Bushfires north & south

Unfortunately it's time once again to depict bushfires in the local area. This time it is again fires in the Grampians, but also fires to the north (Yaapeet) and north-west (Yanac).
Again we are fortunate to have Lynton Brown photographing fires at the opposite extremes of the region.

Lake Albacutya fire Tuesday

Lake Albacutya fire Tuesday night

Firstly he was at the Lake Albacutya (Yaapeet, Nypo, Hopetoun West) fire on the 14th & 15th, and is now at the Northern Grampians (Halls Gap, Roses Gap) fire.

Albacutya fire Wednesday

Smoke from the Albacutya fire, 15th

Tankers at Yaapeet on Wednesday

Checking on the CFA site today the Lake Albacutya fire has burnt 10,700 hectares, there are a number of other Mallee fires in the Wyperfeld National Park and near Tempy, as well as the Big Desert fire north of Yanac which has burnt 2,881 hectares.
The main Grampians fire (there's another outbreak in the Black Range near Bunjil's Cave, and and in the southern area near Mt Victory) near Polhners Road is also out of control burning in rocky terrain between Roses Gap and Wartook. Lynton has managed to capture these photos on his phone.

Smoke from the Northern Grampians fire 16th

Approaching the Northern Grampians fire, Thursday

Railways - Yaapeet line

The Dimboola yards in 1964 (from "C.R.S.V.)

The Yaapeet line is a grain-only branch line from the west side of Dimboola, it was converted from board to standard gauge at the same time as the Melbourne to Adelaide line. The Yaapeet line re-opened (66kms to Rainbow) for grain only transportation in February 2012, though trains bypass the disconnected Arkona, Tarranyurk, Ellam and Pullut sidings. This is following the January 2011 floods which severely damaged the line near Jeparit.

Washaway between Jeparit and Ellam (W.V.R.G.)

Arkona now just a silo site. It opened in 1905 as Katyil, and was re-named Arkona in 1912.

Arkona's platform mound opposite the silos

Antwerp a temporary garage for grain hoppers.

Tarranyurk

The site of Tarranyurk's railway buildings

Jeparit the extension to Jeparit opened in June 1894. The government approved the Jeparit to Albacutya section in September 1898. Jeparit was also the junction of the Yanac branch line. It had a large goods yard, but now the buildings have been removed and just the silos and platform mound survived.

A couple of sleepers mark the Jeparit platform

Ellam just a silos site.
Pullut just a silos site.

Goods train leaving Rainbow for Dimboola, 1966 (from "Patterns of steam")

Rainbow In November 1899 the railway to Albacutya terminated at Croajabrim (renamed Rainbow in 1900). The station had a turntable and large yard. A diesel railcar passenger service ceased in January 1954. Now only murals show what the Rainbow station looked like, the station building and platform have been removed. Rainbow is now the terminus for the grain transportation.

Rainbow goods yard in 1920 (from Museum Victoria collection)

The now deserted Rainbow goods yard (V.R.S. photo)

End of the line - Yaapeet (V.R.S. photo)

Albacutya
Yaapeet the intention in 1913 was to terminate the line at Nypo, but the terminus was further on at Turkey Bottom (it was renamed Yaapeet in June 1914). The line loops to the siding now, with the silos and the mound where the platform was.



Further information and photographs at

 Victorian Railway Stations and Shane McCarthy's "Patterns of steam"and John Sargent's "Country railway stations Victoria" series