Couple choose Goulburn for Ex-Southern Aurora carriage project

Former Goulburn railwaymen readily offer up their stories of the first-class train's passage on the Sydney to Melbourne route through this city.

"We call it the Queen of Australian rail," Mr Mitchell said.

"She was the top train for NSW in the 1960s and it was the way to travel between Sydney and Melbourne. It was the aspirational thing to do."

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The Canberra couple is aiming to recapture that "magic." Their company, Vintage Rail Journeys, is restoring three Ex-Southern Aurora carriages at the Goulburn Rail Heritage Centre, or Loco Roundhouse. They're just some of the 14 carriages Mr Mitchell purchased from the Australian Railway Historical Society in 2017 after it went into receivership. Five have already been restored.

Next April, the refurbished carriages will join more from the Thirlmere rail heritage centre to run the company's Golden West Tour through the Hawkesbury, Central West and Blue Mountains areas. It is already sold out.

But there are also plans next year to roll out the four-day 'Riverina tour,' using the Aurora carriages, travelling from Sydney, the Illawarra, Moss Vale, Goulburn, the Riverina and return. Goulburn will be a key overnight stop for the passengers who will stay in local accommodation and tap into a 'regional experience.'

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"So many people bypass Goulburn but there's so much history here and so much to do," Mr Mitchell said.

"We love the architecture here."

The Mitchells were lured by the city's location, its rail heritage centre and accompanying expertise, and Ainsworth Engineering. Principal, Ken Ainsworth, is a friend of Mr Mitchell's father, and is well known for his work on steam engines. He will help make the carriages rail worthy, while four Restart NSW workers will assist general restoration.

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The Mitchells plan to keep the carriages as original as possible, highlighting their distinctive stainless steel exterior. Inside, the original wall laminate is still in place, as are compartments for passengers to place their shoes for shining. Seats fold back to become beds at night and there's a small fold-down hand basin. And, of course, nothing would be complete without the dining car where passengers dressed in their finery for the evening meal.

The Southern Aurora plied the route from 1962, when it was constructed, to August 2, 1986. It merged temporarily with the Spirit of Progress, before stopping altogether due to the increased popularity of flight.

Nevertheless, people are keen to recapture the past. Mr Mitchell said tickets on the Golden West Tour sold out within three months. He expects a similar response to the Riverina tour.

Businesses and tourist spots in Goulburn will also benefit, with plans to source regional produce and services for the journey.

The restoration is something of a labour of love for the couple. Mr Mitchell, a former accountant, retired age 45, to take up his rail passion fulltime.

"It's an inherited disease and I definitely got it from my dad," he said.

His father started the Malkara Model Railway Exhibition at Canberra's Malkara School, where he was principal. The exhibition has been running for 47 years and has become a major fundraiser.

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Danielle, a former public servant, has joined Mr Mitchell in the restoration work and the tour company. They have also restored a 103-year-old ferry which is used on the Riverboat Tour up the Hawkesbury River.

Together they live in a 1960s home in north Canberra, an easy commute from Goulburn.

Once the three carriages are complete in about March, the couple will begin work on another six.

"We'll be here for a while yet," Mr Mitchell quipped.

Mayor Bob Kirk welcomed the company to town.

"This is such a brilliant addition to the Goulburn business landscape and an example of a really innovative tourism enterprise established by Simon and Danielle," he said.

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