Australind Train’s 34th Birthday

The Australind Train as we know it today took its first paying passenger on 16 November 1987. This new train was a significant upgrade from the last train that serviced passengers wanting to travel from Bunbury to Perth since 1947. The new train marked 40 years since an upgrade.

The Transport Minister of the time, Julian Grills, commented on how smooth the ride was and that it would be a competitor to road transport, offering a faster, more comfortable trip than by car and cheaper than driving.

At its unveiling, the Australind was the ‘fastest passenger rail transport in the world using narrow gauge tracks’ according to the South Western Times 8 October 1987.

Today, 16 November 2021 marks the 34th anniversary of its first paying customer. The Australind is still available to ride from Bunbury to Perth and back.