The Vinelander returns to Mildura! Marvel at Mildura's Trail of Lights and the Mungo National Park

Name: The Vinelander returns to Mildura! Marvel at Mildura's Trail of Lights and the Mungo National Park
Start: 2025-05-29T08:45:00+10:00
End: 2025-06-03T18:00:00+10:00
Location: Southern Cross railway station, Melbourne

Schedule

Thu, 29 May, 2025 at 08:45 am to Tue, 03 Jun, 2025 at 06:00 pm

UTC+10:00

Location

Southern Cross railway station, Melbourne | Melbourne, VI

Marvel at Mildura's Trail of Lights, marvel at the moonscapes of Mungo National Park and explore the best of the Sunraysia as the Vinelander returns to Mildura.
29th May to 3 June 2025

Join us to visit the new 'Mildura Trail of Lights': Prepare to be captivated by the Trail of Lights, a transcendent experience that allows connection with both the artwork and the natural environment. Through the interplay of 12,500 firefly lights, Gone Fishing sculptures, and the natural landscape, the lights, curated by British artist Bruce Munro, will not disappoint.
From the iconic Field of Light at Uluru to the mesmerising Sensorio in the rolling hills of Paso Robles in California, Munro’s installations are more than just art; they're experiences.
His work is a captivating blend of creativity and engineering. Thousands of lights come together to tell stories of wonder and human connection.
Get ready to immerse yourself in a world where imagination meets reality, and light becomes the ultimate storyteller. invites contemplation and reflection, creating a space for introspection and wonder.

