Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society

The Hon. M. EL DANNAWI (14:29): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Will the minister inform the chamber about the recent event held in Quorn to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:30): I thank the honourable member for her question. Over the weekend of 27 and 28 July, I visited stunning Quorn to attend the Pichi Richi Railway's 50^th anniversary celebration. The weekend was also attended by Her Excellency the Governor, as well as local MPs Eddie Hughes, the member for Giles, and the member for Stuart.

The weekend marked 50 years since the Pichi Richi Preservation Society ran the first train on the restored railway line from Quorn to Summit and back again, 12 months after the society was first established in July 1973. This was a remarkable achievement for the preservation society, ensuring that the Pichi Richi Railway is still here hopefully for generations to come.

Construction commenced from Port Augusta in 1876, with the railway through the Pichi Richi Pass to Quorn opening in 1879. In its time it reached as far as Alice Springs, and also welcomed The Ghan passenger train between 1923 to 1956. Quorn was a vital railway junction, especially during World War II, where military, coal and other traffic placed many demands on the railway. These days, the Pichi Richi Railway is a much loved tourism attraction and can be seen taking passengers through the picturesque Pichi Richi Pass, experiencing train travel as it was a century ago, while getting a close-up view of the Flinders Ranges.

The Pichi Richi Railway is an important tourism offering. Approximately 10,000 people visit the railway every year, taking in the stunning scenery and everything that the Flinders Ranges and the outback have to offer. It was wonderful also to see the Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society recognised at the 2023 South Australian Tourism Awards, taking out the silver award in the tourist attractions category. I think the award is an absolute testament to the hard work, dedication and passion of the Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society. It is run by a group of volunteers, and their work cannot be underestimated or overstated. They do everything from customer service to maintaining the tracks, driving the locomotives and maintaining the locomotives.

On the first day of the RailFest I spoke with 23-year-old Jarrod Smythe, a volunteer locomotive superintendent who has been involved with the Pichi Richi Railway for over 13 years. Interest in steam preservation runs in Jarrod's family, as the family has been involved in volunteering in steam locomotive preservation in South Australia for 45 years. Volunteers such as Jarrod are vital to the railway, which would not survive without volunteers for its maintenance and running.

I was also delighted that my own son-in-law was able to visit during the weekend as he, too, has been a long-term volunteer on the Pichi Richi. I should probably clarify that: long-term in Pichi Richi terms might mean 40-odd years, for some of the other volunteers who were there. My son-in-law has, I think, only been a volunteer for about six or eight years.

Regional tourism is vital to our state, providing employment, supporting a range of industries and attracting visitors to our regional towns and communities. To the year ended March 2024, the Flinders Ranges and outback welcomed 710,000 overnight visitors, recorded over three and a half million visitor nights and $598 million in expenditure, making it such a very important contributor to our state's tourism sector, and the Pichi Richi Railway is key to part of that.

Congratulations to the Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society on the golden anniversary of its first train operations. Over the past 50 years, the value of the Pichi Richi Railway as a significant tourism attraction, drawing visitors to the Flinders Ranges and outback, has been absolutely vital. Thanks to the passion and dedication of the society's wonderful volunteers, the Pichi Richi Railway is still going strong and keeping our South Australian history alive. Well done.