Amie here, it’s been a super exciting time at Magnificent Rail of late..let me take you behind-the-scenes of our annual Australian Team Meet Up in Melbourne!
For certain many of you would have chatted with our lovely Booking Managers’ Matilda and Gillian over the past few months, and as a fully remote team, I can tell you, it was wonderful to finally meet them in person and spend some time with our co-founder, Mat, and our Head Trip Designer, Lisa – who designs all of our incredible itineraries. Not just for Magnificent Rail, but for all of Leatherback Travel’s sister brands; Patch Adventures, Camino Women and Fencox too. How fitting then, that the whole Australian team shut the lids on their laptops for two days so everyone could join in on the fun together!
With her deft hand for expertly wrangling the finer details of a group adventure, I have to give a big shoutout to our team mate, Lou (from Fencox), for arranging an incredible two-night stay for us all at Melbourne Place, the city’s newest 5-star hotel and a weekend packed with outrageously fun activities.
True to our itineraries, our team adventure began with a ‘Welcome Kickoff’ on Day 1 – drinks on the rooftop terrace at Mid Air. I’m not sure what was more spectacular…the views from the gigantic brick portholes, or the Mediterranean inspired menu!
I’m told the bartenders make a ‘Bloody Good Mary’ but if you love a mocktail, then I highly recommend the ‘Nah-garita’ – if not for the clever name alone! Sweet, zesty goodness and the perfect aperitivo to what Lou had secretly planned for our Day 2 activities…
Having experienced last year’s team meet up, I was wise to what I knew would be in store for us – and I wasn’t wrong (thank-you comfy sneakers)! We split into two teams to compete in a fierce foot race across the city to find four iconic statues spread throughout Melbourne’s CBD, and perform a number of unusual tasks.
Yes!! This was my team’s chance to continue our reign as champions for 2025!
The rules of play stated we had to upload photos to our WhatsApp chat as proof of having completed each task; however, for the sake of our credibility (and your eardrums!), I’ve spared you the video of us singing the Village People’s ‘YMCA’.
I think the expression on the face of the statue, who’s arm I’m holding in this image, rather accurately reflects our vocal abilities!
After posing for a pic on the giant purse and simultaneously emptying the usually thronging Bourke Street Mall of pedestrian traffic thanks to another song and dance routine, I could all but taste the victory as our tram sped towards the Docklands and the footrace finish line.
For one hot second as we assembled under the ‘chequered flag’ of the Cow-In-The Tree installation, I felt for sure we’d claim the title for a second year running, only to discover the other team loitering triumphantly a short distance away by the water’s edge.
Pipped at the post we were!
Oh well, ‘Grinners are winners!’ I say, and I’m confident our team can surely claim the title for having had the most fun racing through the city streets!
With the clock ticking towards midday and delicious aromas from local restaurants wafting by us on the breeze, speculation sizzled as to what could possibly be next on Lou’s mysterious itinerary. We hoped it was lunch…
Donuts!
That’s what we were given. Big orange, ‘drive-yourself’ Aqua Donuts!
Clambering aboard, we quickly discovered lunch was going to be a ‘burn-it-yourself’ affair…
Life jackets?
Check!
Fire extinguisher?
Check!
Onboard barbecue, hamburger ingredients and a karaoke machine?
Check!
Oh, this was going to be FUN!
‘He who has the microphone has the power,’ and as our ragtag crew of adventure travel specialists set sail into the not-quite-gusting harbour winds, Mat hit full power-ballad-mode with ‘I Try’ by Macy Gray echoing off the surrounding skyrises, sparking a song battle between our multi-generational team mates – the likes of Dragon’s ‘Rain’ fighting for airwave supremacy over a Chipmunk Punk version of ‘Stayin’ Alive’.
After two hours of feasting on burgers and belly laughs, we gave the circling Victorian Water Police cruiser a farewell wave and puttered back to shore, grateful to be staying alive ourselves…
Little did we know as we stepped safely back onto the dock, that getting locked up was an unavoidable checkbox in our immediate future. A future, which would find us at the bottom of a darkened timber staircase, TRAPT inside a wizards’ enchanted chamber!
Wait, what?! That’s right! The team and I were swiftly bundled into a dimly lit escape room filled with all manner of strange curiosities. With just a handful of parchment clues, we used our collective detective skills in a race against the clock to solve a series of puzzles. It was fantastic seeing the MagRail team all work together, everyone offering inventive ideas to decoding the cryptic messages and earning our freedom with minutes to spare.
Our release from captivity came not a moment too soon, because suddenly it was time for our farewell dinner at Melbourne’s oldest pub, the Captain Melville!
If you’re unfamiliar with this iconic venue, it’s somehow survived the past 150 years, stoically wedged between the city’s multi-storey high-risers that stretch skywards towards a neck-kinking altitude. A fitting scene for what unfolded next…
You can tell from this team photo that our meet up was not without some mischief-making, and knowing Mat had recently celebrated a milestone birthday, we called him up to thank him for our incredible meet up and present him with his surprise birthday gift.
What do you give a co-founder of multiple adventure travel companies for their birthday? Why, an experience he’ll never forget of course. One that involves stepping outside of their comfort zone. A very BIG step outside their comfort zone…
A 15,000ft skydive and a unicorn onesie to wear!
In case you were wondering what his reaction was to being gifted a rainbow coloured skydive, this photo doesn’t quite capture it.
His face was frozen in time for a split-second and then the realisation hit with velocity.
His bottom jaw decided ‘Now’s as good a time as any…JUMP!!’ and fell open in a free fall towards the floor whilst his eyebrows shot skywards in surprise, resembling two tiny parachutes of their own.
Priceless!
Watch this space for our 2026 Australian Team Meet Up…we might just share actual video footage of Mat’s dive so you can enjoy the thrill of it too!