The Railwaymen

The days of steam which heralded the start of Australia’s inland rail system evoke romantic memories of a bygone era, as well as a recognition of the interdependence between rail and industry success. But what of the people who helped build Australia’s outback railways- the engineers and surveyors whose vision and skill overcame the impossible barriers of desert and mountain range, and the workers who suffered great hardship in building and maintaining them? This documentary uses the words and voices of the men and women that contributed to this history, and those that are continuing to add to it today. Features footage on the following railways: Zig Zag Railway, Blue Mountains; The ABT Railway, Tasmania; The Ghan, Central Australia; Trans-Australia Railway, Nullabor Plain; R-707, Melbourne to Gippsland; and Kuranda Scenic Railway, Queensland.