The ''Great White Train'' was an effort in the 1920s by

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

based

industrialists A business magnate, also known as an industrialist or tycoon, is a person who is a powerful entrepreneur and investor who controls, through personal enterprise ownership or a dominant shareholding position, a firm or industry whose goods or ser ...

to convince Australians to Buy Australian Made.

Background

The concept was put forward by the Australia Made Preference League, a consortium of

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

manufacturers with the

Government of New South Wales The Government of New South Wales, also known as the NSW Government, is the executive state government of New South Wales, Australia. The government comprises 11 portfolios, led by a ministerial department and supported by several agencies. Th ...

contributing £5,000 to the project.The Great White Train ''

Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin ''Australian Railway History'' is a monthly magazine covering railway history in Australia, published by the New South Wales Division of the Australian Railway Historical Society on behalf of its state and territory Divisions. History and pro ...

'' issue 673 November 1993 pages 267-278, 285 Two journeys were made, the first from 11 November 1925 until 20 May 1926, the second from 25 August to 22 November 1926.The Great White Train and its 1926 stopover in Canberra ''

Australian Railway History ''Australian Railway History'' is a monthly magazine covering railway history in Australia, published by the New South Wales Division of the Australian Railway Historical Society on behalf of its state and territory Divisions. History and prof ...

'' issue 996 October 2020 pages 8-15

Composition of the train

The train comprised one Class 36 locomotive, two Pullman carriages, one dining car, one sleeping car, 15 exhibition coaches and a van. At 309 metres, it was the longest ever train to operate in Australia. Radio station 2XT was part of AWA contribution to the train. The station was set up at each town and broadcast to the local community but was heard as far away as

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

with a clear signal. The sale of crystal radios to rural customers was one of the results but on the train's departure they had to make do with static filled reception from

. It was generally open from 09:00 until 22:30.

Exhibitors

The exhibitors were: Aeroplane Flour,

Angus & Robertson Angus & Robertson (A&R) is a major Australian bookseller, publisher and printer. As book publishers, A&R has contributed substantially to the promotion and development of Australian literature.Alison, Jennifer (2001). "Publishers and editors: A ...

, Ashton Soap & Candle, Australian Forests, Australian Linoleum Co, AWA, Ball Phonograph, Beale & Co, Bebarfalds,

Berlei Berlei is a brand of women's lingerie and in particular Brassiere, bras and girdles. History The company began in Sydney in 1910. The Berlei brand originated in 1917. Berlei undergarments are now sold in Australia by Hanesbrands and in the Un ...

BHP BHP Group Limited, founded as the Broken Hill Proprietary Company, is an Australian multinational mining and metals corporation. BHP was established in August 1885 and is headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria. As of 2024, BHP was the world� ...

, Bonds, Caldwell's Wines, Clifford Love & Co, Clinton-Williams, Davis Gelatine Co, Federal Distilleries, Gartwell White, Hunts Oil & Gas Co, Isherwood & Bartlett, James Stedman-Henderson Sweets, John Vicars & Co, Jusfrute Products, Lewis Berger & Sons, Mangrovite Belting, Nestle's Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Co, Newlands Bros, RC Henderson Ltd, Queensland Insurance Co, Sydney Williams Ltd, Tooth & Co, Tucker and Co, Vitavox Phonograph, Water Conservation & Irrigation Commission, WD & HO Wills, WH Plumb

Journeys

The train made two journeys in New South Wales after being loaded at Darling Harbour Yard. Journalist and ex-politician Wallace Nelson was an official lecturer on the tour. The first tour commenced on 11 November 1925 and concluded on 20 May 1926, there was a Christmas break from 22 December to 4 January. The towns visited were:

Gosford Gosford is a waterfront city at the northern end of Brisbane Water on the Central Coast in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The Gosford Waterfront is known for its boating and scenic views on the shores of Brisbane Water. Gosford is ...

Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to: *Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom *Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom *Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area ...

