Australian troops returning south rush the dining room, Rockhampton

During the war the Queensland Government Railway system transported armies and fighting material. The single track system extended from Brisbane in the south to the Atherton Tableland in the north. As many as 98 trains would pass through Rockhampton on one day, more than one every fifteen minutes on a single track system. During the peak period of troop movements on the Queensland Railways up to 4000 meals were served daily in Rockhampton between 5.00am and midnight by a staff of 35.