Railways - Carpolac line

The Carpolac line was a line serving grain silos in Victoria’s Wimmera district. It branched off the Serviceton line at Horsham. The line from Horsham to East Natimuk opened in August 1887. The line from East Natimuk to Goroke opened in July 1894 and then to Carpolac in May 1927. The line from East Natimuk to Carpolac closed on 8 December 1986, although the last train on the branch ran in February of that year. The Carpolac line is now really marked by grain silos - both metal and concrete - at the station sites. A number of stations also have sheds for the supply of bulk super phosphate storage. In earlier years super arrived in rail trucks bagged.

Stack of wheat bags in a mouse guard at Remlaw, 1930 (Museum Victoria collection)

 Remlaw Siding

The Remlaw silos

 Vectis

Vectis with the platform mound to the left of the silos

Quantong
East Natimuk
Natimuk only the silos remain

The now demolished Natimuk station building (WTWS photo)

Arapiles

A length of rail-line at Arapiles still heads towards Mitre

 Mitre The railway arrived in 1894. Originally the station was named St Mary's, renamed Mitre Lake in 1904, then shortened to Mitre in 1920. 
Heavy rain over the Wimmera district in 1910 flooded the line west of Mitre where it ran on a low embankment through Mitre Swamp. Traffic to Goroke and beyond was suspended, and a new deviation around the northern side of the swamp was constructed. The old line through the swamp was dismantled and became part of the main road to Goroke. 
A large bulk head was built in 1951 and demolished in 1972, and an oat shed was erected in 1968. The grain silos, remains of the platform, and a short section of track can still be found at the site. 

Mitre wheat silos with the oat storage shed behind

 Duffholme was named after 'Lost in the bush' heroine Jane Duff. The railway siding close to the old sheepwash of Spring Hill pastoral station was changed from Nurcoung to Duffholme. It was a 'no-one in charge stopping place' for the rail motor.

Duffholme in 1971 (from "VR stations & stopping places")

Gymbowen The grain silos and platform mound are still evident at Gymbowen. Below the weekly 7am goods train from Carpolac arrivies at Gymbowen on its journey to Horsham.

Gymbowen in 1971 (from "VR stations & stopping places")

RMSP 70 beginning in 1937 and continuing until April 1965, there was a daily rail motor mail and passenger service between Horsham and Goroke. Stopping place number 70 was between Gymbowen and Goroke.

A steam loco at Goroke in 1967 (from "C.R.S.V.")

Goroke In July 1894 the line opened to Goroke. Passenger services ended in April 1965. There were still rails and signal masts existing in 1986, and the freight shed below was believed to be the former station building, now only the platform embankment and the silos remain.

Goroke freight shed in 1986 (WTWS photo)

 Mortat in 1989 and only the goods shed was left, this too is now gone and only the platform embankment and an iron storage shed is visible.

Mortat building and bins (WTWS photo)

This Wimmera grain line petered out when it reached the terminus at Carpolac in May 1927. Carpolac is still a grain receival point, the silos and the storage shed remain, and there are a number of grain bunkers on the site. The Carpolac line from East Natimuk closed on 8 December 1986, which gave it a life of just 59 years.

Carpolac in 1989, 3 years after its closure (WTWS photo)

Further information and photographs at

 Victorian Railway Stations and When there were Stations and Neville Gee's "VR stations and stopping places" and John Sargent's "Country railway stations Victoria" series

Milestones & Headstones

As part of the National Trust's Heritage Festival, Horsham Library will be conducting two “Milestones & Headstones” tours of the Horsham Cemetery.

The Old Section of Horsham Cemetery

Join the National Trust in celebrating our unique heritage across Australia during the Trust’s 2013 Heritage Festival – “Community Milestones”

In 2013 it will be 100 years since the name of Australia’s new capital city was announced, and the National Trust is exploring ideas of community and milestones. Through talks, tours, exhibitions and events across the country, the National Trust invites everyone to explore our heritage and find out how we shaped Australia.

Locally the Horsham Library is guiding walking tours of the Old Section of the Horsham Cemetery. Two tours will be run, the first – the Daytime Tour – will be 12:30-2:30pm, the second – the Night time Tour will be 6:30-8:30pm. Both tours will be conducted on Saturday 20th April 2013.

The two tours will concentrate on the Old Section of the cemetery, where the tour guide will highlight various headstones and graves depicting local community milestones of historical events and local identities. 
The purpose of the tour is to promote the appreciation of the role of cemeteries and cemetery research in compiling family research and knowledge of local history.

