Bowerbird Blue: Victorian Goldfields Railway

I am so far behind on blogging I can't choose what to blog about, it should be tonight's peach cobbler, but seeing as I was in Maldon yesterday I am reminded of this beautiful school holiday outing.

The day began on a regular fast V/Line train, a trip on the Bendigo line from home to to Castlemaine.

The Bowerbirds turn into zombies every time I photograph them

From Castlemaine we joined the Victorian Goldfields Railway, it was so hard to decide which carriage to board on our journey to Maldon. So much vintage goodness. We have watched the Goldfields steam train pass our home on previous occasions, and been utterly enchanted It is the sound of a bygone era chugging along, leaving a magical trail of steam in its wake. Unfortunately the day we travelled, they were not using the steam train due to the risk of starting a fire in these tinder dry parts, instead we had the Diesel train. It felt like an episode of Thomas the Tank Engine, only there was no fat controller, just an amazingly friendly train enthusiast who wandered through the carriages answering questions and ensuring we were happy. Which we were of course, abundantly happy. This certainly beats travelling all squished into our little Corolla.

How good is that pressed tin? So lovely to have a compartment to yourself. The world was a much classier place when these trains had their heyday.

A time when smoking on trains was allowed, and ladies had their own section of the train and toilet. Our journey was slow but delightful, with time to properly see what we were passing and to imagine how times once were, sometimes faster is not always better. We could open the window and feel the breeze against our face, smelling Eucalypts as we passed through peoples backyards, many stopping their daily business to smile and wave.