, West Maitland, Cessnock,

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Muswellbrook Muswellbrook ( ) is a town in the Upper Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, about north of Sydney and north-west of Newcastle, New South Wales, Newcastle. Geologically, Muswellbrook is situated in the northern parts of the Sydney bas ...

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Murrurundi Murrurundi ( ) is a rural town located in the Upper Hunter Shire, in the Upper Hunter region of New South Wales, Australia. Murrurundi is situated northwest by road from Newcastle and north from Sydney. At the the town had a population of 8 ...

Quirindi Quirindi ( or ) is a small town on the North West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia, in Liverpool Plains Shire. At the , Quirindi had a population of 2,602. It is the nearest link to Gunnedah, New South Wales, Gunnedah to the northw ...

Werris Creek Werris Creek is a small town in New South Wales, Australia, near Tamworth, in Liverpool Plains Shire. It is north of Quirindi and is at the junction of the Main North railway line to Armidale and Moree. At the 2011 census, Werris Creek had a ...

, Tamworth,

Armidale Armidale is a city in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. Armidale had a population of 23,967 as of the 2021 census. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. It is the administrative centre for the Northern Tablelands reg ...

Binnaway Binnaway is a small town located on the Castlereagh River in central western New South Wales near the larger centre of Coonabarabran, which is about 35 kilometres to the north. In 2021, the town had a population of 399 people. The road linking t ...

, Merrygoen,

Dunedoo Dunedoo ( ) is a village of 1,021 inhabitants situated within the Warrumbungle Shire of central western New South Wales, Australia. Dunedoo is well known to Australian travellers due to its distinctive name (''Dunny'' is a colloquial Australian ...

Gulgong Gulgong is a 19th-century gold rush town in the Central Tablelands and the wider Central West (New South Wales), Central West regions of the Australian States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales. The town is situated within th ...

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, Lithgow, Bathurst, Blayney, Lyndhurst,

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Dubbo Dubbo (; ) is a city in the Orana (New South Wales), Orana Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the largest population centre in the Orana region, with a population of 43,516 at June 2021. The city is located at the intersection of the ...

Narromine Narromine (Help:IPA/English, /næroʊmaɪn/) is a rural Australian town located approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) west of Dubbo in the Orana, New South Wales, Orana region of New South Wales. The town is at the centre of Narromine Shire. ...

, Peak Hill,

Parkes Parkes may refer to: * Sir Henry Parkes (1815–1896), Australian politician, one of the earliest and most prominent advocates for Australian federation Named for Henry Parkes * Parkes, New South Wales, a regional town * Parkes Observatory, a radi ...

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, Stockinbingal, Temora, Ariah Park, Ardlethan, Barellan,

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, Leeton,

Yanco Yanco is a village in Leeton Shire in south western New South Wales, Australia. Yanco is a Wiradjuri aboriginal language word meaning ''the sound of running water''. Yanco is located from Leeton along Irrigation Way. Yanco is home to the Pow ...

Narrandera Narrandera ( ), until around 1949 also spelled "Narandera", is a town located in the central Riverina region of south-western New South Wales, Australia. The town lies on the junction of the Newell Highway, Newell and Sturt Highway, Sturt highwa ...

Ganmain Ganmain is a town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. Ganmain is located around north west of Wagga Wagga, and east of Narrandera. Ganmain is in the Coolamon Shire Council, Coolamon Shire Local government in Australia, local ...

, Coolamon,

Junee Junee () is a medium-sized town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. The town's prosperity and mixed services economy is based on a combination of agriculture, rail transport, light industry and government services, and in par ...

Wagga Wagga Wagga Wagga (; informally called Wagga) is a major regional city in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Murrumbidgee River, with an urban population of more than 57,003 as of 2021, it is an important agricultural, m ...

, Henty, Culcairn,

Albury Albury (; ) is a major regional city that is located in the Murray River, Murray region of New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the twin city of Albury–Wodonga, Albury-Wodonga and is located on the Hume Highway and the northern side of ...

