Article: Rail museum takes out top tourism title

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From the Queensland Times click here!

Rail museum takes out top tourism title

Rail museum takes out top tourism title
Kieran Banks
26th Nov 2012 6:00 AM

IPSWICH'S Workshops Rail Museum has claimed another tourism accolade, named the top tourist attraction in the state for the second year running.

The museum was awarded the top gong at the Queensland Tourism Awards on Saturday night, capping a remarkable decade for the railway yards which were once the hub of Ipswich.

Museum director Andrew Moritz said winning the award for the second year running was fantastic.

"When we opened the museum in 2002 at the historic Ipswich Railway Workshops we knew we had something special, but the success of the museum over the past 10 years has surpassed all our wildest expectations," he said.

"At the heart of it is the amazing story of the men and women of the Ipswich Railway Workshops site from 1865 and their contribution to the development of Queensland and the intrinsic link forever with the Ipswich community."

The Workshop Rail Museum opened in 2002 and some 850,000 patrons have passed through its gates in that time.

The site was also a finalist in the Heritage and Cultural Tourism category.

The museum is part of the Queensland Museum Network and is a wholly interactive experience exploring Queensland's railway story through exhibitions, tours, demonstrations and steam train journeys.

The Workshops fended off competition from the Birdsville Hotel, Bundaberg Distilling Company Bondstore, Daydream Island Resort and Spa - Living Reef, Hamilton Island Gold Club and Paronella Park.

The Workshops Rail Museum is now representing Queensland in the Tourist Attraction category at the Australian Tourism Awards to be held in Hobart in February.