On the Night Train
Carriage XBS 2162 at Ambledown Brook
Carriage XBS 2162 at Ambledown Brook
October 2019 (4 min read)
Come twilight at the property of Ambledown Brook, on the outskirts of Canberra, and the slumbering bush bursts in to life. “I often see a row of echnidas out in the paddock at this time of year”, says Jenny Kilby, our amiable hostess. And what do we see shortly thereafter meandering over the tussocks? The little tyke allows us to get close, then curls up into a ball of prickles.
Cockatoos are screeching, kookas are cackling, maggies are warbling and several kangaroos hurtle past and whizz over the fence, followed by three females who spot me and stop dead. A big joey has dived headfirst in to the pouch of one mother and its legs and tail are poking out.
It’s like a benediction, this glimpse of Australian wildlife, out here in Wallaroo, NSW. We’re only a 20-minute drive from north Canberra, and a hop from the Murrumbidgee River, but on this quiet week-day afternoon it seems as remote as the Back of Bourke.
Our group of five have come to Last Stop Ambledown Brook B&B to spend a night in one of their converted vintage train carriages. Armed with games such as Sleeping Queens, Rat a Tat Cat, Uno and a swag of comestibles including a decent riesling for the grown-ups, we settle in to the cheery red Carriage XBS 2162. It sleeps six comfortably, with three compartments sleeping two each in cosy doubles. Think of it as an excuse to cuddle up.
The long carriage includes a compact shower room, a kitchen (with a tureen of drinking water), a separate loo and even a miniature sitting room with a DVD player. Televisions are also in-situ though why go there to watch a screen when you could watch the stars? Despite the heaters, I suspect it would be bracing in winter – another reason to cuddle up.
On the spring weekend of our visit, the temperature is perfect. At sunset we put on sweaters, and gather at the wonky outdoor table to spread out the bread, cheese, pate, olives, salad and prosciutto.
The games are fierce and controversial and continue until the chill night air makes our bare legs numb. The kids squeal and roar in triumph, but our carriage is down the hill from the several others and we don’t have to shush.
Jenny and her husband, David, who have lived here for thirty years, serve up breakfast in the main house at 8am. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a dining area festooned with quite so many nick knacks and vintage film posters. It’s entirely in keeping with the bygone-era feel of the train carriages.
By the time we leave at 10.30 the bush seems to be devoid of life. You have to come for the twilight to enjoy Aussie fauna. That way you get a head start the following day on the wineries and providores that populate this side of the NSW border with Canberra, a region that is often overlooked. You could walk the 2.9km to Brindabella Hills winery for lunch at their patio restaurant overlooking the Murrumbidgee Gorge, or take your own bikes and cycle. Either way, Ambledown Brook is a good way station.
EXTRA
Our carriage for the night cost $240 for 3 adults and 2 kids, including breakfast. You must reserve your carriage ahead of time. The Kilbys intermittently shut up shop. https://www.laststopambledownbrook.com
Brindabella Hills is open only on weekends: the cellar door from 10-5 and the café from 11 to 4. Book a table on the terrace. This one is more suited to adults and YA. https://www.brindabellahills.com.au
Poacher’s Pantry smokes its meat and fish, produces its own wine, and grows herbs and veggies. The restaurant overlooks a large, pretty garden. There’s lots of room for the kids and a menu for them too. https://www.poacherspantry.com.au
The riesling at Helm Wines is deliciously close to the flinty dryness of the French chablis. Ken Helm is often at the cellar door in the heritage-listed clapboard Toula Schoolhouse dating to 1888. https://helmwines.com.au
The nearby village of Hall (pop 271) offers more feasting and drinking. These places come highly recommended from Eat Canberra (http://eatcanberra.com.au)
You can book in for a cheesemaking and wine tasting class at Hops and Vine. This retro-style store stocks just about every local product, from olive oil, to gin, to biltong, jam, wines and craft beer. http://www.hopsandvine.com.au
The Cellar Door at Capital Wines offers a matched wine and food experience that is reasonably priced. There is also an adjacent art gallery. https://capitalwines.com.au
Start the day with this hike and then eat up big over the afternoon. The walk is well marked and there are lovely views along the way. https://australianhiker.com.au/trails/one-tree-hill-act-8-4-km/
READ
Paul Daley’s Canberra, one of the series published by New South Wales Press on Australian cities. “People arrive temporarily for work, but stay because they discover unanticipated virtue and opportunity in a place that the rest of Australia loathes”.
Marion Halligan, a long-term Canberra resident, set her murder mystery The Apricot Colonel in the city in 2003. It features the iconic Tilley’s Devine Cafe.