Australian Railways

About this board game

Australian Railways is a historical board game for 3–5 players, with play lasting about 120 minutes, that explores the development of Australia’s railways from 1850 to 1900.

Set in a harsh and forbidding land that was once a penal colony of the British Empire, the game focuses on the dramatic transformation of Australia during the nineteenth century. At the beginning of this period, only the far southeastern region offered mountains, rivers, and fertile land.

The discovery of gold in 1851 brought people to the region in huge numbers, triggering a surge of commercial development. The first railway was completed in 1854, and an expanding network soon accompanied the growth of settlements, industries, and major sources of wealth.

Across the three states shown on the game board, Australia’s early railways developed alongside:

• Huge sheep ranches
• Gold and coal mines
• Immense wheat and dairy farms
• Industries producing steel, ships, and other manufactured goods

Many of these early railways were built by individual state governments to support the development created by the boom. Australia did not become a single Federal entity until 1901, placing the game’s historical setting at a pivotal moment of change.

With its focus on a half-century of expansion and infrastructure development, Australian Railways offers a compact historical view of how rail networks grew alongside Australia’s population, resources, agriculture, and industry. It is part of the Early Railways Series.