The kid who just loved trains

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The **** who just loved trains

While other kids were kicking a footy around at recess at North Fremantle Primary School, Kevin Pearce had just one thing on his mind in the 1950s — trains.

Kevin’s school was located alongside the Perth to Fremantle line and the youngster would stand up against the fence, entranced by the new diesel trains.

The Mt Pleasant rail enthusiast parlayed that early love of trains from a hobby into an enduring career, but Kevin’s affinity with travel goes back even further than his primary school days.

“We lived in West Perth and my mother told me that whenever I was restless, she used to wheel the pram down to the railway line,” he says.

“As soon as I saw and heard the trains, not a whimper. So that’s how it started!”

Camera IconKevin Pearce celebrates the reopening of the Perth-Fremantle line in 1983. Credit: WA Newspapers

When Kevin was old enough to get a bike, he was able to explore further afield, such as at the busy North Wharf where trains shunted goods to and from the ships.

He also chased trains along the long-gone Rocky Bay line which ran to the sugar refinery in Mosman Park.

In the 1960s Kevin discovered kindred spirits at the Railway Historical Society and soon after joining, became active on their tours committee organising rail trips.

Kevin, turning 81 in December 2024, has spent 40 years professionally organising rail tours, although he was organising hobby and charity rail tours some 20 years before that.

While working at Watsonia in export shipping, Kevin organised the company’s annual picnic train, a two-car diesel with 124 seats.

Camera IconKevin Pearce organised the Sunday Times Watsonia special. Credit: Supplied

“But this small train wasn’t enough, I wanted a big train hauled by a locomotive, so I asked our banker’s social club (ANZ) if they would like to join us,” he explains.

“The answer was yes, and we ended up with a 12-car train with 600 passengers for a day trip to Dwellingup.

“The success led me to ask the Sunday Times if they would like to sponsor a trip and raise money for their blanket appeal charity. The small editorial they gave produced a huge response and we set off to Toodyay with 16 carriages and 800 passengers in 1981.”

Kevin then started a long association with WA Newspapers, and The Daily News Watsonia Flyer ran excursions to country towns including Wyalkatchem, Quairading, Donnybrook and Busselton.

“These tours continued through the 80s under The West *********** banner raising money for charity,” Kevin said.

“By 1984 I was so busy with the train charters I left Watsonia to work fulltime organising rail tours.”

Kevin ran popular chartered Prospector trips to Esperance from 1984 for about 20 years until it was no longer available for charter.

“I then decided I wanted to organise some longer trips and in 1985 did my first overseas trip which was the Great Java Rail Tour, that is my baby.”

The Java tour was inspired by a trip to Bali with a friend in the 1970s, well before direct flights, which necessitated first travelling from Jakarta by train. Kevin was hooked.

The 14-night Great Java Rail Tour departs annually in July, with accommodation in four- and five-star hotels, a mix of Indonesian, Western and ******** meals, and daytime-only train journeys in a private sitting car with use of an exclusive lounge car.

Along the way, guests experience the sights, sounds and culture of Java at stops including Jakarta, Surabaya and Yogyakarta. One of the hotels used is the colonial Majapahit Hotel, built in 1910 by Lucas Martin Sarkies, part of the famous family whose collection of grand hotels included the Raffles in Singapore.

Including it on the tour was the idea of Kevin’s life and business partner Rory Oktaviono, who he met in Java 20 years ago.

Camera IconThe Great Java Rail Tour. Credit: Supplied

“I am very fortunate he has a terrific way with the mature aged people, he gets on so well with them and that also helps,” Kevins says of Rory, who wears many hats including tour photographer.

“If he wasn’t here, I wouldn’t be able to do it on my own, from the IT side to the porterage.

I don’t think there is any tour company that carries the luggage from the bus to the room, we do it all.”

Pricing for the next Great Java Rail Tour is due out in December 2024 but it is often half-booked out in advance by repeat customers.

“Who else is doing Java, who is selling Java, nobody,” Kevin said.

“When people go on this tour, they discover they love it so much. They didn’t expect it to be so good.

“All we think about here (in WA) is Bali, so the Java tour sells itself.”

fact file

+ The next Great Java Rail Tour is scheduled to depart on July 27, 2025. Bookings via Tour de Force Travel, Carine:

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or call 9246 2177.

+ More on Kevin Pearce Tours at

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Camera IconKevin Pearce organised the Sunday Times Watsonia special. Credit: SuppliedCamera IconKevin Pearce Tours chartered the Prospector to Esperance. Credit: SuppliedCamera IconKevin Pearce organised the Sunday Times Watsonia special. Credit: Supplied

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