Koo Wee Rup to Strzelecki Railway line

The railway line which used to run from Koo Wee Rup to Strzelecki opened officially on June 29, 1922. At the time it was known as the Koo Wee Rup to McDonald’s Track Railway. McDonald’s Track had been surveyed between 1860 and 1862 by George McDonald. It ran between what is now called Lang Lang to Poowong, over Mt Worth to Morwell, with the aim of providing a stock route through to Sale. The Gippsland Railway line through to Sale was completed in 1879 and early McDonald’s Track settlers, especially those around Poowong, soon began to agitate for a railway line to help ease their transport problems through the densely forested, damp hills as the 32 kilometres (20 miles) of track between Poowong and Drouin took over a days travel and all goods and produce were carted on pack horses or drays (1).

Various routes for a railway line were suggested including one from Drouin to Welshpool via McDonalds Track (2) or Drouin to Poowong (3) or Monomeith to Warragul (4). The Great Southern Railway line to Port Albert via Koo Wee Rup, Leongatha and Foster was opened in 1892, by-passing Poowong. The opening of this line coupled with the draining of the Koo Wee Rup Swamp saw fresh demands from the McDonald Track settlers and the Swamp settlers for a new line. The Swamp was a large producer of dairy products and vegetables and there was also a growing sand mining industry. In 1912 a new Railway line was proposed from Koo Wee Rup to McDonalds Track via areas of the Koo Wee Rup Swamp.

Much of the following information comes from Steam to Strzelecki : the Koo-Wee-Rup to McDonald’s Track Railway by Merilyn Ramsay. Published by the Australian Railway Historical Society in 1991. It is out of print, but well worth tracking down if you are interested in Railway history or Gippsland history.

The Koo Wee Rup to McDonald's Track Railway Construction Bill 

receives assent from the Governor.

The Herald October 12, 1914 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article242295595

The Koo Wee Rup to McDonalds Track Railway Construction Act was proclaimed on October 12, 1914 (5)  and construction began on August 4, 1915 (6).

A description of the route of the railway line

Weekly Times, October 17 1914 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article121115533

Construction of the line was slowed by the re-allocation of resources during the First World War and didn’t resume with any pace until 1919. Construction was carried out in three stages. The Swamp area from Koo Wee Rup to Heath Hill, the foothills area of Heath Hill to Triholm and the mountain area from Triholm to Strzelecki. The finished line was 30¾ miles in length, as the article above, tells us.  Unfortunately for the people of Poowong they were bypassed once again.

Timetable July 1922

Koo Wee Rup Sun, July 20, 1922.

The first timetable had three trains per week carrying both passengers and goods, Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, see timetable, above.  The official opening of the line was as we said June 29, 1922 but the line was in use earlier. The Bayles Station commenced limited operation over a year earlier on February 10, 1921 and Catani had opened for limited operations from May 1921 (7).  The opening of the Bayles Railway Station was the catalyst for the opening of a General Store in the town, which was opened by George Murdoch in January 1921. George also owned the Cora Lynn Store and he initially employed Thomas Keys as his manager at Bayles (8). The Argus of March 9, 1922 also reported that the construction of the Koo-wee-rup to McDonald Track line is sufficiently advanced to enable the railway construction branch to haul goods in truckloads (minimum weight three tons) to or from the following stations:  Bayles, Catani, Yannathan, Heath Hill, Athlone, Warneet, and Topiram. Goods will be earned at owner's risk, and as construction work permits (9).  Merilyn Ramsay writes that Topiram was known as Warneet during construction, but named Topiram when opened for traffic.  Triholm was known as Topiram during construction, but changed to Triholm when the line opened for traffic (10).

Limited operations commenced on the line before the official opening.

The Argus, March 9, 1922 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4689414

The Koo Wee Rup Sun of April 20, 1922 reported on the revenue already gathered from the soon to be officially opened railway line - Interesting figures. The revenue derived from the M'Donald Track to Kooweerup railway line, which is not yet completed, amounted to £844 last month. The inward and outward tonnage reached 1615 tons. At the Kooweerup station the revenue for the month of March last year totalled £1261, but for the corresponding month this year it almost doubled the figures, being £2400. Goods amounted to £954, passengers £277, parcels £125 and live stock £44. Although the department reaps such a revenue, the present station is totally unsuitable for the conducting of business and an eyesore to the township, and it is about time the commissioners gave practical consideration to the erecting of a new building.

