Australian cruise agency, Cruise Express, will launch its first escorted cruise tour with no cruise – a four-day trip by heritage train through Junee, Narrandera and Griffith to coincide with the Taste Riverina Festival, an event which celebrates the region’s wines and produce harvest.

The long weekend trip, costing $1790 per person in twin share carriages and $1990 for singles, departs Sydney’s central station on Friday, September 29, 2017, and stops for lunch at the 139-year-old Junee Railway Station Café and for afternoon tea in Narrandera, before arriving early evening in Griffith.

In Griffith, tourists receive a wine-paired dinner at McWilliams winery, and wine tasting at De Bortoli and Calabria wineries.

Day two includes lunch at Corynnia Station, a working sheep and cotton farm 45 minutes from Griffith, and the following day sees a ‘farm to fork’ lunch at Piccolo Farm where guests will take part in a farm forage and cooking demonstration with chef Luke Piccolo. 

Dinner at Zecca Handmade Italian restaurant is also on the menu. 

Sandy Guy, cellar door manager at De Bortoli wines, see this as a fantastic opportunity for Griffith – introducing the region to tourists who otherwise may not come here. 

“I’d love to take this train tour myself. Griffith is not as accessible as the Hunter to people in Sydney, so something like this is a great chance for us to advertise all our wonderful wine, and help spread the word.”

Ms Guy said De Bortoli produces more wine  than the rest of the Hunter producers combined, but the Griffith tourism sector has long been hamstrung by the lack of travel options to get here.

Earlier this year, The Area News reported on Tim Fischer’s idea of using train journeys to showcase the region’s quality produce. 

Ms Guy said train passengers can expect a sweet treat when they stop off at De Bortoli’s, with tastings of Noble One Botrytis Semillon, a dessert wine pioneered by the family in 1982, which is still one of the most awarded wines in history.

The final day of the tour on the public holiday, Monday, October 2, will see guests rejoin the heritage train for the daytrip back to Sydney, with a stop to visit the award winning Temora Aviation Museum for a barbecue and private aerial display of ex-military aircraft.  A late afternoon stop will be made at Goulburn before the tour ends mid-evening back in Sydney.