Great Southern Rail Wine & Wildlife

Duration: 10 Days

Price: from AU$7,585

Departure From: Brisbane

Departure Date: Monday (Jan, Feb & Dec) 2025

Tour Type: Group Tour

Meal Plan: B&B and selected meals

Physical Grading: 2

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From the natural, rugged beauty of Kangaroo Island to the vine-clad hills of the Barossa Valley, South Australia is yours to discover on this Great Southern Rail Wine and Wildlife adventure.

Travelling from Brisbane on the Great Southern rail journey, winding down the coast through Coffs Harbour and the Hunter Valley, with a city stop in Melbourne, you’ll roll into Adelaide primed for further epicurean delights to follow. Local produce, refreshing wines and spectacular scenery are the highlights of this spectacular journey.

great southern wine and wildlife 2025

Once settled in Adelaide, while your Great Southern rail journey has concluded, your adventure continues with day tours visiting the famed Barossa Valley, and a gourmet experience to Penfolds Magill Estate. Kangaroo Island beckons and a short flight will offer a short stay on this wonderful wildlife preserve. Over a third of the island is protected in nature reserves, home to native wildlife like sea lions, koalas and diverse bird species. In the west, Flinders Chase National Park is known for penguin colonies and striking coastal rock formations, like the sculpted Remarkable Rocks and the stalactite-covered Admirals Arch.

Kangaroo Island

Great Southern Rail Wine & Wildlife – Highlights and Inclusions

  • 3 nights aboard the Great Southern, Brisbane to Adelaide, including all meals, beverages and Off Train Experiences in Coffs Harbour, the Hunter Valley region and regional Victoria
  • Enjoy a special beachside dining experience in Coffs Harbour
  • Savour the flavours and sights of the picturesque Hunter Region
  • Immerse yourself in cosmopolitan Melbourne or regional Victoria
  • Transfer from Adelaide Parklands Terminal to hotel
  • 4 nights accommodation in Adelaide, including breakfast daily
  • The Iconic Penfolds Experience tour, including a three-course lunch with matching wines
  • Visit the original Grange Cottage at Penfolds and visit Penfolds’ underground cellars
  • Indulge in an exclusive selection of Penfolds’ most coveted wines
  • Return flights from Adelaide to Kangaroo Island
  • Return hotel to airport transfers in Adelaide to meet the return flight to Kangaroo Island
  • 2-night Kangaroo Island in Style tour, including flights to and from the Island, accommodation, most meals and personalised touring
  • Wildlife experience at Seal Bay Conservation Park
  • Explore Flinders Chase National Park, Admirals Arch and Remarkable Rocks
  • Northern Barossa Valley Voyager tour, including lunch
  • Discover the history of the Barossa Valley
  • Enjoy cellar door tastings, and a delicious lunch with a glass of wine to accompany
  • Enjoy 9 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 5 dinners across your journey
Great Southern Rail journey
Penfolds Winery

Great Southern Rail Wine & Wildlife – Included Off-Train Experiences

Enjoy these unique off-train extra experiences which are included in your Brisbane to Adelaide Great Southern rail journey.

Coffs Harbour Dinner– After crossing from Queensland into northern New South Wales, enjoy a unique dining experience on the beach at the sublime coastal town of Coffs Harbour. As the sun dips beneath the horizon, enjoy a unique beachside dinner where you’ll feast on local produce and fresh seafood matched with fine wines. After a few leisurely hours, you’ll reboard the train and set off for the night.

Hunter Valley – Known for superior semillon and shiraz, the Hunter Valley is around 50kms inland from the New South Wales coast. After breakfast on board, you’ll disembark and spend the day visiting cellar doors in Australia’s oldest wine region. Your day amongst the vines will take you to some of the region’s finest wineries, from stylish and contemporary to marvellously historic, and relaxed and fun.

Hunter Valley Wine Experience
Hunter Valley Wine Experience

Greater Melbourne – Get to know Melbourne city like a local with a selection of terrific day tours from which you can choose. Each excursion finishes with an enjoyable lunch on the banks of the Yarra River at Melbourne Skydeck, the Southern Hemisphere’s highest public observation tower.

