A special passenger train will be travelling to Serviceton in April for a very peculiar reason.

In conjunction with the Wimmera Steampunk festival, the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre will be operating a passenger train to western Victoria, taking in Horsham, Dimboola, and Serviceton.

As part of the Carnival of Peculiarities, which will take place at several locations across the Wimmera, a special passenger train will originate at Seymour on the morning of Friday, 11 April 2025 and travel via Melbourne to Horsham, where patrons will stay for the night.

Pictured - The Seymour Railway Heritage Centre operated a tour to the Wimmera in October last year, operating the first passenger train on the Rainbow branch for nearly twenty five years.

The following day, four shuttle trips will be made between Horsham and Dimboola, with the focus on festivities in Dimboola, which includes a riverside market in the morning and the Carnival of Peculiarities street party in the evening, with the last one scheduled to return to Horsham once the festivities begin to wind down. Other options to occupy their Saturday include day trips to the Grampians for sightseeing or wine tasting.

The Sunday will see the train venture further west to become the first passenger train to stop at Serviceton in nearly forty years, where patrons will enjoy a High Tea in the historic listed station or a bus tour covering the World War Two fuel storage facility at Wolseley, just over the border, time for lunch in Kaniva and a visit to the Overland Museum, the Nhill Aviation Heritage Centre, and Pink Lake on the way back to Horsham.

The train will depart Serviceton in the late afternoon for Horsham, where it will stable overnight before returning to Seymour on Monday.
Limited tickets are still available -
The last regular passenger service to Serviceton was operated by a Diesel Rail Car on Saturday, 2 September 1978, although it remained a stop for the Overland until the station was closed in 1986.

The last enthusiast special to pass through Serviceton was on Friday, 27 May 2022, consisting of former New South Wales Railways 620/720 railcars NPF621 and NTC721 operated by the Rail Motor Society, based at Paterson, New South Wales. This tour operated a round trip from Sydney via Adelaide, western Victoria, and Melbourne.

The last such train to operate from the east to get anywhere near this border outpost was the Leeor Leap Year special, operated by 707 Operations and Steamrail Victoria, which made it as far as Leeor Loop, the railway location three kilometres east of Serviceton in 2016. This train was hauled by locomotive TL152.
Steampunk Shuttles - Saturday 12 April 2025

Join in on all the fun of the Wimmera Steampunk Festival at Dimboola. Inspired by Tim Burton’s fantasy film, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, the theme for the next event is The Carnival of Peculiarities. The Carnival of Peculiarities is about celebrating your uniqueness and creativity. There will be three stages: bands, performers and illusionists, food and drink vendors, exhibitions and ribbon acrobatics. A children’s lantern procession will open the event. The festival is located a short walk from the station and you may travel on any of the shuttles to spent as much time as you wish in Dimboola.

Passengers may pay for their entry to the festival online or on arrival.

Four return shuttle trips between Horsham and Dimboola - Return Fare - Adult $30 - Child - $15 - family $70.

High Tea at Serviceton Train - Sunday 13 April 2025

Join our train for a unique and rare visit to the historic Serviceton Station. Step off the train at this historic landmark, originally built in 1888. Serviceton Railway Station is an iconic piece of Australian railway history, marking the location of the original border between Victoria and South Australia. Discover its stunning architecture, complete with a grand cast-iron verandah and the original customs offices. Learn about its significance during the border dispute and its key role in the interstate railway system.

A rare passenger train trip to Serviceton and High Tea in the historic railway station - Return Fare (per person for train trip and High Tea) - from Horsham $125 - from Dimboola $110 - from Nhill $100 - from Kaniva $190 - High Tea Only - $35

Train ride to Serviceton and bus tour back to Horsham

On this fascinating day you’ll by train to Serviceton to visit the historic station. Continue by coach to visit the 1940s Wolseley Inland Aircraft Fuel Depot. This heritage-listed site, built during World War II, features fuel tanks, a pump house, and drum-filling platforms. The Wolseley Depot is the largest and best-preserved of its kind in South Australia.

Next take a break and enjoy a relaxing lunch (own expense) in the charming town of Kaniva. Take time to see the painted sheep art and check out the painted silo. Continue on to discover the rich history of the ‘Overland’, one of Australia’s oldest interstate trains. The museum showcases memorabilia, photos and even a restored 1951 sleeping carriage.

We then take off into history at the Nhill Aviation Heritage Centre, dedicated to the RAAF’s WWII legacy. View restored aircraft including a Wirraway, Avro Anson, and Tiger Moth.

We end our day with a visit to the mesmerising Pink Lake. Known for its unique pink hue (which varies with rainfall), this stunning natural wonder is caused by bacteria in the water. It’s a perfect spot for a photo-op and to relax before wrapping up your tour back in Horsham.

Fare per person - $110 - (supply/purchase lunch at own cost.)
** Tour options and prices are provided courtesy of the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre **