An early Queensland Railway poster for the Sunshine Express. Image courtesy of John Oxley Library.
Dining Carriage interior, Sunshine Express, c.1935. Image courtesy of QR.
Author and railway historian David Burke OAM.
One of Australia's great rail journeys - Kuranda Scenic Railway train passing the Stoney Creek Falls. Image courtesy of QR.
Sunshine Express captured in new book
The Workshops Rail Museum has released a new book, Chasing the Sunshine by David Burke OAM, about the famed Sunshine Express rail service.
The book follows the construction of the 1600 kilometre North Coast line, the Sunshine Route, which took over 35 years to complete. The Sunshine Express travelled from Brisbane to Cairns between 1935 and 1953.
According to Museum Director Andrew Moritz, the book is a beautiful tribute to the grandeur and excitement of steam train travel.
'The completion of the North Coast line had a tremendous impact on the development of tourism and travel in Queensland. It opened up the concept of rail holidays and visiting Queensland's Far North to a greater number of people,' Andrew said.
Author and railway historian David Burke OAM began his career writing for radio and newspapers, including the Melbourne Herald and the Sydney Morning Herald. He has written 23 books, mostly with a railway theme. His book Come Midnight Monday was made into a television series by the ABC.
Chasing the Sunshine, a Q150 (external site) project, was written with the assistance of The Workshops Rail Museum (external site) and published by Queensland Museum Publishing.
The book is available from The Workshops Rail Museum for $34.95. To order, phone (07) 3432 5100 or email info@theworkshops.qm.qld.gov.au.
Rail Museum show tours Australia
The Workshops Rail Museum's Great Railway Journeys of Australia (external site) exhibition is now touring Australia.
The exhibition will visit the Museum of Tropical Queensland (external site) in Townsville from 7 August to 8 November 2009 and the Queensland Museum (external site), South Bank, Brisbane from 28 November 2009 to 9 March 2010.
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Last reviewed: 30 September, 2009
Last updated: 1 October, 2009
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