The Thirlmere Festival of Steam is a fun community event held annually at the NSW Rail Museum in Autumn.
Come with your family and friends and explore this beautiful little town as you enjoy the festival atmosphere with market stalls, live music and train rides!
Thirlmere Festival of Steam 2025, Dates, Map, Times & Museum Address
Delivered in partnership with Transport Heritage NSW, Wollondilly Shire Council and the NSW Rail Museum, New South Wales’ premier steam event will see a superstar line-up of locomotives return to the Loop Line for the two-day extravaganza.
Returning favourites to this year’s festival include steam train rides, traction engines, a vintage car show, the annual parade, and live entertainment. Don’t miss exciting new additions, including fireworks, a bigger carnival, and more!
Locomotives
From 120-year-old suburban locomotive 3001 to the Southern Hemisphere’s largest operating steam locomotive, Beyer-Garratt 6029, visitors will be spoilt for choice with the biggest display of historic NSW railway steam engines at this year’s Thirlmere Festival of Steam.
All locomotives will either feature on display in steam or operate one of the many steam train rides throughout the weekend along the historic Loop Line. Enjoy a 40-minute steam train ride through the picturesque Wollondilly, towards Picton or Buxton, behind various historic steam locomotives.
Throughout the weekend, the NSW Rail Museum will also host a range of smaller steam traction engines.
Entertainment
The NSW Rail Museum comes to life with an array of steam, including several historic steam locomotives, live model steam engines, full-size and miniature steam traction engines and a display of vintage machinery. Plus, don’t miss roving performers, mini-train rides, railway art displays and more!
On Saturday, youngsters of all ages will find fun and entertainment with a range of amusement rides and display attractions to enjoy from 12:30pm – 9pm. There will also be a selection of carnival food trucks and treats, and fireworks at 9pm.
On Sunday from 9am – 4pm, come along to the stage area and watch a variety of live performances from some amazing local community groups and performers.
The Thirlmere Festival of Steam parade is a key feature and a much-loved element of the Sunday Festival activities. Oaks Street will again become the backdrop for the spectacular float displays and Parade routines performed by local community groups, schools, and performance groups. This will create a colourful, vibrant, and mobile entertainment display with fantastic prizes to be won.
The street parade will begin at 11am on Sunday.
Wander through the streets of beautiful Thirlmere Village and browse all the artisan wares. Why not also sample some of the delicious food, sweet treats, and drinks that are available at the same time.
Huff ‘N Puff Run
Returning in 2025, the iconic Huff ‘N Puff Run is back to challenge competitors racing against a historic steam engine. This year, the Huff ‘N Puff Run, brought to you by Simec – Tahmoor Coking Coal, will offer two run options with a 6.7km run from Buxton Station to Thirlmere Station and a 3.5km family fun run from Couridjah Station to Thirlmere Station.
The Huff ‘N Puff Run will take place on the morning of Sunday, 18th May, and will conclude the 2025 Festival of Steam.
Offering a unique run experience, the Huff N’ Puff will provide competitors and spectators an exclusive Steam Train ride from Thirlmere Station to Couridjah Station for the Family Fun Run & Buxton Station for the competitive Race, where competitors will disembark to commence their return race against the Steam Train.
6.7km Run Includes Huff N’ Puff Race Entry, Race Bib, Timing Chip, Medallion, Train Ride & Museum Entry
3.5km Family Fun Run includes Race Entry, Train Ride & Museum Entry, Race Bib, Drink Bottle & Ribbon (child 16 under)
Transport
Thirlmere is located 5 minutes southwest of Picton, at the edge of the picturesque Southern Highlands of NSW. It’s an hour south of Sydney and 30 minutes from Campbelltown, Wollongong, and Bowral.
Driving to the Thirlmere Festival of Steam offers the most flexibility. However, parking in and around the event will be limited.
NSW Trainlink operates regular train services near Tahmoor Station from the Southern Highlands and Campbelltown / Sydney.
A free shuttle bus will operate courtesy of the NSW Rail Museum from Tahmoor and Picton train stations only on Sunday, March 20th. You can either drive and park at Picton or Tahmoor train stations and catch the free shuttle bus or catch the train and then hop on board the bus.
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