Monday 17 November 2014

Innisfail: Queensland's resilient railway station


Innisfail Railway Station is a survivor. Not just in the sense that trains still stop at this town of 8,262 people, but in the fact that it's still standing at all. Located about 2 hours south of Cairns by train at the fork of the North and South Johnstone Rivers, the original 1922 railway station was almost blown away by Tropical Cyclone Larry in 2006.


Travelling south from Cairns on The Sunlander in August 2014, our 18 car long train came to a stop at Innisfail Railway Station with only the first half of the train adjacent to the platform. The second half of the train in the meanwhile was straddled across the Bruce Highway and blocking traffic in both directions. Amazingly it didn't seem to faze the locals, and I watched as one by one they stepped out of their cars and trucks to either light up a smoke or chat to whoever they knew that was parked behind them. When we finally started crawling forward for the second half our train to pull up alongside the platform, they casually extinguished their cigarettes, hopped back in their cars and started their engines once more as though this was just a normal part of life.

Innisfail Railway Station in 2014, looking freshly restored following repairs from 2006's Cyclone Larry.

Once stopped at Innisfail Station, there are no visible reminders of this being the town that made international headlines when the cyclone with winds of up to 230 kph ripped through the heart of town. The station building, like most of the other buildings in town, has that freshly restored look about it. It's hard to say if it was the station building or the people of Innisfail themselves who have been the most resilient in the face of such a natural disaster. But today, Innisfail is one busy little railway station. With the second half of the train now clear of the Bruce Highway, and thanks to The Sunlander's lazy timetable, an announcement was made that the train would be here for ten minutes should anyone want to step off the train to stretch their legs or light up a cigarette. Armed with my camera, I used the opportunity to take some photos of Innisfail Railway Station.

Innisfail's timber station entrance that leads to the platform is like a step back in time. 2014.

When the conductor's whistle blew, I had no choice but to hurry back through the tiny entrance and board the train once more. When The Sunlander is retired at the end of 2014, its replacement the Spirit of Queensland will run to a tighter schedule, and leisurely stops such as these will disappear from QR timetables. With the new tilt train set being only 7 cars long, the townsfolk of Innisfail will no longer have to queue while the train blocks the Bruce Highway, and perhaps another nostalgic nuance will disappear from the Queensland Rail scene forever.

The best way to appreciate the rail journey between Cairns and Brisbane is with a copy of my book Train Tripping Coastal Queensland. Let my window seat guide provide you with enough humour and interesting information to turn your next train trip into a railway adventure of your own.


Available now through my Books page

Monday 10 November 2014

Landsborough: Caloundra's historic railway town


Landsborough Railway Station lies just 20 km west of Caloundra on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. As such, it is the main railway station for Southern Sunshine Coasters to catch a train to the city. Suburban trains between Brisbane and Nambour, interurban trains between Brisbane and Gympie North, along with Tilt Train services to Bundaberg and Rockhampton all stop at the station that opened in 1890. Oh, and one more thing, the station still retains its original wye for turning locomotives around and is a popular destination for steam train tours from Brisbane.


1079 Pacific type 4-6-2 locomotive coming off the wye at Landsborough Railway Station, October 2014.

Saturday 25th October 2014 was one such occasion that a steam train tour passed through Landsborough. Billed as the Glasshouse Country Fair Express, the train ran from Brisbane to Landsborough before the locomotive was turned around to run tender-first to nearby Mooloolah. There after running around its' train, it was once more facing the right direction for the return trip south. While giving the passengers a break to view the lunchtime festivities that were happening in Landsborough as part of the Glasshouse Country Festival, the Australian Railway Historical Society's Sunshine Express Rail Tours operated a return shuttle to Glasshouse Mountains Railway Station and return for Sunshine Coasters wishing to take a ride on the steam train. As such, I was able to take some great photos of the train as it came and went from Landsborough.

Coupled back on to the front of the train, 1079 is ready to depart for Brisbane with the Glasshouse Country Fair Express, October 2014.

But a day spent chasing trains on the Sunshine Coast was not the first time I have visited Landsborough. Living in Caloundra, Landsborough is the closest station for me to catch a train when I travel to Brisbane. Being a scheduled stop for Queensland Rail's Tilt Train services, Landsborough is also one of my highlighted stations in my self-guided travel book Train Tripping Coastal Queensland.

The original 1890 timber station building at Landsborough still stands on platform 1. 2013.

While Landsborough Railway Station underwent a $2.4 million dollar face lift in 2006 that included an overhead walkway complete with a new parking lot, bus interchange and lift access for the disabled, the original 1890 timber station building was retained on platform 1. I've come to like the mix of old and new that Queensland Rail have maintained when refurbishing railway stations on their City Train network, even down to matching the colours of the new extensions to Landsborough's original railway station building. In the past, Landsborough was one of the largest towns on the Sunshine Coast and had a thriving logging industry. Caloundra by comparisson was a tiny fishing village that was 20 km away at the mouth of the Pumicestone Passage. Today Landsborough has a population of 3,706 while Caloundra's population has risen to 41,200.

