An hour’s drive north of Canberra, or west from Goulburn, Yass is an historic New South Wales Town. We were passing through on a drive from Canberra to Orange so stopped to have a quick look around. Being early morning, parking was easy, and we found a spot outside the Banjo Patterson Park, named after the famous Australia poet.
Several coffee shops were open, so we ordered a coffee before setting off to explore the town. The main street, Comur St contains several well preserved nineteenth-century buildings. The Post Office looks great, but the courthouse looks like a small palace!
Yass Post OfficeYass CourthouseBanjo Patterson BustBanjo Patterson ParkTootsie Gallery and Café
Yass Railway Museum
The Yass Railway Museum is small with only a few trains and pieces of rolling stock on display. However, it’s a great place to visit, see some interesting trains, memorabilia and find out about the history of trains in Yass. You can find a full story of our visit here.
1307 Steam Locomotive
Abandoned Railway Bridge
We drove to the old railway bridge over the Yass River, parking at Joe O’Conner Park and walking down to the river. Disused since 1988 when the rail line closed it’s now a tourist attraction and heritage listed. It was interesting to walk around, especially as there are trees growing through parts of it.
Old Tramway BridgeThe Old Tramway BridgeOld Tramway Bridge
What Did We Think Of Yass?
Although this was only a quick visit, we enjoyed our time here. The lovely old buildings on the main street, abandoned bridge and railway museum are all worth stopping to see.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
Located in the old Yass Town railway station, the Yass Railway Museum displays some of the old rolling stock that used to work here. The main rail line passes four kilometres to the north of Yass, because two river crossing would have been needed to bring it through town. Because of this, Yass lobbied for a light tramway into the main town. Opened in 1892, but never operating at a profit, it was closed in 1988.
The old railway station building houses a small giftshop, railway memorabilia and a model railway. All the main exhibits are outside on the old tracks.
The main attraction is the 1307 steam locomotive. This coal fired steam locomotive operated at Yass from 1910 to 1964. On leaving Yass, it worked around several of Sydney’s train workshops, including Eveleigh and Clyde. When finally retired, it had operated for 94 years. Fortunately sent to Thirlmere Railway Museum for preservation, 1307 relocated to Yass in 1999.
Sitting on the tracks just passed 1307, a line of rolling stock includes a freight wagon, a covered wagon, fuel truck and brake van. At the head of the line-up is X203 diesel locomotive. Although usually employed for shunting trains around stations, at Yass it was the sole locomotive from 1964 to 1972. Scrapped in 1989 the Yass diesel locomotive was actually X202, but X203 stands in for it at the museum.
Awaiting restoration, an open carriage and brake van sit outside the goods shed. As with all the displays, you are able to enter them.
What Did We Think?
With only a few displays, it doesn’t take long to look around, but it was a fun visit, and we were pleased we went. Plenty of parking makes access easy.
Yass Town Railway Station – Now a MuseumOld Yass Railway Station1307 Steam Locomotive1307 Steam LocomotiveX203 Diesel LocomotiveX203 Diesel LocomotiveOpen End Carriage No. 1259Model Railway
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
Stopping at Picton on our way south to Jarvis Bay, we spent some time looking around town to break the driving and get a coffee. Picton’s Main Street contains several old and historic buildings which we stopped to take photos. There was also a variety of cafes and restaurants to choose from if you wanted something to eat and drink. There is plenty of parking.
Picton’s Main Street
Old Picton Post Office
Picton Viaduct
Not far from the Picton railway station is the viaduct, a huge sandstone bridge spanning a gully and small creek. Parking is limited as no dedicated car park is available, but we found parking in a side street.
There is a walkway down to the creek where you can cross to the other side of the viaduct from a different perspective.
The Viaduct From Stonequarry Creek
The Picton Viaduct
The Mushroom Tunnel at Picton
Another rail related attraction is a disused rail tunnel that you can visit called the Mushroom Tunnel. We missed the entrance the first time as it is quite small. The dirt road into the tunnel can be rough so drive carefully. The tunnel itself is quite interesting, having been repurposed from a train tunnel to a mushroom farm (hence its name) and now a tourist attraction. We drove though it in the car, then turned around and drove back before walking through it. Remember to take a torch.!
Mushroom Tunnel
New South Wales Rail Museum Thirlmere
How to Get There
Only a 10-minute drive from Picton is the NSW Rail Museum Rail Museum. The museum houses the majority of Transport Heritage NSW large collection of historic locomotives and rolling stock. The importance of this collection means that it is well protected and mostly housed under cover as well as having a modern display hall containing the most important items.
Parking is on the road outside of the museum in marked parking bays. Entry is via the new building where the staff will give you a map of the museum and answer any questions you may have.
The Collection
The main building houses the historic E18 and E78 trains as well as the Governor’s train.
Oldest Loco E18
Locomotive E78
The majority of the collection is held outside under cover and away from the elements. This huge collection would take many hours to explore if you wanted to examine it all in detail. There are arrows painted on the walkways to make walking around the collection easier.
Old Carriages
Rail Pay Bus
D55 Class Locomotive 5595
As well as the trains and rolling stock, there is other memorabilia at the museum. As you walk around you will find old station clocks, time-table departure boars and baggage carts.
Old Departure Time Board
Baggage Cart
Unfortunately the on site café was not open when we visited, but there are options available just a few minutes walk away at the Thirlmere shops.
Train Photographs
More photographs fro the NSW Rail Museum can be found here.
Thirlmere Station
While at the New South Wales Rail Museum have a look at the Thirlmere station and station master’s house as they are well maintained and make some great photos.
Thirlmere Station
The old boom gates where the road into Thirlmere crosses the rail tracks are also worth having a close look at.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
