Heathcote railway line

The Heathcote railway line was a cross-country link between Bendigo and Heathcote Junction. It was partly opened in 1888 and, by 1890, it was fully operational.^[1] It was partially closed in 1958 and fully closed in 1968.

In 1975, it was decided to dismantle the track and, today, only some trestle bridges remain.^[2]

History

The line was authorised by the Victorian Parliament in 1881, and construction began in 1888.^{[citation needed]} The first section, between Heathcote and Bendigo opened in October 1888, and the entire line became operational in August 1890.^[3] Including 50 bridges, the line took 21 months to complete, at a cost of 88,409 pounds, with two derailments during the process.^[4]

Stations

The line had the following stations:^[1]

Kilmore Junction - now Heathcote Junction
Leslie
Bylands
Kilmore
Willowmavin
Moranding
High Camp
Pyalong
Tooborac
McIvor siding
Argyle
Heathcote
Derrinal
Knowsley
Axedale
Longlea (previously Axe Creek)
Strathfieldsaye (closed 1911)^[5]
Bendigo

Today

The original line may have been ripped up, but there are few instances where the original track still remains. It now makes up the O'Keefe Rail Trail

References

^ ^a ^b Wallan - Bendigo Victorian Railways Grades Book
^ Bendigo - Kilmore Friends of the Bendigo - Kilmore rail trail
^ Harrigan, Leo J. (1962). Victorian Railways to ‘62. Melbourne: Victorian Railways Public Relations and Betterment Board. p. 283.
^ O'Keefe Rail Trail Heathcote stories
^ "Strathfieldsaye Detail". VK3CKC. Retrieved 16 April 2023.

Railway lines in Victoria

Main lines
Deniliquin Gippsland Mildura North East Piangil Port Fairy Portland Robinvale Serviceton South Gippsland Tocumwal Western standard gauge (Melbourne–Adelaide)

Branch lines

Metropolitan District	Albion–Jacana Belgrave Broadstore Deer Park–West Werribee Flemington Racecourse Frankston Gembrook Glen Waverley Healesville Hurstbridge Inner Circle Kew Lilydale Mont Park Mornington Newport–Sunshine Outer Circle Port Melbourne Powelltown Red Hill Rosstown Railway Sandringham South Kensington–West Footscray Stony Point Spring Vale Cemetery St Kilda St Kilda–Windsor Upfield Warburton Webb Dock Williamstown Whittlesea
Western & Southwestern District	Alvie Ballarat–Daylesford Balmoral (Hamilton to East Natimuk) Bolangum Buninyong Carpolac Casterton Colac–Ballarat Coleraine Crowes Forrest Fyansford Gheringhap–Maroona Hamilton–Koroit Hopetoun Mortlake Mount Gambier Navarre Pinnaroo Queenscliff Skipton Timboon Wensleydale Yanac Yaapeet
Northern & Midland District	Balranald Cohuna Daylesford Koondrook Kulwin Lancefield Morkalla Redesdale Shelbourne Stony Crossing
North Eastern District	Alexandra Bright Cobram Colbinabbin Cudgewa Girgarre Katamatite Mansfield Oaklands Peechelba East Tatong Wahgunyah Whitfield Yackandandah
Eastern District	Barry Beach Briagolong Maffra Mirboo North Noojee Outtrim Strzelecki Thorpdale Walhalla Wonthaggi Woodside Yallourn
Narrow gauge branch lines	Beech Forest Gembrook Powelltown Tyers Valley Walhalla Welshpool Jetty Whitfield
Cross country lines	Avoca Eaglehawk–Inglewood Geelong–Ballarat Heathcote Moolort Toolamba–Echuca

V/Line services
Albury Ballarat Bendigo Geelong Warrnambool Gippsland Seymour

Metro Trains Melbourne services

Alamein Belgrave Craigieburn Cranbourne Flemington Racecourse Frankston Glen Waverley Hurstbridge Lilydale Mernda Pakenham Sandringham Stony Point Sunbury Upfield Werribee Williamstown
Major pieces of shared infrastructure	City Loop Flinders Street Viaduct

Tourist railways

Operational	Bellarine Railway Daylesford Spa Country Railway Mornington Railway Puffing Billy Railway Victorian Goldfields Railway Walhalla Goldfields Railway Yarra Valley Railway
Former	South Gippsland Railway