Revenue from the railway line, before it was officially opened.

Koo Wee Rup Sun April 20, 1922 p.4

This brings us to the names selected for the Stations. The Age reported on the origins of the names. Bayles was names after Frederick Bayles, I have written about him here; Catani was named for Carlo Catani, Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department.  I have an entire blog devoted to Carlo, here. 

The origin of the names of the Stations

The Age June 30, 1922 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205046493

The use of the name Catani, was suggested by the Koo Wee Rup Pioneers' Association and George Clowser, of the Public Works Department, as the article below, attests. I have written about George Clowser, here.

 The suggestion that a railway station be named after Carlo Catani.

Weekly Times, March 6, 1920 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/222562046

The opening ceremony took place  on June 29, 1922, at Strzelecki. The official opening was performed by the Minister for Railways, Samuel Barnes. Lady Mackey, the wife of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Sir John Mackey, cut the ribbon. The first train to leave Koo Wee Rup for the ceremony carried over 300 passengers from stations along the line (11).

Some of the crowd at the opening ceremony.

Weekly Times July 8, 1922 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222803430 

Lady Mackey cuts the ribbon at the opening ceremony.

Weekly Times July 8, 1922 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222803430 

Samuel Barnes, Minister for Railways at the opening ceremony.

Weekly Times July 8, 1922 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222803430 

The steam engine on the turntable at Strzelecki on opening day, June 29, 1922.

Image: Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society courtesy Mary Holmes.

These are the stations and sidings on the line, starting from Koo Wee Rup, with the dates of official operation from Steam to Strzelecki (12) -
Plowrights Siding - June 1, 1926 to May 12, 1931 (I have written about and have photographs of the Plowright Brother's sand mine operation, here)
Water Washed Sand Siding - March 9, 1926 to May 5,1931
Bayles Station - June 29, 1922 to February 4, 1959
Catani Station - June 29, 1922 to April 25, 1950
Yannathan Station - June 29, 1922 to April 25, 1950
Heath Hill Station - June 29, 1922 to August 7, 1941.
Athlone Quarry Siding - October 1922 to 1925
Athlone Station - June 29, 1922 to August 7, 1941.
Topiram Station - June 29, 1922 to August 7, 1941.
Triholm Station - June 29, 1922 to August 7, 1941.
Strzelecki Station - June 29, 1922 to November 24, 1930.

A short report of Plowright Brothers' sand washing operation, which was serviced 

by a  siding which opened June 1, 1926. Mr Clapp referred to in the report was Harold Clapp (1875-1952) Chairman of the Victorian Railways.

Koo Wee Rup Sun, April 12 1926

The train at Bayles.

Image: Bayles Fauna Park Collection.

Almost as soon as the line opened there were complaints about the lack of services on the line. In August 1923 it was reported that at the meeting of Yannathan branch V.F.U., -

a report was received from Mr. Barnes, Minister for Railways, re deputation's request for a daily service to be run from Strezlecki to Koo-wee-rup. — Request refused on advice of Railways Commissioners. This report led to a long discussion regarding the unsatisfactory way the present service met the requirements of the district. Mr. Warren considered the present service did not suit more than 10 per cent, of the population along the line. To help dairymen to get their milk to town it was absolutely useless. Mr. Wildes considered that the requirements of the district would be met if a daily motor rail service was run from Koo-wee-rup as far as Yannathan.

Mr. Bennett said he thought they should go further than just taking steps to get their milk daily to town. Statistics had been gathered quite recently showing there were about 2000 dairy cows between Bayles station and Yannathan station, which proved conclusively that this small area was a compact block lending itself admirably to the dairying industry (13).

As you can see from the dates of operation, above, the service to Strzelecki lasted less than 8 years; and to Athlone, Topiram, Triholm and Heath Hill less than 20 years. The line between Triholm and Yannathan was dismantled in 1942 (14)

Dismantling of part of the  railway line

Koo Wee Rup Sun September 3, 1942

The passenger service closed in August 1941 (15), but the line continued to carry goods such as livestock and milk, until it was closed completely in 1959. It was a short-lived railway line.  You can still see some remnants of the line. Steam to Strzelecki describes what was still visible in 1991 when the book was published. The Bayles Fauna Reserve  has a small Museum with some photos of the line, including the one above and the first two, below.

