Southern Downs Steam Railway ‘Downs Explorer’

Downs Explorer is a unique destination where you can experience their museum and precinct, a delight for visitors of all ages.

This Mainline Tourist Heritage Railway and rail museum was established in Warwick in 1995. Downs Explorer has restored a Heritage C17 Steam Locomotive to operational condition. C17 is a steam locomotive with eight driving wheels and a 17″ cylinder, originally built between 1920 and 1953. SDSR volunteers have restored carriages, a rail car, manual rail carts and so much more and have a beautifully presented museum full of amazing memories.

All Aboard! Downs Explorer operates steam train tours from Warwick to Wallangarra, Toowoomba, Goondiwindi, Inglewood, Miles and Roma at select times during the year – see the website for details.

You’ll find the Warwick Railway Precinct on the corner of Hamilton Street and Fitzroy Street where the old Warwick Locomotive Depot used to be, (closed in 1970). This site was chosen as the original train ‘turntable’ was still in place.

A not-for-profit organisation, most of the restoration work has been completed by ‘work for the dole’ participants. They have restored and re-built the locomotive sheds, workshops, water tower, repairs to the turntable, relaying of railway lines and erecting fencing. Now that the work is completed, volunteers have put up their hands to continue the restoration of the old railway carriages.