Fancy taking the reins of the Burra Railway dining car? Edie comes with 109 years of history and one cracking hospitality opportunity
One of Burra’s more unusual hospitality opportunities is up for grabs, and this one comes with plenty of history.
Expressions of Interest have opened to take over the dining experience aboard Edie, the beautifully restored dining car at the historic Burra Railway Station.
And Edie is no ordinary old railway carriage.
Built in 1917 for the Commonwealth Railways, ED22 has been lovingly restored and now has an intimate 24-seat dining space and a full commercial kitchen, complete with a five-burner gas stove, dishwasher, refrigeration, storage and pantry.
There’s even period crockery and cutlery to finish the look.
Burra Railway Dining Car Has Plenty On The Menu
Now the Friends of Burra Railway Station are looking for someone with a good idea, some hospitality experience and the enthusiasm to see what Edie might become.
There’s plenty of scope for dinners, high teas, private functions and special events, even alfresco dining out on the railway platform.
Friends of Burra Railway Station’s Pip Edson said volunteers had poured plenty of heart into Edie over the years.
“Edie is more than a railway carriage. She’s a piece of living history that our volunteers have poured their hearts into restoring and maintaining,” Ms Edson said.
“We’ve built something special here, but we know there’s so much more potential in Edie and the precinct.
“We’re looking for someone with the vision and capability to take that next step, and we’ll be right alongside them to share our knowledge, our connections and our support.”
Edie isn’t starting from scratch either.
She already hosts pre-booked functions, community groups, bus tours and seasonal events, while the wider railway precinct includes the historic station building and bed and breakfast accommodation.
Then, of course, there’s Burra itself.
The town already draws plenty of visitors for its mining history, heritage buildings and attractions, including the popular Burra Heritage Passport.
Burra’s mining heritage is recognised on the National Heritage List, and in 2024 the Australian Cornish Mining Sites at Burra and Moonta were added to Australia’s World Heritage Tentative List.
Friends of Burra Railway Station’s Sue Ryan said whoever takes Edie on will need to keep her history at the heart of what they do.
“Any future operation needs to respect and celebrate the significance of the Railway and its heritage. For the right person, this is a genuinely rare chance to create something memorable in one of the state’s most beautiful heritage settings.”
Interested In Taking On Edie?
Expressions of Interest are open to individuals, businesses and organisations, particularly those with experience in hospitality, events or tourism.
The first step is fairly simple, with interested operators asked to submit an online Expression of Interest outlining their experience, why Edie appeals to them and what they’d like to do with the dining car.
From there, shortlisted applicants will be invited to visit the railway, learn more about the opportunity and submit a detailed proposal.
Find out more about Edie, the station and the story of the historic Burra Railway
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