On board iconic Australian train’s ultra-luxe new private suites

Nitmiluk Gorge is one of the most memorable sights of the outback, a winding canyon carved into the sandstone plateau of the Top End by the Katherine River. When The Ghan stops at Katherine, most passengers opt to take a river cruise, a chance to experience the landscape in all its glory.

Book into one of The Ghan’s new ultra-luxe suites, as I have done, and you will get a very different view of this natural wonder. As part of the all-inclusive offering, suite passengers are invited to hop on a helicopter and enjoy the view from above, flying along the entire length of the gorge before landing on an escarpment high above the river, where we are treated to a morning tea of delicate pastries and Bollinger champagne.

The indulgence doesn’t stop when the helicopter returns to base. Our car transfer drives past the station car park to drop us right at the door of our train carriage, and we are welcomed aboard with a cold towel, a cool drink and a plate of snacks to tide us over until the next meal – which, it should be pointed out, is only 30 minutes away.

Welcome to the suite life. The two suites are a new offering for The Ghan, long one of Australia’s signature rail experiences, which follows a 3000-kilometre route between Adelaide and Darwin. The Australis and Aurora suites take the experience to the next level.

Looking to lure the sort of high-spending international traveller that has already ticked off Europe’s Orient Express and South Africa’s Rovos Rail, the train’s owner, Journey Beyond Rail, has indulged in some serious luxe-maxing. It has clearly paid off: the suites are all but booked-out for this year.

At the start of our three-day trip, when my butler, Sebastian, escorts me into the Australis suite, I feel my eyes widen. Space is the biggest luxury on any sleeper train, and the Australis suite has it in spades.

The largest suite on the train – Aurora has a similar layout but is about a third smaller – Australis has a separate bedroom with a custom bed, expansive living quarters and a bathroom that wouldn’t be out of place in an upmarket hotel. (Jurlique toiletries add a nice local touch, and the Dyson hairdryer will be greeted with relief by many.)

Australian designers Woods Bagot have eschewed the Edwardian interiors favoured by many luxury trains, opting instead for a design palette that pays subtle tribute to the outback through materials such as wood, leather and wool. (The nubbly wool cushions are my favourites.)

The suite amenities have already been adjusted to suit my preferences. As part of the booking process, guests get to choose their preferred style of pillow and their wines of choice, as well as other beverages. (Whiskey, gin and rum are also supplied.)

I have barely set foot in my suite when Sebastian offers me a glass of Bollinger. In fact, the words “Another glass of champagne?” quickly become the motto for the trip. The suite has its own coffee machine, but Sebastian encourages me to buzz him whenever I want a barista-made cuppa, which he happily delivers.

Suite passengers can dine either in the Platinum Club or in their suite, but you will want to head to the club on the first night for another suite-only exclusive: a nine-course welcome dinner. Throughout the trip I am amazed by what chef Steve Roney and his team deliver every day – anything from grilled saltwater barramundi to crocodile dumplings – but the degustation dinner is the clear culinary highlight.

After an appetite-whetting serve of caviar, we progress through a series of dishes that showcase the best Australian produce, from a tuna tartare with capers and soy-cured egg yolk to a meltingly tender pepper-crusted wagyu with bearnaise foam. Each course has its matched wine, of course, and if you can clean every plate up to and including the cheese course – a gorgonzola dolce served with Kangaroo Island honey – you have more stamina than I do.

As the train pulls into Darwin, I find myself wishing I could stay for the return leg. There has been caviar, champagne, turndown treats and more, but if I have to pick just one highlight, it would be something much more simple: lying in the comfort of my bed, watching through the window as dawn breaks over the desert, and hearing the gentle tap on the door that indicates Sebastian is here with my morning coffee. Stunning scenery, every need taken care of – if that is not luxury, I don’t know what is.

THE DETAILS

TRAIN
The 2027 rates for the Australis Suite on the three-day, two-night Adelaide to Darwin route from $16,390 a person; Aurora Suite from $10,890. The suites will also be available on the Indian Pacific and Great Southern routes. See journeybeyondrail.com

The writer was a guest of Journey Beyond Rail.