The West Coast Wilderness Railway carves its way through thick rainforest on the west coast of Tasmania and takes you to wild locations that are otherwise largely inaccessible. The train runs a 35-kilometre track between the towns of Queenstown and Strahan, and is of important historical significance for the area. In fact, 3 of the 5 original locomotives used on this fascinating 1897-built railway are still in operation. A fourth locomotive was scrapped while the fifth sits in a museum in Hobart.
There are three journeys to choose from, departing from either Strahan or Queenstown and, whichever option you choose, the ride takes you through gorges, up steep grades, past historical markers and to incredible wilderness vantage points. On two of the journeys the train stops for you to enjoy each of these locations. You can board the in either Queenstown or Strahan, and you have your choice of train cars. The Heritage Carriage offers drinks and snacks for purchase at stations along the ride while the Wilderness Carriage is all inclusive with catering and a complimentary glass of sparkling wine.
You have two choices when boarding the West Coast Wilderness Railway - Queenstown and Strahan. The train was originally built to take minerals from Queenstown to the coastal town of Strahan for export.
Queenstown is inland and an easier drive from Hobart than Strahan is. The historic mining town sits 260 kilometres from Hobart which takes approximately 3 hours and 42 minutes to drive. The drive from Launceston is about the same as the inland city sits 244 kilometres to the northeast. Devonport, the home of the Spirit of Tasmania ferry to the mainland, sits hundred 96 kilometres to the north and would take you about 2.5 hours.
You can also choose to drive around Queenstown to the picturesque, coastal town of Strahan. From Hobart, the drive will take you 4.5 hours. Launceston sits about 3 hours and 40 minutes away and Devonport gets you there quickest at nearly 3 hours.
There is no other landscape on earth quite like Queenstown. In the 1800s, this former mining town was stripped of all of its trees, bushes and soils and copper smelting sent land-killing sulfur into the air. What's left is a beautiful and stark reminder of man's greed. The mining boom drew rugged men from all over the world looking to make it big at the expense of the local, natural environment. It was this mining boom that led to the construction of the railway you get to enjoy today.Most of the treasure hunters descending on Queenstown left empty-handed, but Bowes Kelly was not one of them. Kelly had one advantage over everybody else - he was already wealthy. Striking it big by founding the mining company that would eventually become BHP, Kelly turned to his new venture in Queenstown after receiving a soil sample from the area which was rich in copper.
He arrived in the mining town in the 1800s and bought up all the land he could. Mining this remote region was anything but easy. The process began to destroy the land around Queenstown and the situation became even more difficult when they ran up against the problem of how would they export their minerals? Kelly was committed to the idea that a railway could be cut through the incredibly dense forest on the way to the coastal town of Strahan for export. It turns out that he was right.
Building the railway was incredibly challenging. At one point, Kelly had over 2,000 lumberjacks in his employ. The timber they cut fed the copper smelting in Queenstown, was used to build the track and was turned into boats for shipping at the town of Strahan. It was not used for firewood however. Receiving over a metre and a half of rain per year, western Tasmania is one of the wettest places on planet Earth. This means the woodcutters could not use their own felled timber to keep themselves warm at night. Instead, at the end of a hard day's work, they would crawl back into a hole in the ground with a canvas roof. And the hole would usually be filled with water. Image thanks to Jason Futrill.
In fact, it was so wet during the construction of this railway that many construction workers cut holes in the bottom of their boots to let out water. Unfortunately, these holes also let the leeches in. It was through this miserable toil that the intrepid railway was born in 1897 using incredible technology to climb steep grades. A third rail was installed on the track that featured teeth which would interlock with a gear on the train to help it ascend steep grades. That technology is still used today.
The railway was the only way in and out of Queenstown for a long period of time. Operation costs became unbearable as roads were cut to these west coast towns. Eventually, trucks became the preferred means of transportation and the railway was shut down in the late 1960s. A revival effort in the 1990s brought this railway back to life for your enjoyment as a tourist railway.
