This was initially with the transport of gold but as the areas economy transitioned it became a vital link in the development of agricultural industries. National railway museum, 1992, pp166, large format, isbn 1 872826 01 6. The town has changed from a gold field to a popular place for people to visit. Early steam engines and carriages take up much of the space as one might expect.
Public world how the railways transformed the world brendan martin 2 fascinating book is that it tells a far richer and more complex story than that would suggest. Prospectus appears for the geelong and melbourne railway co. In 1929, one of the original broadgauge steam railways to the beachside suburb of glenelg was transferred to the adelaide municipal tramways trust, electrified and converted to. Beechworth is the ideal escape for those needing to recharge their batteries and reconnect with the body, mind and soul. Railways have an extremely long life time and are constructed to withs. This was the first steam railway to operate in australia 1856. Beechworth lunatic asylum at mayday hills has been a dominant feature, physically and socially, in the life of beechworth and its people. The beechworth to yackandandah rail trail will be an iconic addition to victorias rail trail network. Chiltern did overshadow beechworth within a few years, especially when the main melbournealbury rail bypassed beechworth.
The hotel remained the railway until the name devery is still common in the beechworth area. Beechworth to everton rail trail come and cycle the mountains to the murray rail trail, from the snowgums to the rivergums when completed. The rail trail terminates at the former beechworth railway station, and from here you need to swing left into albert road to get to the main commercial area of the township. Rail transportation methods include trains, trams, monorails and wagonways. Beechworth has many old buildings which have been well looked after. Such important presence in our history appeared little over 200 years. Visitors will be able to send telegrams just as in the railway age courtesy of the beechworth morsecodians. Beechworth north east victoria getting to beechworth public. Beechworth to yackandandah rail trail indigo shire council. The murray to mountains rail trail is australias premier rail trail. Section map pdf, 6mb this section is from the roundaboutunderpass at the beechworthyackandandah turn off and is an enjoyable 5 kilometre ride rolling downhill into yackandandah township.
So much of the history of the victorian railways is best expressed geographically, but producing maps for various dates by photocopying and liquid paper was not successful. A well produced work which includes essays on museum interpretation, a study of the many nrm collections and other aspects of railway history. The first part of this section travels along the old railway line. Everton was an important regional railway junction but little evidence of it remains now. Beechworth railway station is a closed station on the closed yackandandah line in victoria australia. The yackandandah railway line was a railway line in victoria, australia constructed by the victorian railways. Cycle, the old railway line from beechworth to wangaratta and also to bright has been converted into a fully paved railtrail. Indeed, it shows how railways made work no less tedious or hard for many people, but far more profitable for their employers, particularly in colonies with rich natural resources. Beechworth is a wellpreserved historical town located in the northeast of victoria, australia, famous for its major growth during the gold rush days of the mid1850s.
Beechworth to everton station is a popular ride, especially with the locals. This article is part of the history of rail transport by country series. The psychiatric hospital closed in 1995 and the site is now in private ownership. From the early days of steam engines, to the development of steam and diesel locomotives and the heyday of rail travel, both the technical developments and the social impact of the. Modern transportation of passengers and goods could not be imagined without trains, transport devices that revolutionized our industry, human expansion, and the way we can move from one place to another. Beechworth is a town in northeast victoria, australia. The beechworth rail trail currently consists of approximately 94 km of bitumen sealed path that is built over the disused railway line from bright to wangaratta. The inspiration for this atlas came from my own historical research. From steam pioneer through entrepreneurial boom, to a lossmaking nationalised british rail, the history of the british railway industry has ridden a technological and social wave for nearly 200 years. The walks in beechworth take you through historic sites in town to remnants and marvels of. Jul 28, 2006 image opening of the railway to beechworth, view of the township and terminus electronic encyclopedia of gold in australia egold is a biographical, bibliographical and archival database that tells the story of gold through images, stories and multimedia interactives, connecting individual stories to wider historical themes. Beechworth simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Old railway station court house aged care v rd n dr t r n m t n y dr n t n t y a cr rd e y e e nn a t w t crt t lake sambell v t rt rd e rd rd t nd rd d rd rd y prim. The history of the british railway network is about more than trains.
