Private Party train to the Parkes Elvis Festival - WITH SCOTT MCGREGOR, BERNADETTE EICHNER AND THE RAILWAY ADVENTURES TEAM - Guidepost Tours
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Private Party train to
the Parkes Elvis Festival
WITH SCOTT MCGREGOR, BERNADETTE EICHNER
AND THE RAILWAY ADVENTURES TEAM
6 – 9 JANUARY 2022
• BATHURST • ORANGE • PARKES • FORBES • PEAK HILL • MILLTHORPE •
INTRODUCTION
Relive the golden age of the ‘King’ this January and kick up HIGHLIGHTS
your heels on your own specially assembled heritage train to
one of Australia’s most eccentric and colourful festivals. Your • 4 days’ travelling the Central West aboard the ‘Elvis
private train, ‘The Elvis Special’, made up of vintage lounge, Special’, fully air-conditioned retro cruise train.
dining and sitting cars, will transport you in Rhinestone-retro • Gourmet breakfasts, lunches and a dinner in the dining
style to the celebration of all things Elvis at the iconic Parkes cars of the train.
Elvis Festival. • Three nights in the fair city of Orange, at the Quest
Hotel, a stones throw from the station.
Parkes in Central NSW has become the welcoming setting
• On-board Elvis inspired karaoke and party in the
for one of Australia’s largest festivals. From a small local
lounge cars.
gathering of a few fans on one night in 1993, it has grown into
a multi-day event attracting thousands of revellers, hundreds • The Parkes Elvis festival: parade, shows and events.
of performers and theatricals, and a host of special events and • Feature concert and dinner show with international
shows, including the wonderful street parade. Elvis artist.
“The Elvis Special”, our privately chartered train, is just one of
the stars of your four-day escape and has all the elements for
a comfortable, and rollicking good time. Our on-board Chef will deliver gourmet food to you in the heritage dining cars morning and
night, the on-board wandering minstrels will entertain you along the way and the wine will flow freely from the train’s bar carriage. Sit
back and enjoy the summer scenery rolling by on our route from Sydney, over the mountains across to the tablelands and down the
western slopes.
One of the most comfortable hotels in the fair city of Orange will be our base and each morning we’ll board our train for the scenic run
to Parkes. Champagne breakfasts on the way there and lavish three course dinners on the return will top off each day of events, shows,
parades and visits to open houses and fascinating museums.
Our experience hosting a Railway Adventure to the Elvis Festival in the past has helped us craft a superb long weekend away for fun
lovers and fans alike, making the most of our private train and celebrating the King and his amazing legacy.
TOUR MAP
Peak Hill
Parkes
Orange
3
n Nights at Hotel
Forbes
Millthorpe Bathurst
Train
Sydney
SOME WAYS YOU’LL TRAVEL
The best train trips possible, private luxury coach for off-train travel, guided walking where suitable, and other appropriate and appealing
options to make exploration easy.
The Elvis Special Party Train The Dining Cars on the Elvis Special
WHY TRAVEL WITH US
The joy of travel is not confined to the destination. How you travel is a large and rich part of the experience. Railway Adventures
offers a totally unique perspective on some of Australia’s, and the world’s, most spectacular destinations, with the confidence
that the journey will be just as magical and memorable as what is discovered at the end of the line.
WITH US, YOU CAN CONFIDENTLY EXPECT:
• Small group sizes — a small number of passengers per trip guarantees an intimate experience with less time spent
queuing, more time with your guide, and better access to sightseeing destinations.
• Unique itineraries — each itinerary has been meticulously developed by a team of expert travellers with many years’
experience, an intimate knowledge of the destination, and with great cultural awareness. You are guaranteed to experience the
best that each destination has to offer.
• Authentic local experiences — whether it’s a little-known yet impressive steam railway, a small boutique hotel or an
authentic restaurant, you can be sure of experiencing something special on our tours.
• Expert local guides and local operators — we employ local guides to share their passion and knowledge of the place they
call home, while our partners on the ground provide the best possible support and backup all the way.
• Customer satisfaction — our testimonials speak for themselves. Thousands have travelled with us over the years and
many come back year after year, often bringing friends along. Our customer satisfaction ratings show that over 97% would
recommend us to others and/or travel with us again.
• Fully-escorted — our tour leaders are experienced and capable, entertaining and considerate, and together with our local
guides, have your needs well covered. They help with everything along the way, and provide peace of mind, enabling you to
relax and enjoy the journey. And you’ll find them jolly good company, to boot!
Day 1 • Thursday 6 January: SYDNEY - ORANGE
Your Elvis themed escape by private train begins when we gather at Central Station for a celebratory farewell on the main concourse at Central
Station. As we roll up and over the Blue Mountains you’ll be treated to a lavish lunch in the dining cars and you’ll get to sample wines from our
Mudgee region wine sponsors and hear all about Elvis from our on board guest.
Along the way you’ll enjoy time relaxing in the lounge cars, making the most of the on-board services and if the mood takes you, you can channel
Elvis with Karaoke in the Party car. There are a couple of scheduled stops along the way including the Tarana Pub, right beside the station, where
we get to have an afternoon drink while enjoying local musicians performing covers from the King and others. In the late afternoon we pull into
Orange where we check into our hotel, a short walk from the station, our home for the next 3 nights. Later, we head out for a celebratory welcome
dinner at one of Orange’s popular watering holes.
Overnight: Quest, Orange (L, D)
Day 2 • Friday 7 January: ORANGE - PARKES - ORANGE
It’s up and at it early, taking a short walk to the station to board our train for the journey west to the party town of Parkes. Enjoy a hearty breakfast
in the Dining Cars as we roll down the high tablelands, through Molong, Manildra and across the wooded slopes arriving around 10:00 am.
