All aboard: Steamfest is just around the corner and there's lots to see

Central Maitland will come alive on Saturday and Sunday, April 13 and 14 with a huge family-friendly program full of locomotives, antique machinery, car displays, amusements and train rides.

Maitland Station, Steamfest Rally Ground, Maitland Park and everywhere in between will be abuzz with the sound of steam whistles, chugging pistons, live entertainment and tens of thousands of people.

This year's program will see NSW's largest and most powerful steam locomotive, the 6029 'The Garratt' and the 1917 built 3526 at Maitland Station.

Steamfest's rail program, presented by Australian Rail Track Corporation, will see a host of rail excursions to various destinations in the Hunter Valley for the event, as well as the famous Great Train Race where two iconic steam trains race a Tiger Moth airplane.

Hunter Valley Steamfest Committee chairman Peter Garnham said this year the Rally Ground will have its biggest ever line up of engines.

"There are three steam traction rollers that have never been here before," he said.

"We're always trying to make sure we've got something new so there's something [fresh] for people to see each year."

Cr Garnham has been chairman of Steamfest since 1999, and has always had a keen interest in steam locomotives and the South Maitland Railways (SMR) as his father was the manager of SMR.

"Steamfest started at the closure of the last commercial steam haul railway in Australia, and that was South Maitland Railways," he said.

"That's why Steamfest started, and it just evolved from there."

Last year the event was attended by more than 60,000 people.

Cr Garnham said Steamfest has a huge economic benefit for the city.

"Many years ago the university did a survey and I think it was something like an injection of over $3 million to Maitland businesses, and I looked sideways at that but then when you think they're paying for the motel rooms and buying their bread and milk," Cr Garnham said.

"It's a flow-on effect, the way the university worked it out and it was certainly a major boost.

"My philosophy at council and at council events is if we make the businesses profit from it, then that's where our grandkids and children will get jobs without them leaving Maitland."

Burton Automotive has been sponsoring the event for 12 consecutive years now, and Norm Burton OAM said it's always a pleasure to get involved with community events.

"Our philosophy is if it's good for Maitland, it's good for us and there's certainly no doubt that Steamfest is good for Maitland," Mr Burton said.

Tickets for the train journeys will be on sale Tuesday, March 12 at 12pm at www.steamfest.com.au.