There are currently three unforgettable train experiences to choose from: the Rinadeena Rack & Rainforest and the Lynchford Express - both departing from Queenstown), and the Cryptic Falls Express which departs from Strahan. The second expedition journey - Teepookana & the King, which departs from Strahan - is currently undergoing track works (as of May 2026) and will be offered again once this work is complete. Each journey offers a distinct route and perspective on Tasmania’s rugged west coast — and their paths do not overlap.
Rinadeena Rack & Rainforest | Queenstown – Lynchford – Rinadeena – Queenstown (3 hours)
Step aboard a heritage steam train and travel deep into the rainforest, stopping at Lynchford and Rinadeena before returning to Queenstown.
Your journey begins in Queenstown, a historic mining town once connected to the outside world only by this very railway. Disembark at Lynchford, once alive with gold fever, where you can pan for gold or explore the Pioneer’s Room.
From here, the train tackles the steep ascent to Rinadeena Saddle, climbing three kilometres of the ingenious rack-and-pinion railway — a feat of engineering central to the line’s cultural significance.
At Rinadeena, pause for refreshments and capture a photo with the steam locomotive before reboarding for the return to Queenstown.
Lynchford Express | Queenstown - Lynchford - Queenstown (1.5 hours)
Step onboard a heritage train at Queenstown Station for a short journey to Lynchford, a former gold town tucked just outside the valley. This experience is a simple taste of the West Coast Wilderness Railway, perfect for visitors who want a lighter heritage adventure or are short on time.
Travel in restored carriages as the train rolls out of Queenstown and into the forest. Along the way, guides share a brief insight into the pioneers, prospectors and railway workers who shaped life on the West Coast.
At Lynchford Station you can explore the nearby mine shafts and learn about the gold rush that once brought hundreds of hopeful prospectors to the area. You are invited to try your hand at gold panning at the site where Cornelius Lynch famously uncovered a nugget the size of a cricket ball in 1881.
You can also visit the small kiosk for a drink or step inside the Pioneer’s Room, where you will find a compact display of local minerals and stories that explain the region’s mining history.
After your visit to Lynchford, reboard the train for the relaxed return to Queenstown Station. It is a short experience that offers an easy introduction to the railway and the stories that continue to shape this part of the West Coast.
Cryptic Falls Express | Strahan - This journey is a fully seated on train experience, there are no remote station stops included (1 hr 45 mnutes)
Step onboard a heritage Drewry diesel train at Regatta Point Station in Strahan and travel inland along the edge of Macquarie Harbour and the banks of the King River. As the train eases away from the harbour, onboard guides share stories of the railway, the river and the people who have lived and worked along this line.
As one of the express journeys on offer, during this shorter adventure you will pass through the township of Lowana, pausing for the crew to relocate the locomotive for ease of transport before following the King River upstream, where river flats give way to dense temperate rainforest. Travelling through a quieter stretch of railway, where the changing landscape can be taken in from your carriage windows or, in Premium Class, from the open balcony.
The train pauses between Lowana and Teepookana, at around the 28km peg on the line, and were not too long ago lost in the overgrown rainforest. When rain flows on the west, water spills through the forest beside the line, a reminder of how closely the railway follows the contours of the land and the challenges it brought for those who built it.
Throughout the journey, onboard commentary brings the landscape and history to life. A honey tasting is included for all guests, featuring local honey from endemic Tasmanian flora, shared as part of the storytelling experience.
This journey is also offered as a 'moving feast' with a fully seated on-train dining experience exclusive to Premium Carriage passengers.
Teepookana & the King | Strahan – Lower Landing – Strahan (2.75 hours)
Note that this journey is currently 'off the rails' as the route undergoes track works - correct as of May 2026
Departing from Regatta Point Station in Strahan, this journey takes you aboard a heritage diesel train into the heart of the rainforest. Along the way, onboard guides share stories of the pioneers who built the railway and lived along its tracks.
Cross the historic Iron Bridge at Teepookana, once a bustling port town, before arriving at Lower Landing on the banks of the King River. Here you’ll step off the train for a short nature walk and enjoy a tasting of locally produced honey, before making the return trip to Strahan.
