TRAIN TO THE BAROSSA In 2014, I went to the World Cup in Brazil to support Australia and was fortunate to see one of the best goals of the World Cup by Tim Cahill against the Netherlands. On our return trip to Australia, we went to San Francisco and went on the Napa Valley Wine Train. Now, to get onto the Napa Valley Wine Train, the quickest way is to drive for approximately an hour to connect with the Napa Valley Wine Train. When I returned to Australia, a colleague and I started to re-explore the opportunity to have the Barossa Regional Wine Train and developed the attached concept in more detail in 2016. What excited me was being involved in the last stage of the Adelaide Convention Centre Development; I could imagine some 3000 delegates walking out of the convention centre, getting on a Train that would take them to one of the most highly prized wine regions in the world, without having to drive: in just under 90 mins —enhancing the whole experience. There are very few places in the world that could offer this. Further, this would also align with the projected population growth /HOUSING demand and enable the expansion of rail services to Nuriootpa, servicing the excellent tourism opportunity and providing an expanded rail passenger service. For various reasons, we haven't embraced rail. Is it time to embrace rail? With Gather Round being such a success and AFL football now going to the Barossa, imagine going there by train. I also plan to go to football at Mt Barker by train one day. Dreams are great and become even more astounding when they become reality. #rail #tourism #infrastructure #housing
Funds are needed to restore the track and the signalling, and to create the full business case. If the funding can be estimated, perhaps a source could be a State lottery for the specific purpose. Another possibility is for the SA Government to gift the rail corridor to a special purpose company that would issue shares to the people of SA to fund the endeavour. I am interested in what others think about these ideas.
Bring the trains back!!!!! The Adelaide Rail museum has old maps/routes of trains that used to run! Clare Valley, SE Coast, not to mention Victor Harbour. These would be amazing today! Lets start with Mt Barker and Barossa.....
Matthew Taylor
7mo
Given the level of tourism in the Barossa and given the fact that most of the track still exists this is really a no-brainer Luigi. Private tourist railways are very popular in similar places over seas. I think this would be a real draw card for SA.
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7moLuigi Your dreams and vidions are shared by many of us. The hardest part is getting the SA public sector, the SA government, the Commonwealth and the ARTC to agree to: 1 collaboratively recognise the need; 2 prioritise the concepts; and 3 commit funding promptly. This would drag our great state into the 2020s from the 1950s SA New State of Mind......surely?