Railtrails of Victoria First Edition Updates

This page lists updates to the Railtrails of Victoria. If you have information to contribute, please send us e-mail at the address below. This page relates to the first edition of the book printed in July 1999 (refer to page ii of the book).

Last updated: January 2005. This will be the last update to this page. See the second edition of the guide for further updates.

Rail Trails of Victoria and South Australia: New Edition A new edition of our rail trail guide book is now available. Fully revised and updated, it includes over 300 km of new and extened trails. The new edition also includes three South Australian Trails. 144 pages in full colour. More Information...

Updates

Miscellaneous

Terminology

The book refers to "coral-type fencing". This is an American term that slipped through. It should more correctly be called "post and rail" fencing. This style of fencing was widely used by the railways.

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Phil Rickard for providing the description for the Mount Samaria Tramway. His name was omitted from the acknowledgements page.

The Port Welshpool Tramway

As is mentioned in the book, the Victorian Railways, in an attempt to reduce construction costs for branch lines, built four narrow gauge, 2' 6" railways in the state, opened between 1899 and 1911. One of these was the famous Puffing Billy Railway in the Dandenongs. Two others are railtrails described in the book - the "Old Beechy" Railtrail and the Walhalla Goldfields Rail Trail. A couple of readers have pointed out that we fail to mention that there was a fifth 2' 6" government railway between Welshpool and Port Welshpool. We don't mention it because it was quite different to the others. This short railway was built to connect the railway at Welshpool with the port. It was operated by horses which hauled small four wheeled wooden trolleys and ran from 1905 to 1940.

Inner Circle and Fitzroy Trails

Page 11

Although goods trains stopped running to Whittlesea in 1959, they continued to run to Fitzroy until 1981.

Outer Circle Railtrail

Page 9

It is interesting to note that the embankment on the left of the photograph on page 8 was once the platform of Roystead station. Access to the platform was via a ramp leading up to Mont Albert Road. Also the station building at Hartwell station (on the current Alamein line) was originally located at Walhalla (see the Walhalla Goldfields Rail

Page 14

"North Balwyn Bus" should read "North Balwyn Tram".

Page 15

Signs have been errected at regular intervals along the trail with historical photos and information about the Outer Circle Railway.

Rosstown Railtrail

Page 21

The map shows only two of the four former stations on the line (at Hawthorn Road and Booran Road). The other two were at Koornang Road near Ross's Sugar Beet factory and near Kooyong Road).

Bellarine Peninsula Rail Trail

Page 27

The trail is now open from Drysdale to Queenscliff. This section runs parallel to the Bellarine Tourist Railway and adds a further 16 km to the trail.

Monday to Saturday, Geelong trains continue through to South Geelong which may be a more convenient start point for those wishing to reach the trail by public transport.

The Warburton Trail

Page 30

The mountain in the background is Mount Little Joe not Mount Riddel as stated.

The trail is now open between Lilydale Station and Anderson Street. This section has a grass surface and is suitable for mountain bikes and walkers.

Page 54

A number of the signs marking the trail at the start points and road crossings have been stolen or vandalised. In May 2000 the signboard marking the trail at Erica was not there making the start of the trail a little hard to find.

Interpretive signs have been placed at a number of points along the line including Platina and the site of a 1915 rail accident. A replica station has been built at Platina and picnic tables installed at several points along the trail.

The railway is now open to Walhalla. Trains operate every Saturday and Sunday and some extra days during peak periods. The hotel at Coopers Creek, south of Platina has recently been rebuilt.

Moe to Yallourn Rail Trail

Page 59

The line closed in 1986.

Kilcunda to Wonthaggi Railtrail

Page 66

The entire trail has now been graded, but as at February 2001, the surface is fairly rough with patches of ballast remaining. The first 3 km from Wonthaggi have been fully surfaced and is currently the only section suitable for road bikes. Fences formerly across the trail have now been removed and replaced by gates.

Page 67

The Kilcunda Trestle Bridge is now open for trail users and offers spectacular views. Work has commenced on a deviation around another tresle bridge on the Anderson side of Kilcunda.

Page 68

The height of Kilcunda should read 12 m this was due to a misprint in the Victorian Railways Gradient Profile book upon which the diagram was based.

Great Southern Rail Trail

Page 72

The trail is now fully open and surfaced Leongatha to Koonwarra (8km) and Meeniyan to Foster (31km). The section between Koonwarra and Meeniyan is expected to be completed during 2006 after a planned highway reallignment in the area.

The Noojee Trestle Bridge Railtrail

Page 74

While the line finally closed in 1958, the section from Noojee to Nayook closed four years earlier in 1954.

East Gippsland Rail Trail

Page 75

The trail has between Bairnsdale and Nicholson now has a bituminous surface. The trail from Nicholson to Bruthen has been regraded.

Page 80

The trail is now open through to Nowa Nowa. The section through to Orbost is expected to open in 2006.

Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail

Page 87

The trail is now complete from Wangaratta to Bright and Beechworth giving a total distance of 97km. The trail has a sealed surface for its entire length. See our trail description for more information.

Mt Samaria Tramway

Page 91

Toilets are available at the mill site. The trail begins near the mill site. Follow the orange marker arrows. There is a small bridge over the creek near the mill. This leads to Lightning Track. It is possible to do a circuit returning via Butchers Track and Lightning Track.

Bonnie Doon Rail Trail

Page 93

Development of this trail has not progressed as far as expected. On the Melbourne side of the bridge, the former Bonnie Doon Station is fenced off as part of a Caravan Park and is not currently accessible. The trail to the bridge is currently accessible from Wilson Road.

Bunny Rail Trail

Page 97

We have had a report that parts of this trail are now fenced off and inaccessible.

Ballarat Skipton Rail Trail

Page 98

Nimons Bridge is now open.

Grampians Railtrail

Page 109

Although it is commonly stated that this line opened in the 1900s, there is evidence that stone was conveyed from the quarry by train as early as 1882 and that the stone was used for extensions to Parliament House completed in 1886. The line closed in 1949.