About the Museum

The Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway is located near Ipswich, Queensland, Australia and runs through the former West Moreton pioneering coal fields. It was first opened in 1881 by colliery proprietor and politician Lewis Thomas (1832–1913) as a tramway to his coal mines. The right-of way was later taken over by Queensland Railways and extended to take in over 20 mines before reaching to its present terminus at Swanbank Loop where it served the Swanbank Power Stations. The branch remains the oldest continuously operating branchline in Queensland. Since 1978, Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway has operated passenger trains on this branch line using heritage rollingstock.