A new age of the train dawns with Woods Bagot’s designs for Australia’s Journey Beyond
Woods Bagot’s new Gold Service carriage designs for Journey Beyond bring together the richness of First Nations art with the evocative image of long-distance train travel

Design studio Woods Bagot has bagged a new commission for Journey Beyond, the Australian ‘experiential tourism’ company that’s looking to bring back the glamour and epic scale of transcontinental rail travel. The global creative agency previously worked on the company’s high-end Platinum Service, which included award-winning individual en-suite cabins. Now, Woods Bagot has released renders of the upcoming Gold Service interiors, which bring a new level of refinement and space to Journey Beyond’s most popular service.
Woods Bagot’s train carriage design for Journey Beyond
Artistic representation of Journey Beyond's Gold Service Cabin
The travel specialist is investing over AUD10 million (£5.6 million) over the next few years to upgrade its rolling stock, starting with the train service that runs between Adelaide and Darwin, The Ghan, a four-day, nearly 3,000km journey through the heart of the Australian outback. The new interiors feature a rich palette of colours inspired by the work of landscape artist Albert Namatjira (1902-1959), one of the most influential Indigenous Australian painters of all time.
Journey Beyond also runs the Indian Pacific train from Sydney to Perth (nearly 4,000km) and the Great Southern, which runs a coastal route between Brisbane and Adelaide (2,000km). These are massive distances by any standards, and the train offers travellers the perfect blend of experience, comfort and low ecological footprint. ‘There’s an obvious pent-up demand for travel but people also want to travel more meaningfully, immersing themselves in landscapes and communities,’ says Woods Bagot principal Rosina Di Maria.
Across Australia in finer style
Artistic representation of Journey Beyond's Queen Adelaide Restaurant by Woods Bagot
The landscapes captured by Namatjira are ever present from the train’s big picture windows, while passengers get updated cabins with bespoke fixtures and fittings, along with access to the newly designed Outback Explorer Lounges. Here you’ll find long leather banquettes and individual swivel chairs, as well as a stone-clad bar for guests to mingle, and atmospheric mood lighting that gives a cinematic glow to the whole journey.
The design team has also worked on the on-board Queen Adelaide Restaurant, which has booth seating and an elaborate metal-clad ceiling. Throughout the train’s design, the vivid richness of Australia’s vast interior is represented by the colours and materials used. Upholstery is by Melbourne-based art textile company Willie Weston, which specialises in collaborating with First Nations artists. ‘[We wanted] the Gold Service redesign to respect and build on the history of rail and of this land, with an interior design that evokes the landscapes guests are exploring,’ Di Maria explains.
WoodsBagot.com, JourneyBeyondRail.com.au
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.
-
Take a deep dive into The Palm Springs School ahead of the region’s Modernism Week
New book ‘The Palm Springs School: Desert Modernism 1934-1975’ is the ultimate guide to exploring the midcentury gems of California, during Palm Springs Modernism Week 2025 and beyond
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Sky has updated its flagship Glass smart TV and announces a new junior model, the Glass Air
Sky Glass Gen 2 features better sound, a brighter screen and new colour choices, making this all-in-one streaming machine a smart choice for the streamlined home
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Conran Building's refresh brings a beloved London landmark into the 21st century
Conran Building at 22 Shad Thames has been given a new lease of life by Squire & Partners, which has rethought the London classic, originally designed by Hopkins, for the 21st century
By Ellie Stathaki Published