Mount Gambier railway line

Not to be confused with Mount Gambier–Heywood railway line.

The Mount Gambier railway line is a closed railway line in South Australia. Opened in stages from 1881, it was built to narrow gauge and joined Mount Gambier railway station, which was at that time the eastern terminus of a line to Beachport. It connected at Naracoorte to another isolated narrow gauge line joining Naracoorte to Kingston SE, and to the broad gauge Adelaide-Wolseley line at Wolseley, at around the same time that was extended to Serviceton to become the South Australian part of the interstate Melbourne–Adelaide railway. It was closed in April 1995.

Mount Gambier railway line
GM43 and 852 ready to haul the last freight train out of Mount Gambier's old yard to Keswick on 12th April 1995.
Overview
Status	Closed, Dormant
Termini	Wolseley Mount Gambier
Continues from	Adelaide–Wolseley line
Continues as	Mount Gambier–Heywood line
Service
System	South Australian Railways
Operator(s)	South Australian Railways Australian National
History
Opened	Naracoorte-Custon: 21 September 1881 Custon-Bordertown: 31 March 1883 Naracoorte–Mount Gambier: 14 June 1887
Closed	31 December 1990 (passenger) 12 April 1995 (freight) 1 July 2006 (tourist)
Technical
Line length	183.2 km (113.8 mi)
Track gauge	1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Old gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Route map Wolseley Custon Frances Binnum Kybybolite Hynam Naracoorte to Kingston SE Stewarts Lucindale Avenue Bull Creek Reedy Creek Kingston SE Struan Glenroy Coonawarra Penola Krongart Kalangadoo Wepar Suttons to Glencoe Glencoe Wandilo to Beachport Beachport Rendelsham Millicent Cellulose Tantanoola Burrungule Marte Compton Mount Gambier severed 2015 to Heywood broad gauge standard gauge 3 ft 6 in narrow gauge [1] This diagram: view talk edit

History

See also: Kingston SE railway line

Former Kalangadoo railway station building

Coonawarra railway station

The railway connecting Mount Gambier to Naracoorte was initially approved by the Parliament of South Australia in 1867 to be built to 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) gauge.^[2] However it was not built at this time, and that act was repealed by a later authorisation in 1884 to build it on the same alignment to 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge.^[3]

The first section was opened on 21 September 1881 from Naracoorte to University Block, later known as Custon.^[4][5] It was extended north to Bordertown on 18 April 1883 and south from Naracoorte to Mount Gambier on 14 June 1887.^[6][7][8][9]

From 19 January 1887, the Wolseley to Bordertown section became dual gauge, and was shared with the broad gauge Adelaide-Wolseley railway line.^[10] The terminus of the narrow gauge line was truncated to Wolseley in 1924.^[11][12]

The Mount Gambier line was gauge converted to broad gauge in 1953 being a dual gauge line then with the narrow gauge being completely removed by 1959 .^[6]

Australian National passenger services ceased on 31 December 1990.^[13]

When the Melbourne–Adelaide railway was converted to standard gauge, the Mount Gambier to Wolseley line was not converted and was closed on 12 April 1995.^[6]

In 2001, expressions of interest were sought for a private operator to reopen the line with the state government offering financial assistance to gauge convert, but nothing came of it. If done so it would be the first in Australia to have all 3 gauges.^[14]

Part of the line was used by the Limestone Coast Railway tourist service, until it ceased 1 July 2006.^[15] On 13 February 2019 the South Australian Regional Rail Alliance (SARRA) called on the State Government to standardise the line for freight and possible passenger services but still nothing has come of this either.^[16]

Glencoe branch

On 22 August 1904, a 14.2-kilometre narrow gauge branch-line was constructed from Wandilo, 13 kilometres north of Mount Gambier, to Glencoe.^[17] The branch closed in June 1957 when the Mount Gambier Wolseley line was all converted to only broad gauge.^[6][18]

Victorian connection

Further information: Mount Gambier-Heywood railway line

On 28 November 1917, the Victorian Railways opened a broad gauge line from Heywood.^[6][19] This line was closed on 11 April 1995. Part of this line was used for Limestone Coast Railway tourist services to the border until it ceased 20 March 1999.^[6] The Heywood line was permanently severed from the Wolseley line when the remains of Mount Gambier railway station was made into a public community space in 2015 with a two track easement left for right of way if standardised.^{[citation needed]}

Stations

The stations and sidings included:^[20]