As night falls, this spectacle will turn Lock Island into a must-visit destination for both locals and visitors. Don’t miss this chance to see art and nature come alive in a whole new way!
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Wednesday 28 May
For those guests staying in-house at the Savoy Hotel, Welcome to Melbourne! If you are staying at the Savoy, or are close to the area we encourage you to make use of the Wednesday evening train check-in to eliminate lines the following morning.
Wednesday in detail: Late Afternoon: For those staying in or close to Melbourne's CBD, one of your Train Managers and your dedicated volunteer team members will be available on Level 1 at the Savoy Hotel to check in guests. Receive your seat, hotel, and tour allocations and sleep in the next morning!
Thursday 29 May
With a sense of anticipation, meet your fellow travellers early this morning to commence our epic exploration of one of the most spectacular corners of Victoria. After breakfast, board the Vinelander as it bids farewell to the suburban sprawl of Melbourne and Geelong, crosses the fertile green southwestern plains, skirts the Grampians, and crosses the scenic Pyrenees before arriving at the Goldfields and our luxury accommodation for the evening.
Thursday in detail:
Early Morning (At an allocated time between 6:30 and 8 am): Check-in on Level 1 at the Savoy Hotel
Early Moring (approximately 8;30 am): The Vinelander departs Melbourne’s Southern Cross Station
Morning: Breakfast served on the Vinelander
Morning: A brief fresh air stop is made in Maroona
Noon: Lunch is served onboard the Vinelander
Afternoon: Afternoon Tea is served on the Vinelander
Mid-Afternoon: The Vinelander arrives in Maryborough. Guests join coaches to the RACV Goldfields Resort
Late Afternoon: Optional Goldfields Explorer tour
Evening: Train Managers’ Drinks followed by dinner at the RACV Resort
Friday 30 May
Today, we leave the Ironbark forests and granite hills of the Goldfields behind, travelling north into the great vistas of Mallee Depression before finally arriving at the irrigated oasis of Sunraysia.
Friday in detail:
Morning: Breakfast is served at the RACV Goldfields Resort
Morning: Join a V/Line Vlocity train for the short journey from Creswick to Maryborough (note this journey may be substituted by buses)
Mid Morning: The Vinelander departs Maryborough
Morning: A brief fresh air stop is made in Donald
Noon: Lunch is served onboard the Vinelander
Afternoon: Afternoon Tea is served on the Vinelander
Mid-Afternoon: The Vinelander arrives in Mildura, where guests are transferred to hotels for two nights
Late Afternoon: Enjoy a welcome to the region from Deputy Mayor Mark Eckel before a screening of a movie about the history of railways in the region that the Mildura community has produced a film, especially for the Vinelander’s visits
Evening: Enjoy dinner at the Grand Hotel
Saturday 31 May
Experience two of Australia's most unique attractions - visit the moonscapes of Mungo National Park, home to the oldest human remains outside Africa, followed by being one of the first to tour Mildura's spectacular Trail of Lights curated by British artist Bruce Munro, the inspiration behind Uluru's Field of Lights.
Saturday in detail:
Morning: Enjoy breakfast in Mildura before a leisurely drive to Mungo Lodge
Noon: After morning tea, tour the Mungo Visitors Centre and learn about this spectacular region from Indigenous guides
Lunch: Enjoy lunch at Mungo Lodge
Mid-Afternoon: Visit the stunning moonscapes of the Walls of China before returning to Mildura
Evening: Enjoy Mildura's Trail of Lights
Sunday 1 June
Experience the best of the Sunraysia and some relaxation time in Mildura before boarding the PB Mundoo for a daylight cruise to Trentham Estate. After sampling some of Sunraysia's best wine, reboard the Mundoo for an evening dinner cruise back to Mildura.
Sunday in detail:
Morning: Enjoy free time in Mildura with options to attend a historical guided walk on the riverfront or to visit Orange World
Noon: Casual lunch grazing lunch will be served at the Grand Hotel
Mid-Afternoon: Join the PB Mundoo for a scenic cruise upstream to Trentham Estate
Mid-Afternoon: Enjoy a sampling of the region’s best wine at the spectacular Trentham Estate
Evening: Rejoin the PB Mundoo for a dinner cruise back to Mildura
Monday 2 June
Bid farewell to the Sunraysia as the Vinelander transports you to the heart of the Mallee. Admire awe-inspiring silo art, feast on locally sourced produce and finish the day in the granite peaks and ironbark-clad forests of the Goldfields.
Monday in detail:
Morning: The Vinelander departs Mildura
Morning: Morning Tea is served onboard the Vinelander
Noon: Lunch is served onboard the Vinelander
Mid-Afternoon: Afternoon Tea is served on the Vinelander after it makes a brief pause in the Mallee township of Donald
Mid-Afternoon: The Vinelander arrives in Maryborough. Guests join coaches to the RACV Goldfields Resort
Late Afternoon: Optional Goldfields Explorer tour
Evening: Dinner at the RACV Goldfields Resort
Tuesday 3 June
All good things must come to an end, and today we transfer to Maryborough to join the diesel-hauled standard gauge Vinelander for a day of rail cruing across Victoria, travelling along the little seen freight line from Maryborough to Ararat, as wide vistas of the Mallee and Sunraysia are replaced by the back fences of the houses in the populated Port Phillip basin, and finally the gleaming glass skyscrapers of Melbourne’s CBD.
Tuesday in detail:
Morning: Breakfast is served at the RACV Goldfields Resort
Moring: Busses depart to transfer guests to Maryborough Station to board a diesel-hauled standard gauge Vinelander for the return journey to Melbourne
Mid Morning: The Vinelander departs Maryborough
Morning: Morning Tea is served onboard the Vinelander
Noon: Lunch is served onboard the Vinelander
Late Afternoon: The Vinelander arrives back at Melbourne’s Southern Cross Station, where our tour ends
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**Depart Melbourne onboard Slow Rail Journeys' private standard gauge sitting car train hauled by heritage diesel locomotives as it makes a spirited run from Melbourne to the Goldfields,
**After enjoying a night at the luxurious RACV Goldfields Resort, transfer to Maryborough and board Slow Rail Journeys' standard gauge diesel-hauled sitting train to Mildura,
**Sit back and relax as the Goldfields melt into the vast plains of the Mallee and the arid landscapes of Outback Victoria before reaching the vines that travellers past woke up to signal the train's arrival into Mildura and the oasis of the Sunraysia,
**Enjoy three nights at the Grand Hotel, the Commodore Motel or equivalent in Mildura,
**Tour the spectacular Mungo National Park, or take part in the town's Mildura Day celebrations,
**Be one of the first people to experience Mildura's spectacular Trail of Lights,
**After a restful morning with optional tours featuring exclusive access to Mildura’s best attractions, join the PB Mundoo to cruise upstream to the spectacular Trentham Estate. After sampling some of the best wine and cheese in the region, enjoy dinner onboard as the Mundoo cruises back to town.

All fares include:
Return rail travel from Melbourne to Mildura and v.v,
Two nights at the luxurious RACV Goldfields Resort,
Three nights at the Grand Hotel, the Commodore Motel or equivalent in Mildura,
All meals, tours, transfers and more.
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More information: https://www.slowrailjourneys.com.au/post/29-may-to-3-june-be-one-of-the-first-to-tour-mildura-s-trail-of-lights-marvel-at-the-moonscapes-of
Full payment bookings: https://bookings.slowrailjourneys.com.au/events/sevenosevenoperationsinc/1527042
Pay a deposit to secure your place:
https://bookings.slowrailjourneys.com.au/events/sevenosevenoperationsinc/1527060
All Vinelander tours are limited to 150 guests, with only limited seats remaining - Book your place on this amazing tour now to avoid disappointment!
Proudly bought to you by the volunteers from Seven - O - Seven Operations and Slow Rail Journeys. We love showing you the very best of regional Victoria, and #supportingregionalvictoria