Might & Muscle

Queensland’s extensive infrastructure system, including railways and roads, have been constructed, maintained and rebuilt over decades by the muscle of human labour and the might of large and powerful machines.

Today over 7,000 kilometres of railway connects people and places across Queensland. The tracks we travel on trace their origins back to the State’s first railway builders, who worked with picks and shovels to build new paths across the challenging environment.

Things to see and do:

• Learn about what it was like for track workers living life on the line. Introduced in 1949, Camp Wagons provided better accommodation for fettlers and other railway workers, offering more comfort and protection than was provided by the previous tents and huts. CW 119 featured in the exhibition was built in 1968, and is fitted out to accommodate two workers.
• Experience the enormity of the famous Beyer Garratt No.1009, the largest locomotive model ever operated by Queensland Rail.
• See a selection of the Thiess Caterpillar crawler tractors, including the Twenty model - the first crawler tractor designed entirely by the Caterpillar Tractor Company. It established the design and appearance for many future Caterpillar tractors. Between 1927 and 1931, 6,331 Twenty tractors were manufactured.
• Learn about how Queensland's rail infrastructure was built, including tools and methods of track building.
• See machines from the steam era, including Marshall Steam Roller, and Garrett Traction Engine, complete with Mason Rock Crusher.