• Wolseley
• Custon
• Bangham
• Frances
• Binnum
• Kybybolite
• Hynam
• Naracoorte
• Struan
• Glenroy
• Coonawarra
• Penola
• Krongart
• Kalangadoo
• Wandilo
• Mount Gambier

Trail

Mount Gambier Rail Trail
Length	16.4 km (10.2 mi)
Location	Limestone Coast, South Australia
Use	Hiking, cycling
Season	all
Hazards	some at-level road crossings
Surface	sealed
Right of way	Mount Gambier railway line
Website	www.railtrails.org.au/trails/mount-gambier-rail-trail/

The Mount Gambier Rail Trail is a rail trail that follows the course of the railway line. It is open to pedestrians and cyclists, and runs for 10.5 km from Mount Gambier and ends in the suburb of Suttontown.^[21]

The trail was completed in early 2017 from Pick Avenue to Whites Avenue. It was extended to west from White Avenue to Jubilee Highway West in late 2017. It was extended further to Pick Avenue to link up with the existing Jubilee Highway path leading to Umpherston Sinkhole and Blue Lake Sports Park. It was also extended north from Jubilee Hwy West to Wandilo RD. An additional 3 km was built west from White Ave to Cafpirco Rd along the disused railway line to Millicent.^[22]

References

1. Chief Engineer for Railways. "Map showing lines of railways in South Australia" (Map). Johnny's Pages. South Australian Railways. Archived from the original on 6 July 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
2. Mount Gambier and Narracoorte Railway Act 1867 No. 19, Government Printer, 20 June 2008, retrieved 31 July 2015
3. Mount Gambier and Naracoorte Railway 47 and 48 Vic., 1884, No. 327, Government Printer, 14 May 2009, retrieved 31 July 2015
4. "PROVINCIAL TELEGRAMS". Evening Journal. South Australia. 22 September 1881. p. 3 (SECOND EDITION). Retrieved 18 August 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
5. "COUNTRY TELEGRAMS". South Australian Weekly Chronicle. South Australia. 24 September 1881. p. 12. Retrieved 18 August 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
6. Quinlan, Howard; Newland, John (2000). Australian Railway Routes 1854 – 2000. Redfern: Australian Railway Historical Society. pp. 53, 58, 59. ISBN 0-909650-49-7.
7. "The Mount Gambier And Narracoorte Railway". South Australian Weekly Chronicle. Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 18 June 1887. p. 11. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
8. "TATIARA AND BORDER TOWN RAILWAY". South Australian Weekly Chronicle. South Australia. 31 March 1883. p. 7. Retrieved 18 August 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
9. "The Tatiara Railway". The Narracoorte Herald. South Australia. 10 April 1883. p. 3. Retrieved 18 August 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
10. Newland, Andrew; Quinlan, Howard (2000). Australian Railway Routes 1854 – 2000. Redfern: Australian Railway Historical Society. p. 53. ISBN 0-909650-49-7.
11. "Tatiara Heritage Survey" (PDF). Enviro Data SA. Historical Research Pty Ltd, Austral Archaeology Pty Ltd. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
12. Vincent, G F. "SOUTH AUSTRALIA'S MIXED GAUGE MUDDLE" (PDF). National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
13. "Friday rewind – bus travel 1940s style". ABC South East SA. 16 January 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
14. "South East Rail Freight Operations" (PDF). Annual Report. Department for Transport, Urban Planning & the Arts, Government of South Australia. 30 June 2002. p. 21. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
15. South Australia. Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure (2009), Green triangle region freight action plan, A Joint Initiative of the Victorian and South Australian Governments (PDF), Dept for Transport, Energy & Infrastructure : [Dept of Infrastructure], p. 51, retrieved 4 May 2017
16. "South Australian group pushes for regional rail network return". 13 February 2019.
17. "The Wandilo-Glencoe Railway". Adelaide Observer. SA: National Library of Australia. 27 August 1904. p. 4 Supplement: The Observer Country Supplement. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
18. Wandilo and Glencoe Railway (discontinuance) Act, 1959. No. 27, Government Printer, 24 May 2011, retrieved 31 July 2015
19. "Mount Gambier Line". Vicsig. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
20. "Attachment 10 Photos of SE Railway line Wolseley to Kalangadoo" (PDF). Retrieved 29 July 2015.
21. Mount Gambier Rail Trail
22. Mount Gambier Rail Trail

External links

• Gallery