General News
24 July, 2024
Travel gazers: Rail makes Hill ‘ideal weekend destination’
TRAIN travel promotions have been flagged to grow Loddon’s destination tourism numbers. Pyramid Hill’s Terry Wood and Paul Carter want to use last weekend’s visit by 28 members of the RMIT Astronomy Society as a springboard to attract visitors...
TRAIN travel promotions have been flagged to grow Loddon’s destination tourism numbers.
Pyramid Hill’s Terry Wood and Paul Carter want to use last weekend’s visit by 28 members of the RMIT Astronomy Society as a springboard to attract visitors from Melbourne.
“We’re on the Melbourne-Swan Hill line, the station is in the centre of town overlooked by our famous hill,” they said as the 7.40am train from Southern Cross arrived carrying the stargazers.
Mr Carter, owner of the Victoria Hotel and manager of the town’s caravan park, said: “Society leaders first started looking at Pyramid Hill six months ago. The members are staying at the hotel, in cabins and some in tents in swags.”
“We see this as the start of promoting train travel as a convenient way to experience the natural and historic attractions of Pyramid Hill,” he said.
Mr Wood is a key organiser of Pyramid Hill’s annual Major’s Vision Art Show and hopes V/Line can be convinced to run a special destination promotion for next February’s third exhibition in the memorial hall. “There have already been preliminary discussions with Loddon Shire’s tourism unit and I am hopeful that we can have constructive talks with V/Line in the next few months,” he said.
“Convenient train travel for Melburnians to Pyramid Hill is something we are keen to promote. It would encourage more people to have a real country town experience.”
For most members of the astronomy society, the weekend’s visit was either their first to country Victoria or beyond Bendigo or Ballarat.
Society leader Ashar Husain said: “Travelling by train is affordable and convenient. Many of the students have not ventured out of Melbourne before.”
Mr Husain said Pyramid Hill was chosen as an ideal spot for stargazing because of its low light pollution and altitude.
“When it’s a clear night, Pyramid Hill is a beautiful place to observe the sky.”
The 210-minute train trip to Pyramid Hill also increased business in the V/Line cafe carriage.
“We bought every sandwich and wrap that was available. Staff said they would have extra food in the carriage for our return journey,” Mr Husain said.
Mr Wood said the Pyramid Hill community was pleased to host visiting groups.
“This weekend, the museum has opened especially for the society and Whitmore’s Buslines assisted with a mini-bus to transport our visitors.
“There is a golden opportunity for V/Line to promote the real country travel experience to Pyramid Hill,” Mr Wood said.