Cairn Curran Reservoir A2 995
On Sunday 7th July 2024 the Moolort Railway Line (Castlemaine to Maryborough) cerebrated 150 years since regular train services began on on 7th July 1874.
Construction of the line commenced with the first sod turning ceremony at Castlemaine on the 7th Sept 1872. The railway line was constructed over a period of 22 months. Over 300 men were employed in the process being paid 6 shillings and 6 pence per day.
All bridges were initially wooden except for the Deep Creek bridge at Carisbrook. Redgum timber for bridge construction and sleepers came from the Echuca area. The railway was constructed by two separate contractors. The first from Castlemaine to Newstead (23.3 km) cost £49,509 3s 5d and the second from Newstead to Maryborough (31.3 km) cost £51,312 $s 4d.
Newstead Railway Station
Additional time was taken for completion of stations and sidings. The Guildford, Newstead and Carisbrook were the initial stations and Moolort, Strangways and Joyce’s Creek being added later.
Mt Alexander Mail 15th April 1873 – Strangways Correspondent
“…..accidents may occur…, by the startling of horses by the trains.”
“Agricultural labour in the district is nearly at a standstill, the dryness of the ground precluding ploughing, and the preparations of the soil for an other crop must be deferred until rain arrives. But the dryness of the weather, though arresting farm operations, has enabled the railway works of the district to be successfully prosecuted, and much progress has been made in ballasting the line, and in forming culverts and embankments. The railway in many places is formed in close proximity to the public road, and it is therefore not improbable
that accidents may occur at first, by the startling of horses by the trains. The horse of flesh and blood is not easily reconciled to his iron namesake and is apt to become unmanageable on the sudden approach of a railway engine. It would tend to obviate, at least to lessen, the probability of accidents from this cause, were the government to plant those spaces intervening between the line and the public road with rapid growing gum trees, which would soon form a screen of perennial verdure, and obstruct the view of the passing trains. Apart from this, and as a further incentive to planting, I may premise that if these spaces are left unoccupied, they will become nurseries for thistles, and other weeds, and a nuisance to the district.” ~ from A History of the Castlemaine to Maryborough Railway By Ken James and David Langley
The last passenger service on the Moolort Line was on 31st July 1977. Goods trains continued to run until the closure of the Castlemaine to Moolort section of the line in December 2004.