Travelling Post Office, Queensland

The first overnight service was the Sydney Mail (with First class sleeping carriage) introduced in January 1888 following the opening of the New South Wales line to Wallangarra.

A First class sleeping carriage was introduced on the twice weekly Central West Mail in 1892, departing Rockhampton at 22:00 and reaching Longreach at 17:00 the following day.

TPOs were withdrawn from the North Coast line in 1930 and the other services in 1932 as an economy measure.

Following the introduction of The Inlander and subsequent air-conditioned sleeping car services in the 1950s, wooden sleepers cascaded to trains servicing places such as Kingaroy, Monto, Clermont, Springsure, Blackall, Dirranbandi, and returned to the Mount Isa line.

Wooden sleeping cars were even added to overnight mixed Rockhampton to Mackay and Townsville to Cairns trains.