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Watching the changing landscapes from the window of a train is one of 13-year-old rail enthusiast Gabe Bugeja’s favourite past-times. Indeed, a lot can be seen from a train window over a day’s worth of rail riding, especially on the journey from Adelaide (Tarndanya) to Melbourne (Naarm) – and vice versa – on The Overland. This is a trip that Gabe has taken twice now, both times, quite rightly, nabbing a window seat. “I spent a lot of the journey looking out at the changing scenery. I saw lots of farmland, as well as plenty of grain silos, as Victoria and South Australia are known for their grain region and train grain traffic. We spotted plenty of kangaroos, but anything else would have probably been hiding. I also loved riding past all the silo art, especially in South Australia’s Coonalpyn – the silo art there is amazing,” enthuses Gabe. As well as the welcoming trainspotting community and a chance to explore the country, for Gabe, it’s the heritage aspect of railways and trains that delights, and with a 135-year-old history, The Overland is a perennial part of Australian train travel. “I feel really proud to have been asked onto The Overland, the staff were so kind, and my family and I saw and learned so much.”

PHOTOGRAPHY Gabe Bugeja