Travel Australia

Tallarook to Mansfield Rail Line

The Tallarook to Mansfield and Alexandra railways were branch lines passing through the Goulburn Valley of northern Victoria. They were constructed in three main stages: Tallarook to Yea from 1882-84, Yea to Mansfield from 1887-91 (which included the branch as far as Alexandra Road) and the final Alexandra Township Railway Extension commenced in August 1908 and completed by October 1909.

The line was built as a result of a decade of local lobbying, and provided improved access for agricultural products from the region to Melbourne markets. The line was quite scenic and included a 200 m tunnel near Cheviot and a viaduct over an arm of the Lake Eildon reservoir in Bonnie Doon, which was rebuilt in 1955 as part of the enlarging of the reservoir.



The main northeast line from Melbourne had reached Tallarook in November 1872. Ten years later, in 1882, a rail line was surveyed as far as Yea and the construction contract awarded. The route followed the curves and undulations of the valley, hugging the steep walls on the south side of the river. The terrain was not easy. In the first 11.2 kilometres to Trawool there were 17 curves and 68 changes of grade. At a cost of £97,637 pounds (around $20 million) and 23 bridges later, it took over 1,000 men to complete the railway line as far as Yea. The first train from Tallarook to Yea arrived on Tuesday 20th Nov 1883. Initially the return Tallarook to Yea train service was a daily Goods and Passenger train combined. The track speed was 60 km/hr.


Yarck station on the Alexandra Line. Source: Picture Victoria

The Alexandra Line

The branch railway line to Alexandra was long in coming. In the 1880s, Alexandra lobbied long and hard for the line to Mansfield to be routed directly through their town. They were beaten by nature and the engineering realities of the hilly terrain and the steep gradients that surround the township. The direct line to Mansfield was built to the north. In September 1890, a short compromise branch line was constructed (7.1km) from Cathkin in the direction of Alexandra. On 11 August 1908 work began on the Alexandra Township Railway Extension. This was through rough, steep, 1 in 30 grade country and was costly to construct.


Yea Station

Yea to Mansfield

After nearly 15 years of agitation, deputations, many setbacks and numerous changes of Government, work began on the Yea to Mansfield line on 27 April 1887. The first train steamed into Mansfield on 6th October 1891. It was a wood burning W Class loco and although 15 minutes late, it arrived to the delight of some 2,000 onlookers. The engine was one of the American-style engines used on branch lines and made by Phoenix Foundry at Ballarat. It was given a rousing welcome by The Mansfield Brass Band.

Within a few years of its opening, the rail line was used to transport hardwood timber from the nearby Murrindindi Forest to Melbourne. Major timber mills operated in the area in the late 1800’s like Foran, Vinning, Wightman, McKenzie and others, transported timber to Cheviot Station along some 23km of 3foot gauge timber tramways using horse drawn trams. The tramlines were used to minimise damage to the earthen roads and tracks. Two six-ton derrick cranes were installed at the station yards in the 1920’s to handle the large volume of timber transported. The timber industry peaked in the area from 1907 until the breakout of World War I and between 1923 and the Great Depression years.


Goods traffic on the Mansfield Line hauled by an X Class diesel locomotive, c.1970s

The last regular passenger service operated to Mansfield on 28 May 1977 by 280hp Walker railmotor 91 RM. It was replaced by a bus service via Yarra Glen, but was rerouted via Whittlesea after road upgrades were carried out. By this point the track had deteriorated beyond Yea, and after March 1977 the majority of services beyond this point were buses.

The line was closed on 8 November 1978 along with the branch line to Alexandra.[1] The line was quickly dismantled following closure, preventing any chance of tourist services from operating along the line despite some interest being shown. Many bridges along the line were also removed with only the uprights remaining. The line has since been reopened as a 134 kilometre bike trail, the Great Victorian Rail Trail. The trail was funded by the Federal Government and local councils.

The historic Cheviot Tunnel is a key feature of the Tallarook to Mansfield Rail Line and now the Great Victorian Rail Trail open to walkers, cyclists and horse riding enthusiasts. The Great Victorian Rail Trail meanders through undulating farmland along the gum lined Goulburn River with views into the foothills of the Victorian High Country.

Built for the extension of the Mansfield railway line from Yea, it is located near Limestone, roughly halfway between Yea and Molesworth. The construction of the tunnel became a necessity in order to negotiate the ascend at McLoughlin's Gap. It was built in 1889, at a cost of £88,661/2/11, by contractors Kenny Bros. as part of the Yea to Cathkin section. Kenny brothers won the tender for building the railway line as part of the Yea to Cathkin section at a cost of £88,661/2/11. Several casualties happened during the construction. An explosion on 14^th December 1887 killed 3 people. In May 1899, a worker died of injuries suffered from a rock fall.