There is a host of activities on tap in Parkes and you’re free to make the most of your go anywhere ticket and our coach that is on hand to shuttle
you to the Dish, the many museums and galleries and whatever Elvis events on the busy program that may suit your fancy.
Optional Tour.
You can join the train for an optional lunchtime tour out to Forbes where you can explore the heritage gold-rush town, returning in the afternoon
to catch up on the action in Parkes (price on request).
After all the fun and games in and around town, we head back to the station where our train waits for the journey back up the mountain to Orange.
As the shadows of early evening lengthen, we settle into the Dining cars for a delicious dinner complemented with Mudgee wines arriving in
plenty of time to head out and about in Orange if you so desire.
Overnight: Quest Orange (B, D)
Day 3 • Saturday 8 January: ORANGE – PARKES – ORANGE
An early start with breakfast on board as we are on a mission to arrive in Parkes in good time for the 9:00am street parade, one of the main
highlights of the Elvis Festival. The day is jammed packed with all manner of shows, activities, events and of course music.
Optional Tour.
You can join the train for an optional lunchtime tour out to Peak Hill where you can explore the heritage gold-rush town, returning in the
afternoon to catch up on the action in Parkes (price on request).
The ELVIS FESTIVAL has been running for 23 years and has been growing in size and reputation every year. By the time the train pulls into Parkes,
people have gathered from all over the country and have been in party mode for days. A veritable ‘giration’ of Elvis’s has descended on the town
and the place is alive with a supporting cast of all kinds of characters, cars and no end of memorabilia. The street parade brings it all together in a
cavalcade of colour and movement to a sound track that rocks. You are free for the day to enjoy all the events on offer and the various shows that
are presented in the air-conditioned comfort of the Leagues club, the smart new outdoor concert stage or the many pubs around town.
In the late afternoon you are invited to the Services Club auditorium for the main show of the festival hosted by an award-winning Elvis tribute
artist. After this spectacular event we are back to Orange on our train have dinner on board with impromptu performances up and down the train
by our own tribute artists.
Overnight: Quest Orange (B, D)
Day 4 • Sunday 9 January: ORANGE – BATHURST – SYDNEY
Breakfast is enjoyed in the hotel this morning before our train departs and we begin the gentle journey back to Sydney with a number of
interesting stops along the way. The historic village of Millthorpe is the first one where you have free time to wander the streets and explore the
cafes, shops, galleries and museums. Next is Bathurst where we have some time to explore the excellent Railway Museum, have a wander and
some time to linger at the cafes and shops. Back on the train a lavish farewell lunch is hosted as we head up and over the blue mountains arriving
in Sydney in the early evening.
Back on the train a lavish farewell lunch is hosted as we head up and over the Blue Mountains arriving in Sydney in the early evening. (B, L)
2022 FEATURE ARTIST
Reigning International Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Champion Taylor Rodriguez
has been announced as the 2022 Feature Artist for the 29th annual Parkes
Elvis Festival to be held from 5 – 9 January 2022.
Taylor Rodriguez will have fans speeding their way to Parkes to help celebrate
The Festival’s 2022 theme, the Elvis’ 1968 movie, Speedway.
Taylor is currently the 2019 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Champion awarded by
Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE) in Memphis. This competition is held worldwide
to look for the best representation of the legacy of Elvis Presley. The 2022
Festival will be his first time performing in Australia.
21-year-old Taylor hails from Lynchburg, Virginia, USA. Taylor fell in love with
Elvis’ music at the age of six listening to ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ and started
performing at nine. He was one of the top five tribute artists at the age of 19,
and then went on to be crowned the 2019 Tupelo Elvis Festival Champion
before taking out number one at Memphis! Taylor’s portrayal of The King has
landed him in many musical productions including the Million Dollar Quartet
where he starred as Elvis Presley.
The program for his concert will be announced soon.
The Dish Elvis Festival Dining car during sunset
Elvis Festival
WHAT’S INCLUDED
• Three nights’ accommodation in your quality
modern hotel
• Breakfast daily, two lunches and three dinners
• Comfortable chartered coaches
• Entrances to museums and events as mentioned in
the itinerary
WHAT WE DON’T INCLUDE
• Transfers to and from Central Station in Sydney
• Meals and services not mentioned in itinerary
• Excursions mentioned as optional, such as the Elvis Festival
lunch train tours
• All other personal expenses such as drinks, phone
calls, laundry services, etc.
FITNESS RATING
One ‘Loco’ - Reasonable fitness
You will need to be able to walk for a couple of hours at a
gentle pace, remain standing in museums and galleries,
get on and off coaches, trains and boats unassisted. These
tours often include luggage handling services, short-distance
transfers, privately chartered trains and longer stays in hotels
so you can more easily choose to take time out.
Parkes Elvis Festival
DETAILS SUBJECT TO CHANGE We endeavour to have all the details of our tours correct at the time of printing. However, sometimes factors beyond our control may affect the final inclusions and prices. These factors may include, but not be limited to; significant fluctuations in currency exchange rates, individual hotel/restaurant decisions that may affect bookings; weather events forcing a change of itinerary; unexpected trackwork on rail lines, unexpected closure of site attractions and so forth. Therefore, items mentioned in the brochure such as quoted prices, hotels and inclusions are subject to change. If a change is imposed on us, we will endeavour to ensure the substitute is of the same quality that you’ve paid for. TOUR PACE / LEVEL OF FITNESS: While you don’t need to be a ‘gym junky’, a reasonable level of fitness is required for most of our tours. The ability to manage your own luggage, get on and off the train and coaches, walk for extended periods, stand comfortably, and climb steps and stairs will ensure you get the maximum enjoyment from your adventure.
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