Riverina & ACT Journey (March 2027)

There are journeys that take you somewhere new, and then there are journeys that gently take you back — to a slower rhythm, a quieter landscape, and a more gracious way of travelling.

The Compass Society’s Riverina & ACT journey, departing 28 March 2027, is one of those rare Australian itineraries that feels both nostalgic and surprising.

It begins with the romance of vintage rail travel, continues through the agricultural heartlands and railway towns of the NSW Riverina, pauses in the Blue Mountains and Bundanoon, then settles into five rewarding nights in Canberra — a city often underestimated, yet rich with heritage, art, national stories, food, wine and unexpected beauty.

Escorted by Cathi Burnett-Cosgrove, this 12-day journey has been designed for travellers who enjoy something beyond the obvious. It is not simply a train trip, nor simply a visit to Canberra. It is a carefully crafted Australian experience — one that blends heritage rail, regional flavours, historic places, cultural institutions and the warm companionship of a small group travelling together.

A forgotten Australia, rediscovered by rail

There is something wonderfully evocative about stepping aboard a vintage train. It changes the pace immediately. The phone can stay in the bag. The landscape becomes the entertainment. Conversation returns to the lounge carriage. Meals unfold with time and care. The journey becomes part of the destination.

For four nights, your train becomes your travelling home as you journey through the NSW Riverina aboard a vintage heritage rail experience. These beautifully restored carriages recall the 1960s era of Australian rail travel, with compact cabins, a dedicated onboard team, dining and lounge carriages, and the distinctive sense of occasion that only train travel can bring.

This is not travel measured in speed or efficiency. It is travel measured in scenery, conversation, regional stories and the gentle rhythm of the rails.

The route takes in the rolling countryside of New South Wales, the Canola Trails region, historic railway towns and rarely used rail corridors. Along the way, off-train experiences bring the region to life — from local produce and agriculture to museums, wineries, aviation history and artisan food.

The Riverina: railways, produce and regional character

The Riverina has long been one of Australia’s great food-producing regions, shaped by agriculture, irrigation, railways and resilient country communities. On this journey, the region is not viewed from a distance. It is experienced through its towns, its produce, its heritage and its people.

After boarding in Sydney, the rail journey begins with a first stop at Goulburn, with a choice of experiences including historic gardens or the joyful nostalgia of Fairground Follies. From there, the train continues through small towns scattered along the Main South Line towards Junee, a place with a rich railway identity.

In Junee, travellers visit the Junee Historical Railway Museum, followed by the much-loved Junee Licorice & Chocolate Factory — a sweet and characterful stop that brings a little indulgence to the day. The journey then continues through Coolamon and Leeton, with a visit to an artisan cheesemaker in the heart of the Riverina.

The following days offer a choice of included off-train experiences. Travellers may explore the region’s agricultural heritage through places such as Southern Cotton and Whitton Malt House, or enjoy local flavours at Morella Grove Olive Farm and Yarran Wines, with tastings and a charcuterie-style lunch. In Temora, there is a choice between the Temora Rural History Museum and the Temora Aviation Museum, each revealing a different side of regional Australia.

These experiences give texture to the journey. The Riverina becomes more than a place on the map — it becomes a landscape of stories, industry, flavour and history.

A rare rail route through the heart of New South Wales

One of the special pleasures of this itinerary is the rail route itself. As the journey continues from Temora, the train travels along rarely used freight-only lines via Stockinbingal, with meals served onboard as the scenery continues to unfold outside the window.

This is the kind of experience most travellers would never arrange independently. It is also precisely the kind of distinctive detail that makes a Compass Society journey feel different. The train is not merely transport; it is the thread that connects country towns, agricultural districts, railway heritage and the shared experience of travelling together.

By the time the train reaches Orange, then continues towards Lithgow and the Great Dividing Range, the landscape has changed again. The route passes through the tunnels that replaced the original Lithgow Zig Zag before continuing towards Mount Victoria and the Blue Mountains.

The Blue Mountains and the romance of steam

At Mount Victoria, the journey takes another nostalgic turn with a scenic experience aboard the iconic Zig Zag Railway steam train.

This 90-minute steam journey through the Blue Mountains adds yet another layer to the rail story. After days aboard a vintage train, travellers experience the drama and atmosphere of steam heritage in one of New South Wales’ most beautiful mountain regions.

A stop at Echo Point Lookout follows, offering sweeping views across the Blue Mountains before the final leg of the Vintage Rail Journey returns to Sydney’s Central Station. It is a fitting conclusion to the rail portion of the itinerary — mountains, heritage, views and one last evening onboard.

