Hunter Valley Steamfest

File:SMR10 steamfest 2006.jpg at Maitland station in April 2005]]

File:3265 Steamfest.jpg at Maitland station in April 2010]]

[[File:3016 at Maitland in April 2017.jpg|thumb|

• 3016 at Maitland station in April 2017]]

The first Hunter Valley Steamfest was held in April 1986 to commemorate the days of steam, three years after steam operations on the South Maitland Railway ceased.Maitland Steam Festival Continental Railway Journal issue 68 December 1986 page 228[https://web.archive.org/web/20120317070052/http://www.steamfest.com.au/History/ Steamfest History] Hunter Valley Steamfest In 2017, Steamfest attracted 50,000 visitors.[http://www.maitlandmercury.com.au/story/4586083/another-fantastic-steamfest-for-maitland Another fantastic Steamfest for Maitland] Maitland Mercury 10 April 2017

The 2020 and 2021 events were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while the 2022 event was cancelled due to flooding at Maitland.[https://web.archive.org/web/20200316081817/https://www.steamfest.com.au/ Steamfest 2020 Cancelled] Hunter Valley Steamiest[https://web.archive.org/web/20200316082136/https://www.maitlandmercury.com.au/story/6680802/maitland-steamfest-2020-cancelled-due-to-coronavirus-crowd-ban/ Maitland Steamiest cancelled due to coronavirus crowd ban] Maitland Mercury 16 March 2020[https://newcastleweekly.com.au/steamfest-cancelled-for-2021/ Steamfest cancelled for 2021] Newcastle Weekly 15 August 2021[https://web.archive.org/web/20220801231903/https://www.steamfest.com.au/ Steamfest 2022 Cancelled] Hunter Valley Steamfest

Hunter Valley Steamfest has seen different locomotives from over six different preservation organisations within New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, including one from the United Kingdom.

This list contains the locomotives that have attended the Hunter Valley Steamfest:

South Maitland Railway

• SMR 10: Steam Display item at South Maitland Rail Yard 1990–95, 2006–07 and Steam trip in 2007, static display at the rally ground 2023
• SMR 17: Steam Display item at South Maitland Rail Yard 1991
• SMR 18: Steam Display item at South Maitland Rail Yard 1991–93, 2007 and Steam trip in 1994–95, 2007, static display with SMR 10 2023 Maitland rally ground
• SMR 25: Display in Maitland railway Yards in 1986 before being moved to Richmond Vale Railway
• SMR 27: Static Display 1987

Richmond Vale Railway

• Marjorie: 1986–2015
• SMR 24: 1990–93, 1995–97
• SMR 25: 1991–96, 1998–99
• SMR 30: 2000, 2003, 2005–09

Ex New South Wales Government Railways

• 3001: NSW Rail Museum - 1986, 1988
• 3016: Canberra Railway Museum - 2013, 2016, NSW Rail Museum - 2017
• 3112: Barry Tulloch - 1988–89, 1992, 1994–96, 2002–07
• 3237: Lachlan Valley Railway - 2009, 2015
• 3265: Powerhouse Museum - 2010–14, 2019, 2025
• 3526: NSW Rail Museum - 2007–12, 2019, 2024, 2025
• 3642: NSW Rail Museum - 1986–87, 1990–92, 2008–18
• 3801: 3801 Limited - 1987, 1989–98, 2000–2006, NSW Rail Museum - 2007, 2023
• 3830: Powerhouse Museum - 1998–2009
• 5910: NSW Rail Museum - 1986–88
• 5917: Private Owner - 1986, 2009, 2014, 2016, 2023
• 6029: Canberra Railway Museum - 2016, Private Owner - 2018, NSW Rail Museum - 2023, 2024

Ex British Railways

• 4472 Flying Scotsman - 1989{{Cite book|author=Driver, Robert|title=Hunter Valley Steamfest The First 25 Years|publisher=Hunter Valley Steamfest|year=2010|isbn=978-0-9806771-1-9}}

Ex Victorian Railways

• R766: Private Owner - 2023

During the Steamfest, trips to Broadmeadow, Branxton, Singleton, Paterson, Dungog and Newcastle Interchange have been operated by steam and/or preserved rail motors.[https://web.archive.org/web/20150427111441/http://www.steamfest.com.au/Resources/Documents/Final-Steam-2014gtr.pdf Steam Timetable] Hunter Valley Steamfest 27 April 2015[https://web.archive.org/web/20140413132039/http://www.steamfest.com.au/Resources/Documents/Final-Diesel-2014.pdf 2014 Diesel Timetable] Hunter Valley Steamfest 13 April 2014 The Sunday Barrington Bullet used to travel to Dungog, then to Stroud Road loop and return. In 2015, a new trip to Port Waratah, using the balloon loop there, was introduced.[https://web.archive.org/web/20150412171257/http://www.steamfest.com.au/excursions/port-waratah-coal-run.aspx Port Waratah Coal Run] Steamfest A trip to and round the colliery loading balloon loop at Camberwell had been added by 2023.

