The Gulflander - Normanton to Croydon

Today was an early start to get to the Normanton train station by 7:45am for an 8:30 departure on the Gulflander for a 5 hour trip to Croydon. The "train" is actually a 1950s railmotor complete with diesel engine and a manual gearbox. Maximum advised speed for this track is about 25mph. Yes the track markers along the way and the speedo are still in miles.

One point of interest was a pole indicating flood heights over the years. It must be an incredible sight to see in the wet when the rivers break their banks first spilling into the salt marshes and eventually isolating many communities and stations.

We stopped for a mail delivery to a cattle station and then again at Black Bull siding for morning tea. One who is not very observant could be forgiven for thinking it is quite a boring trip. But to the rest of us, the scenery is a beautiful, very dry, and ever changing landscape of different flora, bird life, and the odd wallaby or kangaroo trying to keep pace with the train.

When we pulled in to Croydon Station, (yes, the shed above is the actual station) there was a free bus waiting to save us the three block walk into town and dropped us off for a late lunch at the pub before getting on the Cairns to Karumba coach for the return trip to Normanton.