There is also information about the early days of the railways in the area and a model of the beechworth railway yard. Beechworth is now within easy reach, and the trail makes a broad sweep to the north, getting ready to arrive in town via the appropriately named railway avenue. Turning of the first sod for the railway line at geelong 1854. Beechworth railway weekend north eastern victoria eventfinda. It is notable for its historical precinct and associations with outlaw bushranger ned kelly. Railway map of victoria, 1900 victorian railways history. The grounds and buildings are being renovated and repurposed. At the 2006 census, chiltern had a population of 1063. The northern pacific railroad, the sioux, and the panic of 1873 by m. Victorian railway maps 1860 2000 victorian railways history. Discover for yourself the sights and sounds of the beautiful surrounds of beechworth. At the 2006 census, 3227 people lived in beechworth.
Railways have an extremely long life time and are constructed to withstand natural. Grades books showed a wealth of information on the physical characteristics of a line, as shown in the explanation of symbols above. Another well preserved piece of history beechworth. Although the tracks to beechworth have been removed, the station building, platform and goods shed all remain in a good condition. Stop in at the carriage museum at the revamped billsons brewery. At the 2011 census, beechworth had a population of 2,789.
The station building is used as a youth centre while the rail trail runs through the middle of the station grounds. The first locomotive built in toronto view a 1905 magazine photograph of the first locomotive built in toronto in 1853 by james good, for the ontario, simcoe and lake huron railway. The recently built beechworth model railway is on permanent display in the old telegraph station. Country branch lines victoria part 3 bowser everton beechworth bright edited by neville gee published by train hobby publications, pinewood, melbourne, 2015 this item is a digital book edition on a cdrom of the printed book that is now out of print. Canadian railway museumall aboard the explorail website for a tour of canadas fascinating railway history. It is accessed via melbourne to sydneys major highway, the hume freeway, and then turning off at wangaratta south or wodonga north for the last 2530 minute leg. Perspectives on railway history and interpretation. Image search, victorian railways, museum victoria, australia.
There is a downhill cycle from beechworth, and it would be quite possible to cycle from beechworth to everton for lunch and return in a day. Driving to beechworth is a comfortable 3 hours north of melbourne, 4. The big four railway companies lms, lner, southern railway and gwr with its iconic swindon works and the beginnings of british rail are all explored. Sep 01, 2017 country branch lines victoria part 3 bowser everton beechworth bright edited by neville gee published by train hobby publications, pinewood, melbourne, 2015 this item is a digital book edition on a cdrom of the printed book that is now out of print. Historically it had a mix of articles on both historical items and current affairs items drawn from its affiliate publications, but today focuses on historical articles with two or three in depth articles. Find out more about the railways story, with links and resources to explore further. Beechworth was the most important regional centre in northeastern victoria during the gold boom of 18521859. Murray to mountains rail trail family cycling bright beechworth. The branch railway to beechworth opened in 1875, and was extended to yackandandah in 1891. From late georgian steam engineers, to the multibillion pound civil engineering project of high speed 1, britains railways have a fascinating and inspiring tale to tell. Beechworth jn chiltern lilliput rutherglen wahgunyah londrigans tarrawingee everton lees crossing beechworth woorragee yackandandah wodonga albury bandianabethanga rdbonegilla huon lane bolga tallangatta tatonga cattle sdg palmerston myrtleford ovens vale eurobin porepunkah bright barnawatha brookfield oxley docker moyhu edi whitfield. This walk embodies what beechworth is about, rich with gold mining history, stunning natural. Chiltern is a town in victoria, australia, in the northeast of the state between wangaratta and wodonga, in the shire of indigo.
