Are refunds available?

Refunds are not available. You can change your tour date or receive a credit stored in the booking system.

How do I book and pay?

Book online via the booking link; Visa and Mastercard are accepted. Invoices are available only for group bookings—email events@downsexplorer.org.au for those requests.

Can I sit with my friend or family?

Email events@downsexplorer.org.au with the booking names and date and the team will do their best to seat you together.

Are food and drinks available on board?

Yes. An onboard café carriage sells snacks, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages; have some cash available for intermittent EFTPOS black spots.

Is the train accessible?

Ramps are available, but there is one step to navigate. Passengers must be able to walk a few paces to board.

What ages is this suitable for?

This trip is ideal for young children; activity packs are provided for each child. There is no specified minimum age, but caregivers should supervise young passengers.

Downs Explorer Heritage Train: Family-Friendly Warwick to Hendon Scenic Return

Morning sunlight outlines the corrugated roof of Warwick Railway Station, Brosnan Crescent, Warwick, QLD 4370, as parents and children gather to board the Downs Explorer heritage train. This short, volunteer-operated return trip to Hendon and back is deliberately paced for families: roughly 2.75 to 3 hours from check-in to return, a free activity pack and crayons for each child, toilets on board, and an onboard café selling snacks and drinks. At Hendon the locomotive executes a classic run-around manoeuvre while passengers remain on board to watch the choreography of engine and crew. The experience is equal parts living history and gentle countryside sightseeing, a compact taste of rail heritage that fits neatly into a morning and keeps small children engaged. Volunteers run the Downs Explorer as a not-for-profit group, restoring vintage carriages and operating the service to keep regional railway skills and stories alive for new generations. Key features include the heritage locomotive (steam when available or a heritage diesel otherwise), the period carriages with onboard toilets, the Hendon run-around loop and the historic Warwick platform where check-in begins. From carriage windows passengers see broad paddocks, strips of eucalyptus and roadside birdlife that hint at the Southern Queensland countryside surrounding Warwick. The itinerary is designed for ease: check-in at 8:30am, depart Warwick Station at 9:00am, arrive Hendon around 10:15 for the engine move, depart Hendon at 11:00 and return to Warwick about 11:45. Logistics are straightforward: free parking at the station, platform toilets, ramps with one small step and staff ready to assist with seating requests if you email [email protected]. Tickets are booked online with Visa or Mastercard; refunds are not available but date changes or credits can be arranged through the booking system. Bring a small amount of cash for intermittent card black spots, a hat for sun protection and a light jacket for the cooler months; children will treasure the activity pack and chance to watch the driver. For photographers, the best frames come at departure and during the Hendon stop when the locomotive moves; candid family moments inside the carriage also make strong images. This is not an extreme adventure, but a neatly packaged local railway encounter that connects kids with a tactile piece of regional history while offering parents a relaxed, memorable morning outdoors. Because the Downs Explorer is volunteer-run and not-for-profit, each departure supports restoration projects and local heritage education, making every ticket a small contribution to preserving railway craftsmanship and regional stories for future visitors. Pack patience, an extra snack for young children and a phone charged for photos; arrive thirty minutes early to secure parking and seating, and consider membership if you want to help fund repairs and get news about future trips.