Bayles Railway Station, taken 6/10/1956 on an  

81 RM (280 HP rail motor) on Australian Railway Historical Society tour

Image: Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society, courtesy of A.R.H.S Archives. 

The train leaving Yannathan Station, Easter 1940, on the way to Bayles.

Image: Bayles Fauna Park Collection.

Catani Railway Station

Image: Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society

Topiram Platform viewed from North Side. Photographer: Weston Langford

Image 114891 taken January 17, 1984  https://www.westonlangford.com/

Triholm Looking towards Koo Wee Rup. Photographer: Weston Langford

Image 114890 taken January 17, 1984  https://www.westonlangford.com/

A view of station ground at Strzelecki, 1920s. Photographer: Ted Staff.

Annotations on verso identifying sites: No. 1 Station Yard -- 2. Office -- 3. Daws (?) Portable -- 4. Scales Portable - 5. You can just see a little of my camp -- 6. Macf's Place near Store. Dotted line is the railway line.

State Library of Victoria Image  H2017.79/141 http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/4157908

Footnotes
(1) Hartnell, Ross Pack Tracks to Pastures: a history of Poowong District (Poowong Centenary Committee, 1974
(2) Drouin to Welshpool - The Age, April 15, 1880, see here.
(3) Drouin to Poowong - The Age, August 23, 1890, see here.
(4) Monomeith to Warragul - the Leader, August 30, 1890, see here. Article also has a general discussion of Gippsland railways and a map of potential lines.
(5) Ramsay, Merilyn Steam to Strzelecki : the Koo-Wee-Rup to McDonald’s Track Railway (Australian Railway Historical Society, 1991) p. 22
(6) Ramsay, op. cit., p. 29.
(7) Date of Bayles Station comes from Mickle Memories of Koo Wee Rup: for young and old, v.1 by Dave Mickle (The Author, 1983) p. 75. He quotes the Koo Wee Rup Sun, but I have checked the originals from February 1921 and can't find a reference. Marilyn Ramsay quotes the same date and her source is the Koo Wee Rup Sun. Marilyn Ramsay also writes (p. 47) that Railways Weekly Notices refer to Bayles and Catani being open during construction on 21 May 1921, and Heath Hill and Topriam on 7 March 1922. The Argus of June 23, 1921 reported the fact that Bayles and Catani were open for limited use - see below.

Notification that Bayles and Catani Stations were partially open for business

The Argus June 23, 1921 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1768863

(8) The Bayles store opened in January 1921. - I have written more about it here,  but this is the short version - I checked back through the Koo Wee Rup Suns and the earliest ad I found for the "Yallock General Store" owned by George Murdoch, was January 1921. George Murdoch also had the Cora Lynn Store, which he opened in 1907. Bayles was managed initially by Thomas Keys. In January 1922 it was advertised as the Bayles General Store and Thomas was no longer the manager, but George Murdoch himself, had taken over. I was confused initially because I didn't know whether the Yallock Store was actually in the old town of Yallock or the 'new' Yallock, centred around the Bayles Railway Station. I did however, check the Shire of Cranbourne Rate books and they confirm that Murdoch's store was actually in Bayles not Yallock. He is first mentioned as owning the land in the 1920/21 Rate books.

First advertisement for the Yallock General Store from the 

Koo Wee Rup Sun of January 20, 1921. The store was later renamed the Bayles General Store.

Yallock Store is now called the Bayles Store.

Koo Wee Rup Sun January 26, 1922

(9) The Argus, March 9, 1922, see here.

(10) Ramsay, op. cit., p. 133.

(11) Reports of the opening - Weekly Times July 8, 1922, see here;  The Age, June 30, 1922, see here.

(12) Ramsay, op. cit., p. 133.

(13) Farmers' Advocate, August 3 1923, see here.

(14) Koo Wee Rup Sun September 3, 1942

(15) Ramsay, op. cit., p. 106

A version of this post, which I wrote and researched, has appeared in the Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society newsletter, The Koo Wee Rup Blackfish newsletter and on my work blog, Casey Cardinia Links to our past.