Tourist and heritage operators

Tourist and heritage railways are important to Queensland for social, economic and historical reasons, including contributing to regional tourism and sustaining Queensland's cultural heritage. Tourist and heritage railways are generally not-for-profit organisations focused on the preservation and operation of historic railway experiences, rolling stock or rail infrastructure.

Tourist and heritage railways offer numerous benefits to Queensland by providing:

• volunteer and paid jobs
• tourist attractions that have a positive flow-on effect to local business
• benefits to volunteers, such as social interactions and satisfaction from preserving and recreating rail history
• restoration of important rail culture and history in Queensland.

Annual accreditation fees

Annual accreditation fees are set by the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator. In recognition of the important contribution tourist and heritage railways make to Queensland's tourism industry and cultural heritage, the Department of Transport and Main Roads is committed to funding annual accreditation fees on behalf of tourist and heritage operators whose principal state of accreditation is Queensland.

Under this arrangement, the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator invoice the Department of Transport and Main Roads directly for tourist and heritage annual accreditation fees.