Queenstown and the West Coast Wilderness Railway

After our cruise yesterday, we went to Queenstown to take the West Coast Wilderness Railway train tour.

We heard that there was limited parking space at Nelson Falls, twenty-six kilometres east of Queenstown, so after setting up, we headed there to take some photos and enjoyed the return twenty-minute walk to the falls.

We are staying at the Queenstown Football Grounds for $5 per night. The oval, built in 1895, is infamous for its gravel playing surface. Mining pollution, such as acid rain, prevented grass from growing, and the Queen River in Queenstown appears rusty yellow or orange due to pollution from nearby copper mines, rendering it uninhabitable.

Mining ceased here in 2014, and at one stage, the Mount Lyell copper mine became the largest in the world.

After shopping, we enjoyed lunch at the Empire Hotel, which was built and opened in May 1901. The staircase was made from Tasmanian Blackwood. The raw timber was shipped to England, carved and sent back to Queenstown to be assembled and installed in the hotel in 1904. Dame Nellie Melba graced these stairs as did union leader King O'Malley who started the labour movement here in Queenstown.

We had booked the Rinadeena, Rack and Rainforest Tour in the Wilderness carriage, which cost $125 each. Our fare included a choice of champagne or orange juice, accompanied by canapés on departure, and a light meal during the rest of the trip.

The Rack and Pinion system was designed to transport trains up grades that are nearly four times steeper than those found on average railways. Upon closer inspection, you will notice a third rail running down the center, known as the rack. A cog located underneath the train fits into this rack, similar to the cogs in a clock, enabling the train to climb steep hills.