Re: Ropers Creek Branch.

[Eddie Oliver <eoliver@efs.mq.edu.au>]

John McCandless wrote:

> I have a question? What is the status of the northern end of the former
> Ropers Creek Branch (the part that's in Commonwealth - i assume Dept of
> Defence - property)?

Ropes Creek, not Ropers Creek.

The line and structures are substantially intact inside the Australian
Defence Industries property, except for overhead wiring and some signals
which are falling (or have fallen) down.

> The pictures I saw - http://www.triode.net.au/~rolfeb/nsw/ropes_creek.html
> of Cochrane and Ropers Creek - especially Ropers Creek - showed stations
> that seemed in remarkably good nick for an abandoned line.

Because they are inaccessible to vandals.

> Are there any preservation groups etc, allowed in?

Tours were operated over the line occasionally when it was still in
service, and enthusiast groups (ARHS and I think SETS, and possibly
others) have operated small-group inspections since then (typically
limited to one bus load at a time, because of supervision requirements
by ADI staff).

Eddie Oliver