Re: South-East Victoria abandoned rail question

["FRISCÉ Theatre Co. (Bryan Cullis)" <rabonzo@primus.com.au>]

Roderick Smith <rodsmith@werple.net.au> wrote in message
01bef38b$edb023e0$132d11cb@rodsmith">news:01bef38b$edb023e0$132d11cb@rodsmith...
> It was Orbost.  There was an extension planned to Brodribb, dotted onto
> some maps.  AFAIK this was never authorised; it was certainly never built.
> Parts of the Bairnsdale - Orbost line are now a railtrail, see the
> recently-published book 'Railtrails of Victoria'.

In reference to the afore mentioned book "Railtrails of Victoria" ($19.95
rrp), there is a railtrail on the former line from Bairnsdale to Bruthen.
The "East Gippsland Rail Trail" commences at the eastern end of the old rail
bridge over the Mitchell River and ends just after the former Bruthen
station on Bowle St. (off The Great Alpine Rd.) and is currently 30km long
(as at June 1999).  It's anticipated that the trail will extend a further
28km to Colquhoun and Nowa Nowa, and then on to its original terminus in
Orbost by the end of 200, making it almost 100 km long.  I greatly recommend
this book.  It gives the details of the existing "official" railtrails on
the former:

Inner Circle, Fitzroy, Outer Circle, Rosstown (Hughesdale - Elsternwick),
Kew, Red Hill, Warburton, Powelltown Tramway, Drysdale/Queenscliff, Tyers
Valley Tramway, Walhalla (Erica - Thomson), Yallourn, Mirboo North,
Wonthaggi, Koonwarra, Noojee, Bruthen, Axedale, Bright, Mt. Samaria Tramway,
Bonnie Doon, Eureka, Skipton, Beech Forest/Crowes ("The Beechy"), Anderson's
Mill Tramway, and Grampians rail lines.

It also list future railtrails planned for the former:

Cudgewa, Beechworth/Myrtleford, Wahgunyah, Peechelba East, Whitfield,
Mansfield, Alexandra, Orbost, Traralgon - Stratford via Maffra, Yarram,
Colac - Crowes, Timboon, Warrnambool - Port Fairy, and Horsham - Arapiles
lines.

For further info on the East Gippsland Rail Trail (Bairnsdale - Bruthen),
contact Lakes and Wilderness Tourism (5152 4355); DNRE (5152 0400) or
Railtrail Committee of Management (P.O. Box 1283, Bairnsdale 3875).  For
further info on the book "Railtrails of Victoria", visit
http://www.railtrails.org.au, contact Railtrails Australia (P.O. Box 223,
East Melbourne 3002), drop by your local bookshop, or try calling Puffing
Billy and see if they'll mail you a copy.

Bryan