Heritage Railways
Queensland's railway history is kept alive by a dedicated band of heritage groups, almost all of them run by volunteers. They restore and run the locomotives, carriages and railmotors that once worked across the state, and they're always grateful for visitors, members and helping hands. Running days and arrangements change from time to time, so check each group's website before you head out.
Australian Railway Historical Society, Queensland Division
Formed in 1957, the Queensland Division of the ARHS runs mainline steam tours with the Queensland Rail heritage fleet, publishes through Look Out Press, and maintains the Ken Rodgers Memorial Library. It also operates the Rosewood Railway on part of the former Marburg branch at Ashwell, near Ipswich, which is currently closed to the public while volunteers work towards reopening.
Australian Society of Section Car Operators (ASSCO)
ASSCO's members run restored motorised section cars, the small track vehicles once used by railway maintenance gangs. As an accredited rail operator, the society runs trips over Queensland Rail lines across the state, from the Darling Downs to the far north, and celebrated 25 years in 2026.
Brisbane Tramway Museum
The volunteer-run museum at Ferny Grove keeps six Brisbane trams in working order, dating from 1901 to 1962. It's open on Sunday afternoons, weather permitting.
Downs Explorer (Southern Downs Steam Railway)
Based in the former loco depot at the Warwick Railway Precinct, the Southern Downs Steam Railway Association now runs its tours as the Downs Explorer. Its steam and heritage diesel trips run over the Queensland Rail main lines south to Stanthorpe and Wallangarra, north towards Toowoomba, and west to Inglewood and Goondiwindi.
DownsSteam
DownsSteam is a volunteer, community-led tourist railway in Toowoomba. Its fleet includes BB18¼ 1037, "The Commissioner" stainless steel railmotor, and C16 106 "Pride of Toowoomba", which is under restoration. Special event trips leave Toowoomba station for towns across the Darling Downs, and the group is developing a rail precinct at the former Drayton sidings.
Mary Valley Rattler
The Rattler began with the Mary Valley Heritage Railway in 1996 and ran its first tourist trains in 1998. After a major track rebuild it returned in 2018, and trains now run from the historic Gympie station to Amamoor behind C17 967, alongside 2000 class railmotors and heritage diesels.
Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway
Running on the Swanbank branch near Ipswich, the QPSR's fleet includes PB15 448, built by Walkers in Maryborough in 1908, and English Electric 1616. Its trips include the Heritage Circuit and the Collier Run to Bundamba Racecourse, plus dinner trains in ex-Sunlander carriages.
Queensland Rollingstock Preservation Group
Formed by private owners of rollingstock and railway memorabilia, the QRPG manages the preserved assets in its care and helps private owners look after theirs.
Museums
Australian Sugar Cane Railway, Bundaberg. A working 610 mm gauge museum in the Bundaberg Botanic Gardens, run by the Bundaberg Steam Tramway Preservation Society, with locomotives that worked in the district's cane fields and mills.
The Woodford Railway, Woodford. The Australian Narrow Gauge Railway Museum Society runs 2 ft gauge sugar tramway equipment on its Durundur Railway, generally on the first and third Sundays of the month.
Archer Park Rail Museum, Rockhampton. Owned by the council and run with the help of volunteers, the museum's centrepiece is the restored 1909 Purrey steam tram.
Queensland Museum Rail Workshops, North Ipswich. The museum in the old Ipswich Railway Workshops is temporarily closed after its roof was damaged in the October 2025 hailstorm.
Know of a group we've missed? Please get in touch.
References
'About Us', ARHS Queensland Division (accessed October 2026)
'Rosewood Railway', ARHS Queensland Division (accessed October 2026)
'Australian Society of Section Car Operators', Wikipedia (accessed October 2026)
'Section car group hits 25 mark', The Express, 26 August 2026
'Brisbane Tramway Museum', Brisbane Tramway Museum Society (accessed October 2026)
'About Us', Downs Explorer (accessed October 2026)
'DownsSteam Toowoomba', DownsSteam (accessed October 2026)
'Our Story' and 'Our Fleet', Mary Valley Rattler (accessed October 2026)
'Our Rolling Stock', Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway (accessed October 2026)
'Who We Are', Queensland Rollingstock Preservation Group (accessed October 2026)
'Australian Sugar Cane Railway', Bundaberg Steam Tramway Preservation Society (accessed October 2026)
'The Woodford Railway', Australian Narrow Gauge Railway Museum Society (accessed October 2026)
'Archer Park Rail Museum', Rockhampton Regional Council (accessed October 2026)
'Rail Workshops', Queensland Museum (accessed October 2026)