Mansfield railway line

Determining the alignment

By 1873 the North East railway from Melbourne to Wodonga had been completed. On its north east trajectory, the rail line met and crossed the Goulburn River at Seymour. To arrive at Seymour the upper Goulburn River has travelled almost due west from its source near Mansfield close to Woods Point along what is called the Upper Goulburn Valley.

Even before the main rail line had been established, attention had turned to the possibility of a branch rail line that would head east along the Upper Goulburn valley. The alignment was hotly debated.

Those in Broadford favoured a rail link over the Murchison Gap, paralleling the existing road.

At this time the road link to Yea ran from Broadford uphill and due east over the Murchison Gap to Strath Creek. The road then followed the King Parrot Creek downhill and north towards the Goulburn until it reached what today is called Triangle Road. Here it turned east again to reach the Goulburn. From there the road ran south east to Yea. Out of Broadford the gradient was severe. Bullock dray drivers heading from Yea to Broadford down the hill on the boundary of Roderick Murchison's property had to secure the dray by rope to a tree near the summit before attempting the descent.^[2]

The alternative alignment was west from today's Triangle Road junction along the river valley to Seymour. The Yea District Road Board was steadily building this road link including a bridge over King Parrot Creek, much to the displeasure of the Broadford District Road Board.^[3] In April 1870, floods swept down the upper Goulburn River taking out some upstream bridges.^[4]

The railway alignment was a choice between a steep gradient and the risk of flooding.

In 1870, several delegations met with Wilson, the Commissioner of Railways. The Broadford Road Board wanted the connection to be made at Broadford and the line made over the Murchison Gap to Yea. Representatives from Yea and the Upper Goulburn argued for the junction at Seymour as it would be 'eight miles [13km] shorter and more easily made'.^[5]

By the end of that year, it became clear the 'best and natural' alignment for the road was along the south bank of the River from Seymour to Yea. 'The present surveyed road is so level in its course, that the construction of a line of rail or tramway could be effected at the lowest cost of such works, and may be looked upon as not far distant.' Compared to the Broadford alignment there was not a 'hill worth mentioning'.'^[6]

The League

In November 1873, in Alexandra, the Upper Goulburn Valley Railway League was formed to 'promote the construction of a branch line of railway from the north-eastern line [at Seymour] to Jamieson, via the Goulburn Valley.' Support was invited from the Alexandra and Seymour Shire Councils, from the Road Boards in Yea and Howqua as well as the Woodspoint Borough Council.^[7]

A fortnight later a meeting in Mansfield debated the merits of a rail connection north to Benalla or west to Yea and Seymour.^[8]

In June 1874, representatives of the League met with Gillies the Commissioner for Railways and secured a promise that 'as soon as surveyors were available a survey would be made'.^[9] The Minister was good to his word and the survey party arrived in August of that year.^[10] By February the next year the survey party was a few kilometres from Alexandra.^[11]

In July 1875, the Alexandra Times reported confidence that the Upper Goulburn Railway would be 'recommended to Parliament in the next group of lines.' It also noted that a surveyor was at work investigating a route to Mansfield via Merton.^[12] A correspondent urged Mansfield and Alexandra to unite behind a line through Merton [rather than Mansfield to Benalla] and suggested that a station at Cathkin would be in the interests of Alexandra.^[13]

By May 1876 there were rumours that the Government was 'contemplating' among other lines, a railway from Tallaarook to Jamieson, a distance of around 180kms with an estimated cost of £500,000.^[14]

The delegation that met Jones, the Commissioner for Railways, in October 1876, proposed a line that ran Tallarook, Yea, Molesworth, then via Alexandra to Jamieson and then to Mansfield. In his response Jones said that the cost of each segment exceeded the limit set by the Parliament.^[15]

In June 1877, the proposed line ran from Tallarook or Seymour, Yea, Molesworth, Gobur, Merton, Doon, Maindample, Mansfield.^[16] In August 1877 a delegation from Mansfield, Howqua and Alexandra met Woods the Commissioner for Railways. Woods said he was in favour of the line but could not promise that it would be constructed.^[17]

In March 1878, Woods, the Minister of Railways and Mines made a visit to the Upper Goulburn to personally investigate the claim for a railway. By now the proposal was to 'tap the North-Eastern line at Tallarook or Seymour, then pass through Yea, Kathkin (which would be the station for Alexandra) and Merton to Mansfield. In a banquet speech at the Yea Shire Hall, the Minister 'promised to include in the next Railway Bill a line up the valley of the Goulburn via Yea. (Great excitement and prolonged cheering.)'^[18]

In January 1879, it was reported that Alexandra had agreed to a rail alignment that bypassed the town.^[19]

In October 1880, Berry's Minister of Railways, Patterson, introduced a Bill to Parliament that proposed to spend £2,356,490 on 23 new rail lines.^[20] The Bill, once passed, authorised the construction of a railway from Tallarook to Yea. It was understood that the eventual terminus would be Mansfield, but even at that stage there was still uncertainty about whether the line from Yea would pass through Peppins Flat and Alexandra or over the 1 in 30 grade of the Puzzle Range. Both alignments being considered equally practicable.^[21]

First stage: Tallarook to Yea

Deterioration & closure

By the mid-1970s, the track had deteriorated beyond Yea and, after March 1977, the majority of passenger services were run by buses. The last regular passenger service to Mansfield, on 28 May 1977, was operated by 280hp Walker railmotor 91 RM. It was replaced by a bus service via Yarra Glen, which was rerouted via Whittlesea after road upgrades had been carried out.^[38]

The line was closed on 8 November 1978, along with the branch line to Alexandra.^[35] It was quickly dismantled following closure, preventing any chance of tourist services from operating along the line, despite some interest being shown.^{[citation needed]} Many bridges along the line were also removed with only the abutments and piers remaining.^[39] The trackbed has since been re-used for the 134-kilometre Great Victorian Rail Trail.^[40] Construction of the trail was funded by the federal government and local councils.^[41]