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Luckily, this is a rail cruise, so no one is in a hurry. We also have plenty of space \u2013 my travel companion and I have been allocated a block of six seats between us, and our fellow passengers are similarly spread out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We enjoy the first day on the train, particularly travelling the little-used stretch of freight line which weaves through the foothills of the Pyrenees Ranges, with pretty views of rolling green hills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first night is spent at the impressive RACV Goldfields Resort near Creswick, then we\u2019re bussed back to Maryborough to continue our train journey. We eat well along the way, with morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea being served on board \u2013 always items sourced from passing towns, including the aforementioned vanilla slice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our arrival at Mildura\u2019s railway station creates a sensation in the train-starved city, with a small crowd welcoming our arrival. Passengers are accommodated near the station, at the Commodore Motel or Mildura Grand Hotel. The Grand is a fascinating historic pile, and a twisting series of corridors leads to our comfortable old-school room with balcony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dinners are a social highlight of the trip, and consistently good quality. A tasty alternate drop menu (pork chops or chicken) is served at the Grand soon after arrival in Mildura. The following night\u2019s meal, an array of local produce served within the soaring interior of the city\u2019s Powerhouse, is the best of the journey; and the Murray River dinner cruise aboard the PB Mundoo on the final night in Mildura is also delicious. Breakfasts served in the Grand\u2019s ballroom are a little disappointing, however, with weak coffee and lukewarm bain-marie fare.<\/p>\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-11.jpeg\")
Split into two groups, we embark on excursions. On the first day my group heads by bus across the New South Wales border to Mungo National Park, a starkly dry and dramatic environment where some of the oldest human remains have been found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a one-hour 40-minute drive to get there, much of that over an unsealed road, which leads to applause when we finally return to the bitumen on the return leg. While on site we meet traditional owners who give us the lowdown on the area\u2019s past human settlement, and take us to view fascinating desert formations caused by long-vanished water flows.<\/p>\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-12.jpeg\")
The next day sees excursions to Orange World and the Australian Inland Botanic Gardens. There\u2019s enough time between these outings to have a dip in the hotel pool \u2013 where it turns out the chilly water hasn\u2019t caught up with the suddenly hot weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Never mind, for there\u2019s a return rail journey to Melbourne yet to enjoy, including a lunch date at Clyde Park winery at Bannockburn near Geelong. And, more importantly, a second vanilla slice \u2013 this time sourced from award-winning Sharp\u2019s Bakery in tiny Birchip. Which will be judged the best by us passengers? Let the battle of the tastebuds commence!<\/p>\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-13.jpeg\")
THE DETAILS<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
TOUR Melbourne can also be reached by train from Sydney (see transportnsw.info<\/a>) and Adelaide (see journeybeyondrail.com.au\/the-overland<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n STAY MORE
<\/strong>The Vinelander five-night excursion from $2545 per person, see\u00a0slowrailjourneys.com.au<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins offers stylish heritage rooms from $279 a night. See savoyhotelmelbourne.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>visitmildura.com.au<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n