THE excitement might not have matched the aura that greeted the railway arrival of Queen Elizabeth II in 1954, but there was still a fair buzz when a passenger train pulled up at the tiny town of Goorambat on Saturday, June 15.
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The village was a stop for a heritage train that ran return between Yarrawonga and Benalla as part of a weekend venture to boost tourism to the area.
First off the steps lowered from the goods van were five mates from Yarrawonga led by Darcy Hicks who said they had come for a few beers at the nearby Railway Hotel.
His fellow former Sacred Heart College student Frazer Cummins said "it's grouse it's coming through here and to Yarra".
Also from Yarrawonga out for a day trip were Jemma Beilharz, her husband Nik, their children Max, 3, and Banjo, 2, and their nieces Isla and Zarli Holmyard, aged 9 and 7, and Mr Beilharz's grandmother Joan Kneebone.
"We wanted to support it and the kids absolutely love the train," Mrs Beilharz said.
They were not fussed by the 25kmh speed limit which resulted in train lovers driving alongside and stopping to take photographs at various crossings.
"It's probably a good pace, the kids got to see everything - all the animals, there were foxes, rabbits, kangaroos and sheep," Mrs Beilharz said.
Mrs Kneebone, who now lives at Barham, resided on a small farm outside Goorambat in the early 1970s.
"It was quite enjoyable," Mrs Kneebone said.
"I like the history and it's nice children get a chance to do the things we did when we were kids."
Pouring the beers at the pub on Saturday morning, to a soundtrack of Highway to Hell and Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again put on the jukebox by the Yarrawonga mates, was Railway Hotel owner Jacqui Coleman.
"I reckon it's real cool," Ms Coleman said of the train run by the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre.
"We hear the cargo trains go through twice a day but it's much more exciting when there's people on them."
On one wall of the renovated 1884 pub are photographs of the Queen and Prince Phillip's layover in March 1954.
The royal train rested overnight for 12 hours at Goorambat after arriving at 10.50pm with locals agog when the monarch and her consort appeared outside on the end of a carriage.
While the station building has since been demolished and regular passenger services ended in 1978, it is hoped the weekend visit will be the first of many and add to the silo art trail which has attracted tourists in recent years.
Seymour Railway Heritage Centre president John Crofts said just over 200 passengers opted to have a day trip, with the nine carriage train 90 per cent full.
He expects the next visit will be in early autumn 2025 and hopes to have trains on the Benalla-Yarrawonga line four or more times a year.