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Corowa Corowa is a town in the state of New South Wales in Australia. It is on the bank of the Murray River, the border between New South Wales and Victoria, opposite the Victorian town of Wahgunyah. It is the largest town in the Federation Counci ...

, The Rock,

Cootamundra Cootamundra, nicknamed Coota, is a town in the South West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia and within the Riverina. It is within the Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council. At the 2016 Census, Cootamundra had a population of 6,782. I ...

, Wallendbeen,

Young Young may refer to: * Offspring, the product of reproduction of a new organism produced by one or more parents * Youth, the time of life when one's age is low, often meaning the time between childhood and adulthood Music * The Young, an America ...

, Harden, Yass, Gunning,

Goulburn Goulburn ( ) is a regional city in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia, approximately south-west of Sydney and north-east of Canberra. It was proclaimed as Australia's first inland city through letters patent by Queen Victor ...

Moss Vale Moss Vale is a town in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia. Moss Vale is the administrative centre of Wingecarribee Shire local government area. It is located south-west of Sydney and north-east of Canberra. The Illawarra Hi ...

Mittagong Mittagong () is a town located in the Southern Highlands (New South Wales), Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, in Wingecarribee Shire. The town acts as the gateway to the Southern Highlands when coming from Sydney. Mittagong is si ...

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

and Granville The second tour commenced on 25 August 2026 and concluded on 22 November 1926 visiting:

East Maitland East Maitland is a suburb in Maitland, New South Wales, Australia. The traditional owners and custodians of the Maitland area are the Wonnarua people. Commercial areas Green Hills is a major commercial district called which includes the larg ...

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, Wingham,

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, Kendall, Wauchope, Kempsey, Macksville, Urunga,

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Coffs Harbour Coffs Harbour, locally nicknamed Coffs, is a coastal city on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, north of Sydney, and south of Brisbane. It is one of the largest urban centres on the North Coast, with a population of 78,759 a ...

, Corumba, Glenreagh, South Grafton, Grafton, Rappville,

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, Lismore, Bangalow,

Byron Bay Byron Bay ( Minjungbal: ''Cavvanbah'') is a beachside town located in the far-northeastern corner of New South Wales, Australia (in Bundjalung Country). It is located north of Sydney and south of Brisbane. Cape Byron, a headland adjac ...

Mullumbimby file:BigThingsMullumbimby.jpg, Welcome sign in Mullumbimby Mullumbimby, locally nicknamed Mullum, is a town in the Byron Shire in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. It promotes itself as "The Biggest Little Town in Austra ...

Murwillumbah Murwillumbah ( ) is a town in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia, in the Tweed Shire, on the Tweed River. Sitting on the south eastern foothills of the McPherson Range in the Tweed Volcano valley, Murwillumbah is 848&nbs ...

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, Tarago, Michelago,

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, Rockdale and

Hurstville Hurstville is a suburb in Southern Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is south of the Sydney central business district, Sydney CBD and is part of the St George, New South Wales, St George area. Hurstville is the administrative centre of ...

In popular culture

The movie ''

Undercover A cover in foreign, military or police human intelligence or counterintelligence is the ostensible identity and role or position in an infiltrated organization assumed by a covert agent during a covert operation. Official cover In espionage, a ...

'' made in 1983 about the

company contained a segment on a recreation of the train filmed at

Taralga Taralga is a small village in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia, in Upper Lachlan Shire. It is located at the intersection of the Goulburn-Oberon Road and the Laggan-Taralga Road. It is accessible from Oberon, New South Wales, ...

and on the Picton–Mittagong loop railway line.Museum Scene '' Roundhouse'' October 1983 page 21

Notes

References

* * * {{Named trains of New South Wales, state=collapsed Discontinued railway services in Australia Named passenger trains of New South Wales Railway services introduced in 1925 Railway services discontinued in 1926 1925 establishments in Australia 1926 disestablishments in Australia