PACIFIC Bay Resort’s strong relationship with Journey Beyond’s Great Southern Rail delivered a memorable travelling experience for guests across a three-month period this summer, bringing with it a significant boost to the Coffs Harbour visitor economy.

From a modest beginning back in 2019, The Great Southern Rail experience has grown to become an iconic luxury rail adventure along the East Coast of NSW, beginning in Brisbane and making its way south to Adelaide, stopping off for a variety of experiential tours including in Coffs Harbour.

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Arriving in Adelaide it turns around and heads back up to Brisbane.

The journey has become a tourism success especially popular for rail enthusiasts, many of whom have completed Journey Beyond’s Indian Pacific and The Ghan journeys.

Overwhelming demand for the route this summer season saw a record twelve round trips and over 5000 guests departing their carriages to experience a little of the incredible Coffs Coast.

Guests on the south bound journey enjoyed the hospitality of Pacific Bay Resort where they were greeted with canapés and beverages on the sand at Charlesworth Bay Beach, accompanied by Matt Flanders sharing Gumbaynggirr dreaming stories overlooking the Solitary Islands Marine Park.

Guests were then seated for a three-course luxury dining experience featuring the Coffs Coast’s fresh produce.

“Fresh caught Coffs Harbour Snapper and Kingfish, Nambucca rock oysters, Dorrigo potatoes and local blueberries and bananas set the palette for delighted guests,” said Group Marketing Manager at Pacific Bay Resort, Christopher Winn.

“The Great Southern Rail beachside dinners are a great activation of one of our many often under-utilised coastal parkland spaces.

“They encourage return visitation and drive dollars into Coffs Harbour.

“The intrinsic value created by word-of-mouth and the flow-on effect of some of the imagery that is shared right across Australia and the world is hard to measure,” added Christopher.

“We hope to continue to deliver these incredible events through many more seasons,” said Christopher.

Making the most of the resort’s immediate natural surroundings has been key to delivering the events each year for the team at Pacific Bay Resort.

“It’s with the support of the City of Coffs Harbour and the Regional Parks Trust Board that we have been able to host these events in this incredible location for a fourth consecutive year.

Guests aboard the North bound journey on arriving in Coffs Harbour train station each Sunday, hop off to spend time at the Harbourside markets and Jetty foreshores.

Some took helicopter joy flights with Precision Helicopters, taking off from Pacific Bay Resort, for a bird’s eye view of the coastline.

By Andrea FERRARI