Moonta Mines Tourist Railway
A narrow-gauge tourist train that loops through the Moonta Mines heritage site, past ruined engine houses and the old miners' township.
The Moonta Mines Tourist Railway is the best way to take in the scale of what was once one of Australia's richest copper fields. A little narrow-gauge train loops out from near the Moonta Mines Museum, winding past the gaunt stone engine houses, mullock heaps and chimney stacks that still stand among the scrub.
A running commentary brings the ruins to life, explaining how Cornish miners worked the lodes deep underground and how the surface machinery pumped, hauled and crushed the ore. The train passes the restored Miner's Cottage and the old Methodist church, the spiritual heart of the Cornish community.
Running on weekends, school holidays and during the Kernewek Lowender festival, it is a favourite with families and a relaxed way to cover ground that would otherwise take a long walk in the sun.
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Moonta Mines Tourist Railway — frequently asked questions
What is the Moonta Mines Tourist Railway?
It is a narrow-gauge tourist train offering guided tours of around 50 minutes through the former Moonta mining works, passing ruined enginehouses and the old miners' township.
Where does the Moonta Mines Tourist Railway run?
The railway loops through the Moonta Mines State Heritage Area near Moonta on Yorke Peninsula's Copper Coast, alongside the National Trust museum and other heritage sites.
Image credits
- Steam locomotive at Moonta mines (State Library of South Australia B 36083).jpg by Unknown photographer , Public domain via Wikimedia Commons