A model anniversary

John Harvey knows more than a thing or two about railway history and Beechworth’s railway in particular. Coming first from Wangaratta to Everton and later up the plateau to Beechworth, it took two years to build, cost 103,000 pounds, and was officially opened by Victorian Governor Sir George Bowen in Beechworth on 29 September, 1876. “The branch line represented the faith of the-then Premier, George Kerferd, and the leading citizens of Beechworth in the future of the district,” Mr Harvey said. The climb to Beechworth was more than 305 metres and 90,000 cubic yards of rock was blasted to build a gradient of 1:30. “For many years Beechworth district residents had been frustrated with poor roads and high transport costs inhibiting the development of the Ovens region,” Mr Harvey said. “Before the coming of the railway travelling to Beechworth involved a trip by stagecoach, waggon, horseback or foot. “The majority of miners, settlers and Chinese simply walked to Beechworth. "The opening of the branch line meant a journey to Melbourne that once took many days could now be done in a few hours. “The railway connected Beechworth with the main rail line at Wangaratta and opened up the district for further development.” Mr Harvey said the railway was extended to Yackandandah in 1891, a line on which trains operated until 1954 when bushfire damaged a bridge. “The government used this as an excuse to close that line,” he said. “Remnants of the roadbed are still visible. "There was even a ‘flag stop’ station near Wooragee. “The Beechworth line was very busy until after World War II, when roads improved and motor cars, buses and trucks began replacing railways. “By the 1970s rail traffic was reduced to two trains a day between Beechworth and Wangaratta. Almost all freight was now carried by road. “The Beechworth branch line was officially closed on 30 December 1977. "The rails were almost immediately pulled up after the last train cleared the points at Everton rail junction. “Today the roadbed is a tourist rail trail. "The Beechworth station and goods shed survive in much altered state. A fettler’s cottage has been restored. The base of the yard crane is there though the crane is long gone. The railway station sign if preserved in the Telegraph Station. “Very little else remains.”

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