Bundanoon: a Highland celebration in the Southern Highlands

From Sydney, the journey continues by road to Bundanoon for a very different kind of cultural experience: the Bundanoon Highland Gathering.

Known as one of Australia’s premier Scottish gatherings, this annual event brings together music, colour, tradition and community spirit. Travellers do not need Scottish ancestry to enjoy the spectacle. The day offers pageantry, entertainment and a joyful sense of occasion in the beautiful Southern Highlands.

It is another example of how this itinerary finds character in unexpected places. Rather than simply moving from one destination to the next, the journey pauses for a uniquely Australian celebration of heritage and community before continuing to Canberra.

Canberra: more than most Australians realise

Canberra is often described in shorthand: Parliament, government, national institutions. Yet those who take the time to explore it properly discover a city of far greater depth.

For this journey, Canberra is not treated as a brief stopover. It becomes a five-night stay, giving travellers time to experience the national capital with more care and curiosity.

Cathi describes Canberra as a city that many Australians overlook, despite its extraordinary collection of galleries, museums, memorials, markets, heritage places, food experiences and nearby cool-climate wine regions. It is a relatively young city, but it is also one filled with stories — of national identity, political history, art, remembrance, architecture and landscape.

During the Canberra stay, the itinerary includes visits to the National Portrait Gallery, Old Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial, the Kingston Markets, the Murrumbateman Wine District and Lanyon Homestead, along with opportunities to discover stories of old and new Canberra.

Art, identity and national stories

The National Portrait Gallery offers a fascinating way to encounter Australian history through people. Its collection brings together portraits of Australians from many fields and eras — public figures, artists, cultural leaders, change-makers and quieter figures whose stories form part of the national fabric.

Nearby, Old Parliament House gives travellers a chance to step inside the political history of the country. More than a building, it is a place where decisions were made, debates unfolded and modern Australia took shape.

Together, these two visits help frame Canberra not simply as the seat of government, but as a place where the nation reflects on who we are, where we have come from and how our shared story has been shaped.

Reflection at the Australian War Memorial

A visit to the Australian War Memorial is one of the most significant experiences in Canberra. It is at once a museum, a shrine and an archive — a place of national memory and deep reflection.

The Memorial tells the stories of those who served, those who were affected by war, and the families and communities whose lives were changed forever. Its galleries bring together aircraft, artefacts, personal stories and historical interpretation in a way that is moving, absorbing and unforgettable.

For many travellers, this will be one of the most powerful moments of the tour. It is a visit that encourages stillness, gratitude and remembrance.

Markets, wine and Canberra’s softer side

Canberra also has a lighter, more relaxed side — and this journey makes room for it.

The Kingston Markets, held in the Old Bus Depot, are a lively way to experience local food, artisan makers, crafts, jewellery, clothing, art and ceramics. They offer a different kind of Canberra: social, creative and full of local flavour.

Beyond the city, the Murrumbateman Wine District introduces travellers to one of the region’s best surprises. Many Australians are unaware of the quality and scale of the Canberra District wine region, yet it is home to a thriving cool-climate wine scene. Here, the combination of altitude, climate and passionate producers has created a distinctive wine region close to the capital.

A day among the vineyards adds warmth and pleasure to the Canberra stay — another reminder that this region rewards those who look beyond the obvious.

Lanyon Homestead and the layers of the ACT

The itinerary also includes Lanyon Homestead, one of the ACT’s important historic properties. Set against a rural landscape, Lanyon offers a glimpse into early colonial life, pastoral history and the layers of settlement that existed long before modern Canberra was imagined.

This visit helps connect the capital to the land around it. Canberra is often thought of as planned and political, yet its surrounding region holds older stories of pastoral life, Indigenous history, agriculture and rural settlement.

By including Lanyon, the itinerary gives travellers a fuller sense of place — not just the national capital, but the broader ACT landscape and its history.

Travelling with Cathi and The Compass Society

As with all Compass Society journeys, this tour is about more than the listed inclusions. It is about the way the journey is brought together.

Travelling with Cathi means travelling with someone who has spent more than 40 years crafting unique travel experiences. Her journeys are known for going beyond the surface — combining thoughtful planning, local flavour, interesting people, distinctive places and the pleasure of travelling in like-minded company.

This Riverina & ACT journey has all the hallmarks of a Compass Society tour: a carefully designed route, a strong sense of story, premium escorted travel, regional experiences, time to enjoy the unexpected and the reassurance of travelling with an experienced escort from beginning to end.

It is a journey for travellers who appreciate history, culture, food, wine, rail heritage and the quiet joy of discovering places that are closer to home — but still capable of surprise.