SWAP THIS FOR THAT
Late nights for long horizons
Swap the working gap year abroad for a year shaping moments and sharing memories on The Ghan. WORDS Lana Al Habl
A ‘gap year’ travelling and working abroad has long been a rite of passage: pulling pints in London, folding laundry in hostels, ticking countries off a map. Few gap year jobs, however, ask you to wake up to a new horizon daily, or to match your rhythm to a carriage full of people exploring the country by rail.
For Lulu McEwin, eighteen years old and aboard The Ghan as a hospitality attendant, the workplace became a moving stage where she now trades city skylines for the Outback’s wide skies, and foreign horizons, for a new way to see her country: through the joy of guests encountering it for the first time.
SWAP AIRPORTS AND BAGGAGE QUEUES FOR ENDLESS HORIZONS ROLLING PAST YOUR WINDOW
For Lulu, working aboard The Ghan transformed what it means to traverse Australia. “Seeing the landscapes change so quickly, from desert to lush greenery, gives you a new perspective,” Lulu explains, reflecting on how each day begins and ends with the horizon.
Unlike airports, where the vibes are fluorescent and artificial, here the journey is radiant and natural: the red dust of the Outback, the shimmer of distant ranges, the calmness of rolling hills and plains.
“People often just stop and stare out the window in awe,” Lulu says, reflecting on how travellers pause to take in the Outback’s immensity. And it’s not just the train that shapes the experience: Off Train Experiences to Katherine (Dagoman, Jawoyn and Wardaman Land), Alice Springs (Mparntwe) and Coober Pedy (Umoona ) let her explore alongside guests, coordinating tours and sharing the landscapes firsthand. In this way, travel becomes lived, not rushed, with the horizon guiding the rhythm – sans gate numbers or boarding calls.
SWAP LATE-NIGHT PUB REVELLERS FOR TRAVELLERS LIVING A LONG-HELD DREAM
What endures after the train has pulled into Darwin (Garramilla) or Adelaide (Tarntanya) is rarely the plated meals or crisp linens. Lulu has discovered, instead, that guests carry with them human moments: the warmth of a smile, the memory of a conversation, the kindness of someone taking the time to listen. Even brief exchanges matter.
“A recommendation for a future trip, a small story about the land outside, or simply asking how their day has been, I’ve noticed how these can mean as much as the view itself,” says Lulu. Unlike the hurried transactions of a late-night bar or restaurant, this is hospitality with resonance.
She remembers a woman travelling solo whose retirement dream was to ride The Ghan. Every small detail enchanted her: the hush of dawn light spilling into her cabin, the simple ritual of coffee at sunrise, the cadence of wheels against track. “She was so excited by everything,” Lulu recalls.
They struck up conversations throughout the journey; the woman shared stories of her life and why this trip meant so much to her. For Lulu, it was a revelation. What might feel like another shift for the crew was, for guests, a long-held dream realised. Here, connection is currency, and “my role is not just to serve but to weave myself into the journey, somehow.”
SWAP SOLO TRAVEL FOR SHARING RESPONSIBILITY WITH A TEAM LIVING AND WORKING TOGETHER
Independence is the classic gap-year currency, but life aboard The Ghan teaches a companion lesson: nothing works without the team. Lulu’s first week was a blur of new carriages and roles – breakfast service one day, housekeeping the next – but “the crew atmosphere is like a second family,” she says.
They reset the train while guests are ashore, regroup for ‘Crew Together’ dinners, and check in on one another during long shifts. Beyond the teamwork, Lulu says that there’s a genuine sense of pride in delivering a memorable experience for guests. A kind of growth that solo travel rarely offers: shared responsibility for shaping moments both guests and crew carry on long after the journey’s end.