In the early years of the festival, steam hauled charters brought passengers to the event but this is no longer the case with the locomotives and rolling stock moving to the festival empty. In 1986 two trips from Sydney Central and another from Blacktown operated.Heritage Week Railway Digest July 1986 page 217 In recent years passengers have able to travel on the stock movement from Picton to Maitland, albeit on the Friday before and Monday after the festival.[https://web.archive.org/web/20130408225226/http://heritageexpress.com.au/pages/tours-events/2013-04-001-TEOS.htm Hunter Valley Limited] April 2013 Heritage Express[http Hunter Valley Limited] April 2014 Heritage Express

File:Steamfest2016 (03).jpg

File:Steamfest2016 (01).jpg

One of the excursions involves a race between one or more steam locomotives and one or more de Havilland Tiger Moths. In 2010, a triple parallel of 3265, 3642 and 3526 was organised taking months of planning. The locomotives raced against three Tiger Moths[https://web.archive.org/web/20110706110413/http://www.maitlandmercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/trains-versus-planes-in-a-steamfest-first/1758221.aspx versus planes in a Steamfest first]Maitland Mercury 23 February 2010 and winner of the race was the oldest locomotive in the race, 3265.[https://web.archive.org/web/20100425070245/http://www.nbntv.com.au/index.php/2010/04/18/steamfests-great-race-comes-to-a-surprise-end/ Steamfest's Great Race Comes to a Surprise End] NBN Television 18 April 2010 A Tiger Moth eventually won the race for the first time in 2012.[https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/115653/thousands-flock-to-steamfest/ Thousands flock to Steamfest] Newcastle Herald 29 April 2012 In 2016, the race was between four trains and four Tiger Moths.[https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/3638063/full-steam-ahead-for-anniversary/ Full steam ahead for anniversary] Newcastle Herald 4 January 2016[http://www.steamfest.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Combined-Steam-Diesel-Timetable-2016-web.pdf Timetable 2016] Steamfest In 2023, the quadruple parallel run was held again to commemorate the 35th anniversary of Steamfest.{{Cite web |date=19 April 2023 |title=All aboard the ARTC Great Train Race at Hunter Valley Steamfest |url=https://www.artc.com.au/2023/04/19/all-aboard-the-artc-great-train-race-at-hunter-valley-steamfest/ |access-date=13 October 2023 |website=ARTC |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=30 April 2023 |title=Great train race highlight of Hunter Valley Steamfest |url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/8177146/great-train-race-highlight-of-hunter-valley-steamfest/ |access-date=13 October 2023 |url-access=subscription |website=Newcastle Herald |language=en-AU}}

In 2004, Hunter Valley Steamfest received its own ground at the intersection of Church Street and the New England Highway adjacent to Maitland station. The ground is called Maitland Steamfest Rally Ground and is managed by Maitland Steam and Antique Machinery Association. Steam traction engines and portable steam appliances are stored, maintained and refurbished by volunteers on site. Traction engines are also run onsite and driven on local roads in the Maitland area. Events and displays provided by the association have included traction engines, portable steam appliances and equipment, road steam equipment, mini train rides (provided by the Lake Macquarie Live Steam group), vintage machinery, interpretive tours and static displays. Maitland Steam and Antique Machinery Association also provide event management and catering at Hunter Valley Steamfest and other events hosted at the Maitland Steamfest Rally Ground including Maitland Motor Heritage and Steam Fair and the Annual Postie Bike Rally.{{Cite web|url=http://www.questmaitland.com.au/index.specialEvent.51120.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120907005839/http://www.questmaitland.com.au/index.specialEvent.51120.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 September 2012|title=Steamfest 2010 – Celebrating 25 years|publisher=Quest Serviced Apartments|year=2010|access-date=5 March 2010}}

Maitland Park plays host for the "Show 'n Shine car expo" where hundreds of vintage, veteran and classic cars are on display. The car expo is held on the Sunday during Steamfest.{{Cite web|url=http://www.steamfest.com.au/auto|title=All Things Auto|work=Hunter Valley Steamfest website|access-date=5 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418033721/http://www.steamfest.com.au/auto|archive-date=18 April 2010}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.steamfest.com.au/Around-Town/Show-n-Shine.aspx|title=Show n Shine|work=Hunter Valley Steamfest website|access-date=7 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317175718/http://www.steamfest.com.au/Around-Town/Show-n-Shine.aspx|archive-date=17 March 2012}}

As part of Steamfest, the Richmond Vale Railway Museum south of Kurri Kurri used to be (but no longer is) open to the public with tours provided on the museum's own operational steam locomotive and with other steam related machines on site.[http://www.richmondvalerailwaymuseum.org/steamfest/index.html Hunter Valley Steamfest 2012] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112153606/http://www.richmondvalerailwaymuseum.org/steamfest/index.html |date=12 November 2012 }} Richmond Vale Railway Museum

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{{Hunter Region places and items of interest}}

Category:Festivals established in 1986

Category:Festivals in New South Wales

Category:Maitland, New South Wales

Category:Rail transport in the Hunter Region

Category:1986 establishments in Australia

Category:Steam festivals