The TOP 10 BEST Museums in Avenell Heights QLD

Bundaberg Steam Tramway Preservation Society Incorporated (BSTPS) trading as Australian Sugar Cane Railway (ASCR) is located on Al Steward Drive inside the Bundaberg Botanic Gardens off Mount Perry Rd, North Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia. The society is a non-profit organisation which is operated and maintained by volunteers and officially opened for service in November 1988, though the society was actually formed prior to 1978. The aim of the society is to restore, maintain and operate steam locomotives which were used in the Bundaberg district to haul sugar cane to juice and sugar mills within the Bundaberg region, bring awareness to present and future generations and also to showcase the machinery previously used by our pioneering families. ASCR's steam locomotives are 610mm (2 foot) gauge and are fired exclusively on coal. A new 1km track extension was officially opened in January 2015 which added to the existing 1km which was constructed in 1986 The trains now travel a journey of 2km through Bundaberg's Botanic Gardens. ASCR own 4 steam locomotives, 2 of which were built in Bundaberg at the Bundaberg Foundry. The steam locomotives which ASCR owns are: * No 1 Bundaberg Fowler (a.k.a. Jumbo), 0-6-2T configuration, built in 1952 under licence by Bundaberg Foundry. * No 3 Bundaberg Fowler (a.k.a. Nipper), 0-4-2T configuration, built in 1952 under licence by Bundaberg Foundry. * Invicta, 0-6-2T configuration, built by John Fowler & Co (Leeds England), build number 11277, built 1907. * Germany, 0-4-0T configuration, built in 1914 by Orenstein and Koppel (Germany), build number 6805. ASCR also owns a diesel loco called Valdora, 0-4-0DH configuration, built in 1965 by EM Baldwin. The carriages are made from 3 ton chopstick carriages which were previously used to haul cane to the mills and have been modified for passenger use.

Museum and historical society.

Bundaberg's first railway station, built in 1881 as an outlet for the Mt Perry railway bringing copper from the mines, is now preserved as a railway museum. Located some 500 metres from its original site, the museum houses a wide variety of railway items past and present.

Childers Arts Space (CHARTS) features exhibitions from both local and visiting artists nationally, locally and internationally. The art gallery is situated upstairs alongside the Palace Memorial.

The Biggenden Historical Museum offers a unique tourist experience in the Biggenden region of Hervey Bay.

The Gayndah Museum operated by the Gayndah and District Historical Society Inc. is housed in what was the very first brick house built in Gayndah and our displays let you see what family life was like in rural Queensland during the second half of the 19th Century. We also have an extensive collection of photographs taken during the early days of Gayndah and they provide a chance to look at the way the township functioned and the people interacted with one another. Many of the photos in our collection depict life on the land when much of the hard work was done by men and horses. These rare fresh water fish are survivors from prehistoric times and our Lung Fish display has been recommended as the best display in Queensland. Not only do we have an interpretive display but we also have two live lung fish for you to see. The Museum also boasts a fine collection of various vintage vehicles, tractors, steam engines and other equipment ranging from rare trucks and tractors through to stationery steam engines from mills and even warships. Many are in operating condition and the Gayndah Museum holds regular steam days throughout the year.