant said.
SRHC is always open to donations from the community, and is currently running a fundraiser seeking locals who have pieces of scrap metal they would like to donate.
Please note, the drop-off-only bin to leave the metal in will be accessible from Monday to Friday, and on Saturday mornings, inside the SRHC gates in Seymour.
Mr Tennant said the group had already have received many generous donations from the community since posting about the fundraiser on December 31; however, further donations would still be a vital assistance.
Tickets for the upcoming dining train will go on sale on Sunday, January 12 at 7pm, but don’t fret if you miss out this time.
Further dining trains are expected to go ahead on Saturday, February 22 and Saturday, March 8.
More information on the dining train and links to securing tickets for this unique experience can be accessed on SRHC’s website at srhc.org.au/tours/
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