National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide

~ The National Railway Museum provides affordable family entertainment on two sites: at Lipson Street, Port Adelaide, and on the foreshore at Semaphore.

The Museum is a self-supporting, non-profit enterprise which occasionally receives government grants for special projects. Apart from the duties of two paid staff members, all of its activities are conducted by volunteers.

The Museum is Australia's largest railway museum with over 100 exhibits representing state, Commonwealth and private railway operators on the three major rail gauges used in Australia.

At the Railway Museum you can climb into the cabs of giant steam engines, walk through elegant carriages, and enjoy a free train ride. New displays include the Man In Blue and the Adelaide Railway Station Indicator Board. There is also a new interactive interpretive tour of the famous Tea and Sugar Train (see side bar for more information). Learn about the role of women in railways; trace railway development on the interactive map, and read about the famous Overland sleeping car train that operated for many years between Adelaide and Melbourne.

The National Railway Museum provides more than exhibits. Function and reception facilities cater for corporate events and dinners seating up to 600. The Museum is also a popular location for weddings, social club events, and trade shows, where as an added bonus, guests are able to wander through the exhibits and displays. In fact, trains can even be arranged to transport groups from Adelaide right into the Museum for major functions. More intimate celebrations are catered for in the historic Ghan dining and lounge cars. Finally, children’s parties are a special treat in the Cafeteria Car. Children of course, will love the huge working model railway system at the Museum too.

Location:
Lipson Street, Port Adelaide.
Open daily: 10am to 5pm (except Christmas Day)
PH: (08) 8341 1690

Getting There:
Bus: from city routes 151 or 153 (stops Commercial Road, Port Adelaide)
Train: to Port Adelaide Station (then short walk) Semaphore/Fort Glanville Tourist Railway

The Semaphore and Fort Glanville Tourist Railway operates daily from 11am during school holidays, and every weekend and public holiday from September to May.

The mini steam train follows a two kilometre ride along the dunes from Semaphore Jetty to Point Malcolm and return.

Getting There:
From the Museum: Bus 333 from Commercial Road, Port Adelaide (stops corner Military Road/Semaphore Road).

My Home Town: Port Adelaide

~ Things to do in and around Port Adelaide

Only 30 minutes or so from the centre of Adelaide, is historic Port Adelaide. At its heart is a series of museums that house an amazing collection of historical artefacts showcasing the states long history. Its nearest beach is Semaphore.

Fast becoming the area’s favourite location for rest and relaxation, Semaphore has all the old world charm of a seaside town. It’s broad main thoroughfare, Semaphore Road, stretches for more than a kilometre and is home to a wide selection of cafés and restaurants, small galleries, and all manner of other local businesses.

Of course, no self respecting seaside town would be without its fish and chip shop – and Semaphore has several of them. What better way to end a day at the beach than with a bag of fresh, hot fish and chips, the seagulls wheeling overhead, and a golden sun setting over the ocean. Ah, perfect.

Here is an incomplete list of some of the Port’s many treasures:

• Discover the Port Adelaide State Heritage Area
• Indulge yourself in Semaphore Road’s boutique shops and cafés
• Enjoy informative Guided Walks
• Fly high at the South Australian Aviation Museum
• Cruise for dolphins on the Port Princess or Dolphin Explorer every Sunday
• Relive your childhood at Semaphore’s foreshore attractions
• Explore the Port Adelaide Enfield Museum Trail
• Fish for Snapper and King George Whiting off Semaphore Jetty
• Exercise your mind and body with Blue Water Sea Kayaking
• Examine the trains at the National Railway Museum
• Feast on Fish-N-Chips while a golden sun dips below the horizon
• Amaze yourself at the Seahorse Farm
• Checkmate your Chess opponent, Monday nights at McGowan’s Café (Semaphore Rd)
• Unearth a bargain at the Sunday Fisherman’s Wharf Market (Queens Wharf)
• Delight in the SA Maritime Museum
• Thrill at the miniature steam train ride along the foreshore at Semaphore
• Enjoy an ice cold beer at the Port’s oldest building (Port Admiral Hotel, 1849)
• Climb the Lighthouse (built in 1869) now located on Queens Wharf
• Catch a movie at the Semaphore Odeon Star (just $7.00 all sessions)

Whew! Are you tired yet?

There is so much to discover and enjoy in and around Port Adelaide, that you will need several days to visit even just a few of the places listed above – and that is by no means a full list.

Make sure your first stop is the Port Adelaide Visitor Information Centre...

Visit House Carers Online...