Tag: viaduct

  • Picton New South Wales

    Picton New South Wales

    Picton New South Wales

    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 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 Picton Viaduct From Stonequarry Creek
    The Viaduct From Stonequarry Creek
    The Picton Viaduct
    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 Piction New South Wales
    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 New South Wales Rail Museum Thirlmere
    Oldest Loco E18
    Locomotive E78 New South Wales Rail Museum Thirlmere
    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 New South Wales Rail Museum Thirlmere
    Old Carriages
    Rail Pay Bus New South Wales Rail Museum Thirlmere
    Rail Pay Bus
    D55 Class Locomotive 5595 New South Wales Rail Museum Thirlmere
    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 New South Wales Rail Museum Thirlmere
    Old Departure Time Board
    New South Wales Rail Museum Thirlmere
    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 New South Wales Rail Museum Thirlmere
    Thirlmere Station
    Boom Gates at Thirlmere New South Wales Rail Museum Thirlmere

    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.

    Our photos are available for purchase on

  • Knapsack Gully Viaduct Lapstone Zig Zag Railway

    Knapsack Gully Viaduct Lapstone Zig Zag Railway

    The Viaduct’s History

    Designed by John Whitton, The Knapsack Gully Viaduct once formed part of the the Lapstone Zig Zag , which climbed the eastern side of the Blue Mountains to Glenbrook. The construction stands 40 metres high. and 118 metres long, making it an impressive structure when viewed from below. Originally used for rail transport, the bridge was modified in 1926 becoming a section of the Great Western Highway for normal vehicle use. The upgrade of the M4 however, has bypassed this section of road. This is great as it can be used for bikes, and hiking, as there are some great walking tracks nearby. This beautiful piece of construction is heritage listed.

    Access to the Knapsack Gully Viaduct

    Setting off from the car park at the trailhead, we found the walk to the viaduct very easy because it is flat and well maintained. From here, a steep track made of roughly formed steps descends to the base of the bridge. These are difficult to negotiate in places, but we had no issues with this because we wore sturdy footwear.

    The reward for climbing down is a magnificent view of the viaduct from the valley floor, where the scale of the arches can really be appreciated. There is a canopy of vegetation, and large rocks, on which we were lucky enough to see a bearded dragon lizard sunbaking. We managed to take some great photos.

    Climbing back to the roadway on the opposite side of the gully, we found the track blocked by fallen trees, so did a little bit of climbing to get over it. We really appreciated the walk and seeing this massive bridge in all its glory.

    John Whitton Memorial

    Sitting next to the trailhead carpark is the John Whitton Memorial. This obelisk has (or had – some are missing) plaques commemorating the viaduct’s construction. Specifically, they commemorate the designer, John Whitton and the builders who lost their lives during its construction. A short walk from the carpark, it’s worth looking at, along with th ruins of the gate-keeper’s cottage nearby.

    To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

    Our photos are available for purchase on