Entry is via the Pioneers Entrance in Kalkee Road, with parking near the Cemetery Trust Office. Refreshments will be available after each tour.

Attendees will need to wear suitable clothes for the weather and enclosed comfortable footwear. 
Also those on the Night time Tour will need to bring a torch or lantern.

Bookings are essential for both tours, and will be taken at the Horsham Branch Library in the Mibus Centre, 28 McLachlan Street in Horsham (Phone 03 5382 5707, email horsham.library@wrlc.org.au). 
Attendees are required to complete a Cemetery Tour Agreement form prior to undertaking the tour.

So remember to keep Saturday 20^th April 2013 clear for either of the “Milestones & Headstones” cemetery walking tours, part of the National Trust Heritage Festival.

Railways - Balmoral line

The Balmoral line was a north-south running cross-country line that connected Hamilton, and ultimately Portland, with Horsham, via the junction at East Natimuk. The line from East Natimuk to Noradjuha officially (and finally) closed in 1986, with the Horsham to East Natimuk closing in October 1988. Noradjuha to Hamilton had been closed since July 1979. There was not much left along the line by this time.
The first part of the line was built from Horsham, reaching Noradjuha in 1887. From there it reached Toolondo in 1912 and Kanagulk in 1917 then Balmoral in 1919. A passenger service survived between Horsham and Balmoral until August 1951.
Natimuk East was the former junction station, splitting the westward Carpolac line and the Hamilton cross-country branch line heading south to Hamilton via Balmoral. Not much trace of the platform remains at East Natimuk but the grain silo is still in place. It is still an important grain receival point with large bunker storage.

The lonesome looking Natimuk East building (WTWS photo)

The short section south from Natimuk East to Noradjuha closed on 8 December 1986, not quite making the century - the line had reached Noradjuha in August 1887, only the silos and platform mound remains. 

Noradjuha (VRS photo)

Horsham bound goods train at Jallumba, 1971 (from "VR stations & stopping places")

 Jallumba is south of Noradjuha, and it opened in September 1912 and has been closed since 1979. In 1986 the goods shed was all that remained of this site. I searched for evidence of the shed in 2012, but there was only waist high phalaris and a few bulokes.

Jallumba shed in 1989, now gone (WTWS photo)

Toolondo the section to Toolondo was completed in September 1912. By 1987 the partly roofed goods shed, some rail and some signals were left, and in 2007 only the shed footings, platform mound and some small silos were in evidence. 

Toolondo freight yard in 1987 (WTWS photo)

Between Toolondo and Kanagulk was Jeffries which opened in December 1917

Tracks to nowhere at Jeffries in 1980 (VRS photo)

Kanagulk was located between Balmoral and Toolondo, and due to wartime shortages the line did not reach Kanagulk (the railway names for Fulham) until 17th December 1917. Photos of the rail bridge at Fulham.

Kanagulk in 1980 (VRS photo)

Further information and photographs at

 Victorian Railway Stations and When there were Stations and Neville Gee's "VR stations and stopping places"

Railways - Mildura line

Originally it was intended to write a single post on the local railway stations, but the amount of information changed the decision, giving each rail line a separate post.

Mildura/Yelta (Ballarat to Ouyen) Line The line was opened between Ballarat and Maryborough by 1875, and extended to St Arnaud in December 1878, Donald in February 1882, and Ouyen by 1903. 

Emu station in 1971 (from "VR stations & stopping places")

Local stations - Emu was named after the nearby Emu Creek, it is still an important crossing loop, and the basic facilities replaced a station in the same style as that of Bealiba and Cope Cope.
Carapooee
St Arnaud station was built  in 1879, the building was reflecting the gold mining heritage. Made of brick with cast iron verandah supports, the station master’s residence was incorporated into the design. No passenger trains have called here since 1993, the yard still sees use for freight. It is on the register of heritage buildings, as well as the unusual  hemispherical water tower, the last of this design remaining.

St Arnaud

Sutherland
Swanwater
Cope Cope  opened in January 1882, when the line was extended from St Arnaud to Donald in April 1882. A large wooden station containing offices, and a station master’s residence was erected on the site of the original state school, railway engineers moved the building aside to lay the rails. The station and goods buildings were demolished some time after 1986. Now only a raised mound of earth marks the spot.
Donald Freezing Company Siding
Donald was the line’s terminus, until 1893 when the tracks pushed northwards.Passenger services ceased in 1993, and the Queen Anne style brick station building and passenger platform are no longer in use, but the station remains an active freight centre with a sizable yard and the large corrugated iron goods shed. 

