all aboard the Christmas Train

"Dashing through the bush in a dusty Holden Ute, kicking up the dust, esky in the boot!" Just last week I celebrated Christmas the Australian way by jumping aboard the Indian Pacific for the tenth annual Christmas Train. The journey begins in Sydney and travels 4,352km across the continent where it ends in Perth, a route that makes it's way across the expansive Nullabor Plains.

The Nullabor Plains

Also on board the train were legendary rockers James Reyne and Mark Seymour who performed some of their classics with a few Christmas tunes at each stop usually accompanied by the local school. Every year a different performer comes on board to spread some Christmas cheer performers like Guy Sebastian, Shannon Noll, Jimmy Barnes and Marcia Hines. The stops along the way included Broken Hill, Adelaide, Watson, Cook, Kalgoorlie and Perth.

James Reyne & Mark Seymour

The carriages are small but comfortable and once you get used to the constant rocking, you sleep quite well. Especially after you have been wined and dined at every meal.

Now to the highlight, early every December the indigenous people of Maralinga, now re-settled in the communities of Oak Valley and Yatala, drive 300 km from their remote homes to meet the train at Watson. The train stops, literally, in the middle of the Nullabor with nothing but a tree decorated with tinsel and a seat for Santa.

Santa's chair under the Christmas Tree

Waiting in Watson for the train to arrive

Concert in the Outback

With each stop came a new experience, I can't say I've ever been to a town with the population of "20 dingoes, two dogs, four people and three million flies". The family that lives there now runs a gift shop for train travellers and provides a place for the train to stop for water and re-fuel.

Cook - Population: 4

The trip was an incredible experience, thanks to Great Southern Rail for the chance to join the Christmas trip this year!