Queensland Rail's sexy-looking Rockhampton Tilt Train pulls to a halt at Landsborough, 2013.

Today, bus services from Caloundra's Transit Centre connect with all trains that stop at Landsborough Railway Station, including the Bundaberg and Rockhampton Tilt Trains. Now that I am teaching my son to drive a car, Landsborough has become a popular destination during our driving lessons. Not only is Landsborough a convenient place for me to take some pictures of passing trains on Queensland's busy North Coast Line, it is also featured prominently in my book 30 Years Chasing Trains.


Available now through my Books page

See also: Mooloolah: hiking the old tunnel

Monday 3 November 2014

#14 Beware of the snakes


I used to be forward in letting people know I was a writer. Somehow the conversation would turn to the question of what is it that I do and I would ever so easily spill the words 'I'm a writer' without giving it a second thought. And if it didn't, I'd more often than not find a way to work the topic into the conversation. I've been around the block long enough now to know that people sometimes mistake your name on the cover of a book for a target on your back. Being a writer is as much a business as it is an interesting topic for conversation. Wading into the business world is akin to stepping into a field of long grass, you can't always see the hidden things that you can stub your toe on and you sometimes have to watch out for the snakes.



There is a period of a few good years after seeing your first book in print where you think everything is going to work out just dandy, the world is your friend and the people you meet are just waiting to hear all about your book. That line of thinking it turns out is wrong. I learnt long ago that although most people love to be able to say that they met a writer, they won't necessarily run out and join your fan club just because you handed them a business card. A quick visit to check out your website and maybe, just maybe an online purchase of your book usually suffices their interest. But mention it in the process of doing a business deal and the result is completely different. Suddenly you have a new best friend. Congratulations are usually followed by a short period of fawning over the fact that they can't believe they have a writer standing in their presence, and the next minute they are promising to buy your book, tell all their friends about you and offer a special deal on whatever it is you're looking for. Now don't get me wrong, I have dealt with many genuinely nice business people in my time. But my point is that in life you have to use due diligence in your business matters, and as a writer we sometimes forget this point among the praise and accolades that are coming from the salesperson.

It was Irvin S. Cobb who once said, "if writers were good businessmen, they'd have too much sense to be writers." The key is to be wise in your business dealings when it comes to who is offering what, and what they are asking for in return. Is it really a good offer that is being presented? Or is it just a dressed up sales pitch they are trying to corner you into?

It is something I discovered recently, the hard way. Organizing a book launch involves selling yourself to potential sponsors. Much like convincing a company that they need to employ you for a position they don't have. Pooling this support and ensuring that each and every business is happy with the promotion you offer them in return becomes a delicate matter. In making these arrangements I needed to pay to have something created for the event. Choosing one local business, I explained what was needed to be done, was ensured they could do it and was promised that I would be looked after with a special price. Sound familiar?

When it became apparent that the end result wouldn't be to the standard I expected, and there wasn't anything special about the price at all, I advised them that I wouldn't proceed and went elsewhere. Now if I had been the average customer off the street there would have been no further ramifications for what amounted to a quote. The problem came down to what I said before, that sometimes people mistake your name on a book for a target on your back. Not only did I get a spiteful email for not proceeding with their services, but the invoice for a design cancellation fee came with a threat of contacting my sponsors and my publisher if I didn't pay. To top it off, I was physically threatened when I arrived at the business to pay the bill and reminded that it was a small town.

What did I do? I remembered that although it was a small town, it was also a wide world. You don't drag your own name down into the dirt. As a writer, your name is your brand and the world is your marketplace. So I paid the fee, and kept a copy of the receipt and email to ensure it didn't go any further.

I always try to take something positive away from any experience. As always, lessons learnt in this manner often stay with you, and leave you better prepared to spot trouble the next time it comes around. I'm fortunate now to have the foresight to keep my writing and the business side of my writing separate. Its important to find out the facts rather than falling for the false accolades and sales pitch.

Sometimes business matters aren't clear when it comes to who is right or wrong. What is important is to handle yourself in the right manner. Before you wade through the long grass, be sure you are wearing the proper shoes and a pair of thick socks. Ask questions first and read your contracts thoroughly. Then if you do have a bad business experience, sure, take your business elsewhere, but keep your business dealings on the highest level. The last thing a writer wants when they step out for the launch of their latest hit novel is for a scandal to erupt over something trivial. Above all else, in everything that comes the way of a writer, whether it be good or bad, nothing stands in the way of him being able to use the experience in a future book. After all, that is what we writers do.