Image opening of the railway to beechworth, view of the township and terminus electronic encyclopedia of gold in australia egold is a biographical, bibliographical and archival database that tells the story of gold through images, stories and multimedia interactives, connecting individual stories to wider historical themes. The construction of the railway was integral to the economic success of the region. The maps are in acrobat pdf format and are scaled to fit a3. Search on keyword alone or combine with a search of dates. Beechworth holidya aprk beechworth galleries hotel nicholas beechworth provender ausome to wodonga 40km. The thalys line between paris and brussels is a prime example in this respect. The construction of the transsiberian railway at the end of the 19th century provided a similar national link for russia. Essays to celebrate the work of dr john coiley at the national railway museum. Beechwrth chiltern rutherglen beechworth, victoria. The coffee blight of 1871 destroyed many a fine plantation and tea replaced coffee. The beechworth railway weekend celebrates the railway history of beechworth and north east victoria.
The town is close to the chilternmount pilot national park. Higinbotham was one of few public servants who had not been reinstated after his sacking and it was commonly believed that this was because he had. The beechworth rail trail currently consists of approximately 94 km of bitumen sealed path that is built over the. Including systems with man or horse power, and tracks or guides made of stone or wood, the history of rail transport dates back as far as the ancient greeks. So much of the history of the victorian railways is best expressed. The multimedia display explains the huge changes that have happened since the fall of the berlin wall.
At the 2006 census, 3227 people lived in beechworth beechworth has many old buildings which have been well looked after. Beechworth to yackandandah rail trail home facebook. Regional towns that surround beechworth specialise in food and wine, bike riding and local history thats waiting for you to discover. In steam days it was very important for both the driver and fireman to really know their tracks as this determined how the loco was fired and driven. The old hospital facade offers a glimpse into the towns history but also makes for some wonderful photos. The historic precinct contains a number of wellpreserved grand buildings from the goldrush. Jardine st road names represented on map by numbers 2 1 3 4. Chiltern was once on the main road between melbourne and sydney but is now bypassed by the hume. By 1907, there were 168,000 miles 268,800km of railway outside europe and the usa, built at a cost of nearly gb. It stretches over 100 kilometers through north east victoria and reaching popular tourist destinations including beechworth, wangratta, rutherglen, bright and myrtleford.
The line was one of the earliest routes constructed in victoria, serving the major town in the region of beechworth that was active in campaigning for a railway. History rail was introduced in sri lanka in 1864 to transport coffee from plantations in the hill country district of kandy to the port city of colombo on its way to europe and the world market. It was the birthplace of prime minister john mcewan. Australians generally assumed in the 1850s that railways would be built by the private sector. The information about the early days of telegraph communication is rather limited. Section three discusses the long prehistory of railways.
Beechworth can be reached by road from the hume highway at wangaratta or wodonga get around see history. In 1929, one of the original broadgauge steam railways to the beachside suburb of glenelg was transferred to the adelaide municipal tramways trust, electrified and converted to a tramway. Thee are samples of local oral history, which are interesting. Railway history 1880 1899 18801884 in this period the victorian railways were directly under ministerial control, and following the events of january 1878, few dared to challenge the minister. Visitors will be able to send telegrams just as in the railway age. The first part of this section travels along the old railway line track through commissioners creek reserve. Image opening of the railway to beechworth, view of the. Cultural heritage significance summary history the cottage is significant. You can search the victorian railways image collection in any of the following ways. Beechworth railway station is a closed station on the closed yackandandah line in victoria. Finally, when the gold dwindled during the early 1900s, so did chiltern. Beechworth north east victoria getting to beechworth. Beechworth is a town in the high country of the state of victoria in australia. Will these changes obscure the history, memories and.
From wodonga visitor information centre high country rail. The network consists of victorian broad gauge 1,600 mm 5 ft 3 in lines, and an increasing number of standard gauge 1,435 mm 4 ft 8 1. And for many, the story of the railways is the story of industrial britain. Railway history is the study of the history of rail transportation. A second branch line was built from everton to myrtleford in 1883 and extended to bright in 1890. Beechworth offers a range of touring routes that visitors and locals can explore. Murray to mountains rail trail beechworth sealed off road.