  • The National Gallery of Victoria private tour allows you to explore the oldest and most visited art collection in Australia.
  • Make a pilgrimage to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), not only an iconic sporting institution, but also an impressive landmark solidified in Melbourne’s skyline.
  • Head to the Old Melbourne Gaol, which from 1842 until is closure in 1929 was the scene of 133 hangings, including Australia’s most infamous citizen, Bushranger Ned Kelly. Enjoy a private tour through the building and cells, seeing firsthand what life was like for all those men and women who lived and died here so many years ago.
  • Victoria is well-known for its excellent food and wine scene and this is certainly on display at Clyde Park in the Moorabool Valley. A little over an hour from Melbourne, Clyde Park is a beautiful vineyard, cellar door and bistro set among rolling hills. Here, you’ll enjoy a sumptuous lunch and cool climate wines while being entertained on the glorious lawns.

See below for departure dates and pricing.


The Great Southern – Your Onboard Experience

Everything is Included.

There’s nothing like putting down your suitcase and allowing your journey to simply unfold. Once you step aboard our trains, you can relax, knowing everything has been considered and included in your fare. From world-class food and wine to a range of immersive Off Train Experiences, the hardest decision you’ll need to make is what to have for lunch and which experience to join.

Platinum Club Lunch
Platinum Club Lunch

In addition to the comfort of your beautifully appointed cabin onboard, you’ll find yourself indulging in sumptuous cuisine, fine wines, and camaraderie in our dining carriages.

Taking our cue from the diverse environments our trains travel through, our expert culinary team works closely with local suppliers, farmers and providores to source the best ingredients, creating an innovative, regionally-inspired menu accompanied by all-inclusive fine wines and beverages.

The Platinum Club

Great Southern – Platinum Service

Stylishly appointed and spacious cabins are complemented by discreet, personalised service and access to the exclusive Platinum Club carriage for meals, relaxation and socialising. As you’d expect, the food and wine is of the highest standard. Enjoy hearty breakfasts, two-course lunches and four-course dinners, all regionally inspired and paired with champagne and premium wines.

And it all begins before you’ve even stepped aboard. Platinum guests receive private transfers before and after your journey, beginning the adventure in style.

Platinum cabins offer premium extras, like a full-size en suite, expansive window views from the train, and exclusive use of the Platinum Club carriage. Add to that the luxurious linen, French Champagne, Bracegirdle’s chocolates, a nightcap at turndown and more, and you’re in for an exceptional experience.

Platinum Double Cabin

Platinum Service inclusions:

  • All-inclusive dining, beverages, and Off Train Experiences
  • Spacious Double or Twin cabin almost twice the size of a Gold Service Twin cabin
  • By day, cabins are set up lounge-style with a moveable table and two ottomans
  • By night, lounges are converted to double or twin beds
  • En suite equipped with separate shower, vanity with cupboard space, toilet and Australian bathroom amenities
  • Power outlets and in-cabin safe
  • In-cabin music channels and journey audio commentary
  • Panoramic windows offering views from both sides of the train
  • Access to the exclusive Platinum Club for dining and socialising
  • Freshly prepared continental breakfasts served upon request in-cabin
  • Refreshments served in-cabin
  • Transfers at the start and end of your journey available for guests within 60 km of the terminal
  • 90 kg checked luggage allowance per guest (3 x 30 kg each).
Platinum Double Cabin Plan LOCO Journeys

Great Southern – Gold Premium

Gold Premium is a new style of travel, with contemporary cabins that take inspiration from the colours and contours of the Australian outback. Think walnut timber and polished brass details, along with Indigenous prints on the upholstery. The cabins are designed to cocoon guests in comfort and come with exclusive access to the Gold Premium Lounge and Gold Dining carriages. Whether you want to share the highlights of your day with fellow guests over an aperitif in the Lounge or relax in your cabin as you admire the colours and contours of the passing landscape, you’ll enjoy special moments throughout the journey and a range of enhanced benefits, such as all-inclusive dining, premium beverages and fascinating Off Train Experiences.

