Australia: Earth and indulgence

The Indian Pacific journeys through the Grosse Valley in the Blue Mountains.

Lisa Martin finds exploring Australia's mining heritage from Sydney to Perth on the Indian Pacific is poetry in motion.

DAY 1

In Australia's harbour city, a whisker before 3pm on a Wednesday afternoon, the adventure begins. From the bar carriage, G&T in hand (yes, open bar), watch Sydney whip by before the train climbs through the majestic Blue Mountains.

Some parts were bushfire-ravaged a year ago, but the trees are sprouting new shoots. Kangaroos bound alongside the train as the landscape changes to rolling fields.

The train passes herds of what crew members dub summer cows - "some are black, some are red, some are white and some are brown".

As the sun sets and the train nears Parkes, bound for Broken Hill, it's dinner time in the grand dining cart, the Queen Adelaide restaurant.

It's a delightful opportunity to get to know your fellow traveller as the gentle jingle of cutlery punctuates excited chatter between guests.

Did I mention this is not just an ordinary train trip, but an extraordinary food safari as well?

The freshest and finest produce from across the nation - mouthwatering saltwater barramundi, duck, lamb ribs, swimmer crab, steak and Atlantic salmon are among the dishes on offer.

Be sure to leave plenty of room for the works of art that are served up as dessert.

While you were eating, the train fairies were turning the cabin seating into comfy beds.

Enjoy a nightcap of Bailey's Irish cream before you fall asleep.

DAY 2

The train pulls up in Outback Broken Hill after sunrise. Passengers can choose from an off-train excursion to Pro Hart's gallery or to the Broken Hill Miners' Memorial. Hart's iconic vintage Bentley cars greet you outside the gallery entrance.

Inside, the walls are lined with Outback landscapes, vivid floral paintings, abstracts, portraits, narrative scene pieces including paintings of life as a miner plus works featuring ants and dragonflies.

Hart, the father of Australian Outback painting who died in 2006, was best known for his cannon painting techniques, turning carpet into art for a television cleaning advertisement, and clashes with the art establishment.

Bus driver John Furneaux gives a grand tour of the town including an explanation of why the Rising Sun Hotel is labelled "Risin Sun" on one side - the signwriter had a liquid lunch that day.

All the streets are named after minerals.

Adelaide central market. Photo / Supplied

Other highlights include the famous Palace Hotel that was featured in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

Films shot in Broken Hill include Mad Max 2, A Town Like Alice and Wake in Fright.

By mid-afternoon the train pulls up in Adelaide and it's off to the Central Markets for a spot of wine and cheese tasting.

You'll be in an instant food coma, so make sure you book in for a late dinner back on the train.

Palace Hotel in Broken Hill. Photo / Supplied

DAY 3

Wake up cruising along the dusty Nullabor Plain.

After breakfast it's time to explore a ghost town - Cook. The town was created in 1917 when the railway was built and named after Australia's sixth Prime Minister, Joseph Cook.

It's on the longest stretch of straight railway in the globe.

In 1997 the town effectively shut down when the railways were privatised.

The school closed, the swimming pool emptied and the bush hospital was deserted.

Years ago, the ailing hospital marketed itself with the slogan "If you're crook, come to Cook" to drum up some business.

Now only four caretakers live in Cook and it has overnight accommodation for train drivers.

By nightfall the train has crossed into Western Australia and reached Kalgoorlie.

A bus tour takes passengers to see the famous Super Pit - the largest open pit goldmine in the country - 3.6km long, 1.6km wide and 512m deep.

It produces a whopping 850,000 ounces of gold each year.

The Super Pit in Kalgoorlie. Photo / Supplied

It's quite eerie hearing the grumble of giant mining trucks carrying the ore up from the bottom of the pit.

Afterwards, passengers can climb on board a dump truck at the Hannans North Tourist Mine. The bus tour also goes past Kalgoorlie's famous brothel strip.

Questa Casa brothel on Hay St, Kalgoorlie. Photo / Supplied

DAY 4

Enjoy a final breakfast on aboard as the train steams into Perth in the morning.

CHECKLIST

Getting there: The Indian Pacific departs Sydney on Wednesdays at 2.55pm. It arrives in Perth on Saturdays at 9.10am. One-way advance purchase fares (to 31 March 2015) are: Platinum $3599; Gold twin $1849; Gold single $1679.

The writer travelled as a guest of Great Southern Rail and Frasers Suites Perth.

- AAP