It’s a sunny winter’s day on the New South Wales coast but high up on the Great Diving Range at Dorrigo it’s a cold 13 degrees. We’re 750 metres above sea level and a poetical local chides my friend “Where’s that dog’s coat? Don’t you know you’re in Dorrigo?”

We wander the town then drive the back streets before noticing a strange sight, is that a train in a cow paddock? As we peer across the misty valley we realise that it is not one train but …. 75 locomotives, 280 carriages, 19 rail motors, retired Sydney electric trains, goods wagons and sundry other railway paraphernalia along with 35 kilometres of track. There are travelling post offices, a prison car and personal car for use by war time General Douglas MacArthur.

This is the largest railway collection in the world and local volunteers have tipped in a serious amount of their own time and money to preserve the collection in the anticipation that one day it can be displayed to the public and enjoyed.

For more information or perhaps a helping hand visit www.dsrm.org.au