At the state level, more than 40 per cent of Western Australia's train drivers earned $104,000 a year or more. The next closest state was Queensland, where 29 per cent of train/tram drivers fell into that salary bracket. The ABS could not provide a breakdown of salaries beyond the $104,000 mark. The verdict: The Pilbara has the highest number of best paid train drivers in Australia. 2  Some drivers in the region earn $240,000. 3  Given the unique conditions in the Pilbara and Australia's high salary ranking in the resources and mining industry, it's likely these drivers are among the highest paid in the world.