Brisbane Tramway Museum

Brisbane Tramway Museum is the fascinating outdoor museum where a handful of restored trams that once trundled through Brisbane’s streets take passengers for Sunday rides.

Set in country-like surrounds not far from Ferny Grove station, the museum is solely run by passionate volunteers who are not just full of knowledge and interesting yarns but who also don caps and uniforms to play tram driver and conductor.

As well as the six working trams, which date from 1901 to 1961, the museum contains other relics from the tram era – amongst them two depot buildings salvaged from the major south side depot at Ipswich Rd Buranda, a substation, signal cabin, red tram stop post, waiting shelter, a shed with trolley buses, a replica horse drawn tram used in the celebration of Queensland's Centenary in 1959 and some other trams-in-waiting (for funds to restore them).

There’s also a browse worthy room and gift shop of relics and memorabilia like tram driver’s and conductor’s uniforms, tickets, the innards of a substation and dozens of photographs through the years as well as postcards and souvenirs.

Have a wander, take a peek in the depot and sheds and enjoy a picnic in the grounds but the real fun here is riding the trams, which run up and down the perimeter of the museum, carrying 3 generations of happy passengers. Some still have original vintage ads above the seats and all have working bells, destinations like the old Milton Tennis Courts and a story to tell.

Admissions cover as many tram rides as you like, on trams that date from 1901 (Car 47 from the first electric fleet), 1921 (Car 65, known as the Jumping Jack or Toast Rack), 1941 (Car 99, a wartime special used on the steep upper grade of Edward St), 1936 (the iconic Brisbane Tram), 1942 ( Car 429, the very last design of tram to be used) and 1962 (Car 554, one of eight Phoenix trams rebuilt from the parts of other trams after the great Paddington tram depot fire). Note that not all of these trams are guaranteed to run on a given day due to ongoing maintenance and service requirements.

A few other tram relics can be seen around Brisbane: along with some of the bus shelters, the heritage-listed tram tracks at Camp Hill-Carina and the one remaining red tram post in Coorparoo.

Need to know: The Tramway Museum is not open on rainy days. There is plenty of free car parking outside the entrance.

Nice to know: This is the perfect day out for families with children and grandparents.