Re: Rail line preservation

["Ken Neate" <kenneate@tig.com.au>]

Eddie Oliver wrote in message <37B17AE4.CDB5CABD@efs.mq.edu.au>...
>Les Brown wrote:
>
>> If the Federal (Feral?) Government can waste $20 million restoring the
>> long closed Queenstown-Strahan rail line that will NEVER much of a
>> tourist attraction 'cause its too far from bloody anywhere, and will
>> be far too expensive to run and maintain
>
>I'll bet if you took a vote in most tourist industry circles as to the
>attractiveness of the Tasmanian line versus one from Bowser to
>Beechworth, the Tasmanian option would win by a ratio of about 99 to 1.
>The "1" would represent solely the tourism representatives in the
>immediate area of Wangaratta and Beechworth.
>
>The Tasmanian line has the potential to be a major tourist feature in
>the midst of what is already one of the most tourist-developable areas
>in Australia. A broad-gauge line in the Beechworth area would be "nice"
>but would have very little tourist impact, especially since the rail
>preservation scene in Victoria is already so well represented by such
>things as Puffing Billy, Maldon and Queenscliff.
>
>The Tasmanian project is one of the most inspired rail
>preservation/regeneration projects anywhere in the world, and can be
>promoted as such. Indeed granted that so much of the Tasmanian economy
>is dependent on tourism already, such a feature will have very positive
>economic benefits.
>
>Eddie Oliver

Yes. There is the potential to keep tourists on the west coast for one more
day once the Abt railway is there.  Given the high unemployment in the area,
the economic benefits will be very positive and welcome.  Is there anywhere
in Australia which would benefit more by such a project?

It is a worry that there is some talk of stopping the railway at Teepookana.
It needs to extend to Strahan so that a train is waiting with engine in
steam at Regatta Point as the various Gordon River cruise boats return mid
afternoon.  That would be the most effective local promotion.

Ken