Gold Premium Inclusions:

  • Newly designed, contemporary cabins
  • Premium amenities, luxuriously soft linen and silk eye masks
  • Exclusive access to the Gold Premium Lounge and Gold Premium Dining carriage
  • Two-course, regionally inspired lunches and four-course dinners
  • All-inclusive premium Australian wines, beers, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages
  • All-inclusive Off Train Experiences and preferences on tour selections
  • 75kg checked luggage allowance per guest (3 x 25 kg each)
  • Priority luggage check-in
  • Power outlets in cabin
  • In-cabin music channels and journey audio commentary
  • Complimentary shuttle bus transfers available in Darwin and Brisbane to selected hotels in the city centre
Gold-Premium-Twin-Cabin-Night
Gold Premium Twin Cabin

Great Southern – Gold Service

Choose between Gold Twin or Single cabins, both of which provide the perfect place to relax and recharge after a day’s journey. Spend hours deep in conversation with new friends in the shared Outback Explorer Lounge, sipping on barista made coffee, or a glass of white wine. Later make your way to the Queen Adelaide Restaurant to dine.

Gold includes hearty breakfasts, two-course lunches and three-course dinners. You may also choose to complement your meal with our selection of premium wines and beverages, all included in your fare.

Gold Twin Cabin
Gold-Service-Single-Cabin
Gold Single Cabin

Gold Service Inclusions:

  • For Gold Twin, the most popular option, offers a comfortable sleeper cabin featuring private en suite and upper and lower berths that convert to a three-seater lounge by day
  • Gold Superior cabins feature a ¾ size double bed plus an additional fold down upper berth, lounge area, TV and DVD player, mini-bar and en suite.
  • For Gold Single, a compact sleeper cabin featuring a bed that converts to a seat by day and shared shower/toilet facilities located at the end of the carriage
  • Gold Access Cabins are exclusively reserved for the mobility impaired. This cabin is subject to availability and assessment of the guest’s Fitness to Travel.
  • Power outlets in cabin
  • In-cabin music channels and journey audio commentary available
  • All-inclusive dining in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant
  • All-inclusive Australian wines, beers, base spirits and non-alcoholic beverages
  • All-inclusive Off Train Excursions and Short Stops
  • Luggage allowance is 60kg per guest
  • Complimentary Shuttle bus transfers available in Darwin to selected hotels in the city centre
Gold Service Twin Cabin The Ghan Plan
Gold Service Single Cabin The Ghan Plan

Great Southern Rail Wine & Wildlife Prices & Departure Dates

2025 Great Southern Rail Wine & Wildlife departs from Brisbane

Brisbane to Adelaide, 10 days, 9 nights, 21 meals. Departing Mondays, January & February.

CabinFare TypeJanuary, February, December 2025
PlatinumEveryday Holiday$10,860
Gold Premium TwinAdvance Purchase Holiday*$8,275
Gold Premium TwinEveryday Holiday$8,840
Gold TwinAdvance Purchase Holiday*$7,585
Gold TwinEveryday Holiday$8,060
Gold SingleAdvance Purchase Holiday*$8,505
Gold SingleEveryday Holiday$8,930
*Advance Purchase Holiday fares are subject to availability. Within 6 months of travel Saver Holiday fares may be offered, subject to availability. Prices are subject to change. Further conditions apply.

Should you wish to add pre or post night accommodation, activities or international flights to your Great Southern rail experience, please be sure to let us know at the time of booking. If you wish to conclude your rail adventure in Melbourne, link your Great Southern rail trip with The Overland. Find out how here.

Tour Inclusions

  • 3 nights onboard The Great Southern Rail Journey
  • 4 nights accommodation in Adelaide
  • 2 nights accommodation at Kangaroo Island
  • Meals as indicated within the itinerary
  • All sightseeing, cruises, rail travel and entrance fees as specified in the itinerary
  • The services of an experienced train staff

Pricing Notes

  • Advertised price based on per person, Twin Gold Cabin
  • Price based on Advance Holiday Saver 2025 departures and subject to availability
  • Full payment is required at the time of booking
  • Price is subject to change unless paid in full
  • Full terms and conditions will be advised at the time of booking.
  • The Great Southern is a no smoking environment

