- Dawson Valley railway line
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The Dawson Valley Branch Railway was a railway line in Central Queensland, Australia. Gold was discovered in the Mount Morgan region of Central Queensland in 1882. The Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company was authorised by government in 1890 to build a railway link to Rockhampton but it did not proceed. Revised plans were approved by parliament in December 1896 for a government built line.
The branch line commenced at Kabra about 15 kilometres west of Rockhampton on the central line and struck a southerly path towards Mount Morgan. The first stage opened on 15 June 1898 and reached Moonmera at the foot of a steep climb to Mount Morgan. A siding was located en route at Boongary. The next stage via Moongan, Kirkhall, Baree and Walterhail brought the line to Mount Morgan on 26 November 1898. A 2315 metre rack section was required between Moonmera and Moongan to negotiate grades as steep as 1 in 16.5. The rack system consisted of 2 parallel toothed vertical bars fixed between the rails which connected with specially built locomotives. The additional locomotive joined the rear of the train during ascent and the front during descent.
After opening, three mixed trains ran daily to and from Rockhampton. Two trains ran each way on Sundays thus enabling commuters to conveniently travel the short distance between Mount Morgan and Rockhampton. The line proved very profitable.
The discovery of coal in the Dawson Valley in 1900 generated interest in extending the line from Mount Morgan. Parliament approved a southwest extension in late 1909 to take the line as far as Baralaba. It opened in three stages. Terminating at Wowan, the first stage opened on 16 October 1912 and en route sidings appeared at Talban, Kenbula, Ulogie, Muranu, Walmul, Konara, Gelobera, Wura, Dululu and Little’s Crossing. The second stage took the line via Buneru, Cooneel and Muruguran to Rannes and opened on 2 February 1915. The third stage opened on 30 July 1917 and terminated at Baralaba after passing through Kokotungo and Kalewa.
The transport of coal to Mount Morgan and for the Railways Department was a major contributor to the extended service. Development of agricultural land prompted approval of a 95 kilometre extension further south from Baralaba along the Dawson Valley in 1922. It was completed in two stages – via Harcourt, Mungi, Moura and Gibihi terminating at Nipan on 21 June 1926, and then via Willawa terminating at Theodore (previously called Castle Creek) on 7 May 1927.
The service to Theodore was laborious. A mixed train arrived at 4.30am twice a week and departed at 7.30am. The journey to Mount Morgan took almost 8 hours. A weekly rail motor service introduced in 1952 reduced the journey to Rockhampton to some 6 ½ hours.
The rack railway section near Mount Morgan was removed in late 1951 or early 1952. Sections from Kabra to Mount Morgan and Wowan and from Baralaba to Moura were closed from 1 August 1987. The lines were taken up. By this stage, Moura was linked with Gladstone via the Moura Short Line. The line between Wowan and Rannes remains in place but was mothballed from January 1994. Likewise, a small section north from Theodore to the Goolara grain terminal was closed at the same time.
See also
References
- “Triumph of Narrow Gauge: A History of Queensland Railways” by John Kerr 1990 Boolarong Press, Brisbane
Categories:- Closed railway lines in Queensland
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