Way back in June, we rode the Sunlander from Brisbane to Cairns, knowing that it was the last year we could make such a trip, as the sleeper service was being withdrawn in December.

Turns out that Queensland Rail are also going to withdraw the sleeper service from two other trains, The Westlander from Brisbane to Charleville way out west, and the Inlander the service from Townsville to the mining town of Mount Isa.

Effectively, this means no more sleeper services in Queensland, and apart from a service still operated by NSW trains, no sleeper service left in Australia except for tourist services like the Indian Pacific.

I guess we’re probably seeing the same as in Europe, where the discount airlines have eaten the sleeper trains lunch …