Tour Itinerary

Day 1 | Board the Great Southern Rail Journey in Brisbane (L,D)
Today, you’ll set off from Brisbane on your adventure covering Australia’s south-east. Settle into your cabin and prepare for your first meal on train before arriving into Coffs Harbour for a spectacular beachside dining experience in the evening.
After your first night on the train, wake up to a sumptuous breakfast that will set you up for a day of exploring. Choose from wine tasting in the Hunter Valley, exploring Port Stephens by sea or by land, or perhaps opt for a walking tour in Newcastle, discovering its history, vibrancy and stunning coastal views.
After enjoying a delicious breakfast on board and a relaxing start to the day travelling through Victoria's high country, you'll have a choice of Off Train Experiences. Discover regional Victoria or visit cosmopolitan Melbourne. See the city from high above at Melbourne Skydeck, take a tour of the Melbourne Cricket Ground or Old Melbourne Gaol, or enjoy free time to explore the city yourself.
Upon arrival into Adelaide, you will be transferred to your hotel. The day is yours to explore the city. Home to over 900 restaurants, pubs and cafes, and a lively food and wine scene, you'll be spoilt for choice.
Today, your boutique wine and food touring continues with a visit to the historic Northern Barossa, with its 80 cellar doors. Enjoy running commentary from your driver as you make your way towards the fabulous Barossa Valley region and prepare to visit one of the oldest vineyards in the world, where Shiraz vines were planted in 1843. Throughout the day, you will be guided through some of the best wines South Australia has to offer. Tours are small groups up to 8 people only, to ensure a relaxed and unhurried day. Whether you prefer red or white, there will be something to tantalise and delight, with tastings at three wineries and a delicious lunch with an accompanying glass of wine.
As far as gourmet experiences go, today you are about to indulge in one of Australia’s best. The legendary Penfolds Magill Estate, where some of the world’s great wines are produced, is your venue for an epicurean adventure you’ll never forget. Make your way from the hotel to Penfolds Magill Estate by your own arrangements, ready to enjoy tastings, including Grange, in the Estate’s private rooms, before heading to the Magill Estate Cellar Door for a sumptuous lunch.
Explore more of Adelaide at your leisure. If you’d like to get to the source of that gourmet experience by visiting another wine growing region, McLaren Vale is the perfect option.
Depart from Adelaide Airport for your flight to magical Kangaroo Island, where you will be met by your guide. Then, begin your two days on Kangaroo Island enjoying the ‘Island Life’ tour. Island Life provides a taste of the way of life in this bucolic spot, where things take time, drivers’ wave as they go by and passers-by stop for a chat. Have a cuppa with some home-made treats before taking a walk down a country track through towering Eucalyptus trees, where koalas snooze overhead or chew languidly on leaves. Listen for the sounds of the bush – brightly coloured honeyeaters and brilliant parrots, cicadas or perhaps just the sound of silence. You’ll travel through the Island’s most productive countryside to the north coast and walk through the bush with your guide, learning what makes that noise and whose tracks those are. Watch for small wallabies, a kangaroo found only on Kangaroo Island, and a variety of other birds, plants and animals. Lunch is at a private bush camp, where you’ll enjoy a delicious meal featuring King George whiting – a local sea fish, fresh salads and fine South Australian wines. At Seal Bay Conservation Park, take a private tour with your guide among Australian sea lions on a beautiful sandy beach. Watch pups nursing or playing in the surf and old bulls bearing the scars of territorial disputes and learn about their unique breeding biology. After a day of touring, you will return to your accommodation, with dinner included at your hotel.
Begin the day travelling through some of the regenerating landscapes of Kangaroo Island. Learn about fire ecology and how nature deals with this natural hazard. Some of the native flora species only flower following fire. Travel into Flinders Chase National Park and explore the massive shapes of Remarkable Rocks, a natural sculpture perched impossibly on top a granite dome plunging into the ocean. Then you’ll break for an elegant picnic lunch in the bush, or if weather permits, on a spectacular clifftop. Evidence of the power of the Southern Ocean swell continues at Admirals Arch – a coastal grotto that provides a haul out for a large colony of Long-nosed Fur Seals, which swim effortlessly through the crashing waves. After your last day of touring, you will return to your accommodation, with dinner included at your hotel.
This morning, you’ll be transferred to the airport for your return flight to Adelaide. Arriving in Adelaide, you will be transferred to your city accommodation to leave your bags and spend the remainder of the day at your leisure. The evening is free to explore some of Adelaide’s many dining and entertainment precincts.
After breakfast, check out of your accommodation, bringing your epicurean adventure to an end.

For more information about this tour, price queries and updates on specials, please Enquire Now.