What makes The Ghan a legend?
As one of the world’s greatest rail journeys, The Ghan takes you right through the heart of Australia.
Over four unforgettable days, this 3,000-kilometre expedition transitions from the rolling vineyards of South Australia, through the fiery red deserts of the Outback, and into the lush tropical wetlands of the Top End. It is a world-class, luxury experience that connects Adelaide, Alice Springs, and Darwin.
Before you step on board, the history of this iconic train is a story worth knowing.
The History Behind the Name
In the late 19th century, crews faced the impossible task of building a railway through a harsh, arid desert where horses and oxen could not survive. To conquer the terrain, Australia imported Afghan and Middle Eastern cameleers. Alongside 20,000 camels, these pioneers transported the heavy wooden sleepers and iron tracks needed to forge the track. The camel trains were a lifeline to the Outback, also carrying supplies, mail and water in loads of up to half a ton.
Check out the train’s emblem. The train was named ‘The Ghan’ as a tribute to these ‘Afghans’ or ‘Ghans’. The silhouette of an Afghan rider on a camel is a salute to the legendary cameleers who made this entire route possible.
It was a century in the making. The tracks started moving north in 1878, but it took until 2004 for the final section to reach Darwin.
The Camels Today: What happened to those hard-working camels? The cameleers released them into the Outback where they have thrived and reached over one million. It’s the largest wild camel population in the world.
Camels bore crucial supplies such as heavy wooden railway sleepers and iron tracks 
Photographs courtesy of the State Library of South Australia SLSA: B 14808 
