When designing the Aurora Australis suites, Di Maria and her team took their brief beyond aesthetics. They considered the whole travelling experience, including how the suites could bring the warmth of Australian hospitality to life. The Australis Suite – the largest and most luxurious suite ever to roll on Australian railway tracks – features a colour palette inspired by the earthy warmth of ochre, timber and red-veined stone. The Aurora Suite, meanwhile, takes its colour inspiration from the shimmering aurora that sometimes dances in the South Australian night sky, with celestial green tones reflected in emerald quartzite and velvet upholstery. The suites’ art curation will focus on Indigenous works, bringing the oldest impressions of Country to the tracks. Di Maria and her team have redefined how space functions on a train, introducing higher ceilings, wider windows, and a layout that feels expansive rather than enclosed.

“We redesigned the way the air-conditioning system works because it was previously taking up all the ceiling space. Now we’re able to raise the internal skin, so it’s going to be quite a lot taller when you’re inside the carriage.”

And then there are the windows. “We’re doing things like cutting new and bigger windows so that passengers will have a longer view out,” Di Maria says. The spacious ensuite bathrooms are stocked with products from Australian natural-based skincare brand Jurlique and feature a few surprises. “We’ve also got a sit-down spot and double vanities [in the Australis Suite], which are unique for Australian rail travel,” she says. The generous spaces and extra touches create a sanctuary guests won’t want to leave. And they don’t have to, with a personalised in-suite bar, in-room dining option and a dedicated private butler tending to their every whim (and even offering an unpack service). Then of course there’s the free-flowing Bollinger La Grande Année, served after every Off Train Experience. Just the refreshment guests need after a hot afternoon exploring a ghost town on the Nullarbor or cruising the ancient waterways of Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge).

To aid in-suite relaxation, Di Maria and her team introduced beautiful silk wallpapers that subtly interact with the light to enhance the sense of space, creating a soft, ambient glow throughout. Carefully considered lighting design ensures that each suite feels warm and inviting. For the firs time in Australian rail travel, guests will sleep in full-sized, permanently positioned queen-size beds to make you feel at home. With a pillow menu and luxurious linen – on a sumptuous bed guests don’t have to make – it’s even better than home.