The Donald station and yards in 1969 (from "C.R.S.V.")

Litchfield was a wooden portable building and platform at the wheat siding. By January 1990 the platform had been removed, now only the silos and a small goods platform remain.
Massey
Watchem was opened in 1893 (it was goods only in 1892), when the line reached Birchip. A grain shed was erected in 1894, the concrete silos were built in 1939, with the steel bins added later. The Oat Growers Shed was erected in 1959. Bunkers were created in 1982. The stockyards were demolished in the late 1960s. The long demountable station building had an extra roof attached to the present roof, to form greater protection, and a verandah for passengers, prior to 1912. Passenger services ended in May 1990. The building was removed to High Street during 1991 to become a residence, only the long wide platform now remains.

The Watchem silos

Morton Plains was established in 1893 when the line was extending from Donald to Birchip. Passenger traffic peaked in 1923/4 then declined to the point it ceased in October 1966. Stock yards were erected in 1900. The silo opened in 1941.

Passenger service at Birchip in 1964 (from "C.R.S.V.")

Birchip was the line's terminus from March 1893 until September 1899, when the track extended to Woomelang. The  Queen Anne station building with terracotta roof is used by the local electrician, and the nearby silos for grain.

Birchip station in 1964 (from "C.R.S.V.")

The slowly dilapidating Birchip station

Karyrie (station no. 204) boasted a gangers residence until 1953 when the passenger service ended. Stock facilities existed from 1907 till 1953. Wheat was only stacked at Karyrie in bags. The station closed in January 1954.
The line reached Kinnabulla (station no. 205) in 1899 and passengers, stock and grain used the station until 1973 when the buildings, platform and facilities were removed or demolished, and Kinnabulla remained solely for grain transportation.
Curyo, Curyo is the Aboriginal word for a kind of small kangaroo. It was the name chosen for Hugh Mann and James Falconer’s pastoral station north of Birchip, which was taken up in 1847. The Curyo railway station was a 24 hour manned small demountable structure, on an important loop which survives as a block point. A town and community grew around the railway, but in April 1976 the station was de-staffed and the residence demolished, the changeover loop dismantled in August 1988, and the platform leveled in July 1989.

The tiny Curyo station building (WTWS photo)

Watchupga was officially opened in September 1899. Passenger services and stock handling  finished in 1966. It was de-staffed in February 1970.
Woomelang remained a terminus from 1899 until 1903, when the line was finally put right through to Mildura. A large standard wooden building was erected with several large tanks, a pumping plant, turnable and engine sheds. The station closed in 1993, when passenger services were discontinued on the Mildura line. The boarded-over station building, two passenger platforms and a goods shed (loosing its roof) remain.
Lascelles probably opened in 1911 as a staffed station.
Gama
Torpey's Siding
Turriff
Speed had a typical Victorian Railway portable station building, with like Watchem, had the added roof and verandah added to the original roof. In 1989 the structure was removed to the Speed Field Day site for use as their office. Only the the platform, grain siding and silos remain.
Tempy.

Further information and photographs at

 Victorian Railway Stations and When there were Stations and Neville Gee's "VR stations and stopping places" and John Sargent's "Country railway stations Victoria" series

Halls at home

Home is Where the Hall is is a grassroots, community arts initiative produced by Regional Arts Victoria.
During the month of November halls across regional Victoria will be presenting a range of activities, selected and designed by the local community.

The Hopetoun Town Hall built in 1922

2011 signalled the inaugural event, and during the month of November that year over 70 halls from Emu to Mollyulah presented a huge range of activities, selected and designed by the local community, from bake-offs to dance competitions, photography exhibitions to film nights.
Events this year will be held  from 1st to 30th November, they can be used as a fundraiser, to attract new committee members, to support local artists and performers, or to connect with other halls across Victoria.

The Langkoop Hall rebuilt after the 1951 bushfire

St Arnaud Town Hall opened in 1870, the WWI Memorial was added in 1928, and an extension in 1935

Stawell Town Hall complete with clock and Westminster chimes

 Home is Where the Hall is will be a fantastic and fun way to celebrate these vital community hubs.