Yackandandah railway line explained

Status:converted to Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail
Start:Everton
End:Yackandandah
Continuesfrom:Bright line
Stations:4
Open:Everton-Beechworth: 30 September 1876
Beechworth-Yackandandah: 23 July 1891
Close:Yackandandah-Beechworth: 2 July 1954
Beechworth-Everton: 30 December 1976
Owner:Victorian Railways
Operator:Victorian Railways
Linelength:37.1 kilometres

The Yackandandah railway line was a railway line in Victoria, Australia, constructed by the Victorian Railways. It was one of the earliest branch lines constructed in Victoria. The line served the major regional town of Beechworth, which had been active in campaigning for the main rail route into New South Wales to run via the town.

That was not to be and the line to Beechworth was built as a branch from the North East line at Bowser, opening on 30 September 1876. An extension opened to Yackandandah on 23 July 1891. The line was already running at a loss six months after it opened.[1] The extension to Yackandandah closed on 2 July 1954, and the section between Everton and Beechworth on 30 December 1976.[2] The section between Bowser and Everton, which was also part of the Bright line, remained open until 13 April 1987.[3] [4]

In the 1990s, the route of line between Bowser and Beechworth became part of the Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail.[5] In September 2018, work commenced on a $6.2 million project to extend the rail trail to Yackandandah.[6]

Notes and References

  1. News: THE YACKANDANDAH RAILWAY LINE. . Wodonga And Towong Sentinel. 328 . Victoria, Australia . 11 December 1891 . 20 June 2019 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  2. http://vicsig.net/infrastructure/line/Yackandandah Yackandandah Line
  3. http://vicsig.net/infrastructure/line/Bright Bright Line
  4. Book: Quinlan. Howard. Newland. John. Australian Railway Routes 1854 – 2000. 2000. Australian Railway Historical Society. Redfern. 0 909650 49 7. 28.
  5. http://www.tourisminternet.com.au/brirail.htm Bright Rail Trail
  6. Web site: Beechworth to Yackandandah Rail Trail . Indigo Shire Council . 2020-07-23.