Tumut and Kunama railway lines, New South Wales

The Tumut and Kunama railway lines are disused railway lines in the south of New South Wales, Australia. The Tumut line was a 104 km long branch of the Main South line, branching southwards from it at Cootamundra and heading to the town of Tumut. The line served the towns of Tumut and Gundagai, where the line crosses the Murrumbidgee River with a large iron girder bridge and wooden viaduct. Villages on the line included Brawlin, Muttama, Coolac and Tumblong.

The Kunama railway line ["Gilmore-Batlow-Kunama Branch" Clark, L.A.Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, February, 1954 pp13-15] was a small 35 km branch of the Tumut line, branching from it at Gilmore, 5 km southwest of Tumut, passing through the town of Batlow before ending in Kunama. The branch connection faced towards Tumut.

History

The Tumut line opened as far as Gundagai, using the contractor's equipment, on 10 November, 1885"The Rise and Fall of the Cootamundra-Tumut Branch Line" Scrymgeour, R. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, October to December, 1991 pp238-247; 255-261;294-299 January to March, 1992 pp3-19;42-47;55-65] . The line was finally extended to Tumut on 12 October 1903, and the branch to Batlow opened in 1922, and was extended to Kunama shortly after. The steep Kunama line was mainly used for fruit haulage from the orchards surrounding Batlow, until services were suspended in 1983. [Henderson, G."Gilmore to Batlow (and Kunama)". Railway Digest, ARHS. April 1994.] The line beyond Batlow is formally closed and the line has been lifted. The Tumut line was suspended after flooding in 1984, and part of the alignment has been destroyed by Hume Highway upgrading works. [cite web | title = Tumut Branch | url = http://www.nswrail.net/lines/show.php?name=NSW:tumut | publisher= www.nswrail.net | accessdate = 2007-06-26 ] The substantial Gundagai railway station was restored in the 1990s, [cite web | title = Tourism | url = http://www.gundagai.nsw.gov.au/tourism/2244/2255.html | publisher= Gundagai Shire Council | accessdate = 2007-06-26 ] and is the longest timber railway station in New South Wales. [cite web | title = Beyond the tuckerbox | url = http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,23483,21180297-5012670,00.html | publisher= News.com.au | accessdate = 2007-06-26 ]

ee also

* Rail transport in New South Wales

References