The Bell Branch Railway was a railway line from Dalby, on the Western line, to Bell in Queensland, Australia. [1]
The Bell Branch Railway was a railway line from Dalby, on the Western line, to Bell in Queensland, Australia. [1]
In 1889 Queensland Parliament approved the construction of a line to run northeast from the Darling Downs town of Dalby to the Bunya Mountains but financial hardship prevented the commencement of work. In 1904 further approval enabled construction of a 39 km line to Cattle Creek, later renamed Bell after Lands Minister Sir Joshua Peter Bell.
The branch opened for business on 10 April 1906 and stops were established at Bonyumba, Sanatorium, Mocatta's Corner, Moffatt, Kaimkillenbun, Squaretop, Warmga and Koondai-i.
A daily service was initially provided, a thrice-weekly service sufficed by 1923 and a rail motor service prevailed between 1928 and 1956. During its time, goods transport was prolific. Farm produce was the initial mainstay but later cream traffic increased as did the carriage of wheat and timber from the Bunya Mountains.
The line was mothballed on 1 January 1994. The Bell station precinct has been restored and houses an historical display.
Bunya Mountains is a national park in the South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia.
Dalby is a rural town and locality in the Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, the locality of Dalby had a population of 12,719 people.
The Bunya Highway is a state highway of Queensland, Australia. It is a relatively short road, running approximately 173 kilometres in a south-westerly direction from Goomeri to Dalby. The highway connects the Warrego and Burnett Highways.
The Bunya Mountains are a distinctive set of peaks forming an isolated section of the Great Dividing Range in southern Queensland. The mountain range forms the northern edge of the Darling Downs in the locality also called Bunya Mountains near Bell and Dalby. The mountains are south of Kingaroy and just to the south west of Nanango. The range is the remains of a shield volcano which was built from numerous basalt lava flows about 23-24 million years ago.
Kaimkillenbun is a rural town and locality in the Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, the locality of Kaimkillenbun had a population of 293 people.
Bell is a rural town and locality in the Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, the locality of Bell had a population of 502 people.
Bowenville is a rural town and locality in the Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia. The town's economy rested on the rail industry and with the winding down of the railways the population declined. In the 2016 census, the locality of Bowenville had a population of 250 people.
Queensland's railway construction commenced in 1864, with the turning of the first sod of the Main Line by Lady Diamantina Bowen, the wife of Queensland's first governor Sir George Bowen at Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. A narrow gauge of 3 ft 6 in was selected due to cost savings in providing a rail link to Toowoomba. Despite being built with bridges wide enough for standard gauge, and the fact that most other lines did not require heavy earthworks, the gauge remained the Queensland system norm.
Moola is a rural locality in the Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census Moola had a population of 123 people.
The Glenmorgan Branch is a railway line in south west Queensland, Australia. It opened in a series of sections between 1908 and 1931. It was intended to reach Surat but construction ceased during the 1930s depression and never recommenced.
Wilfred Adams Russell, was an Australian politician. He was a Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.
Dalby railway station is located on the Western line in Queensland, Australia, serving the town of Dalby. The station has one platform with a passing loop and opened on 16 April 1868. The Dalby station has had 3 station building over its lifetime, the first built at the western end of the platform. This was removed and a new building built at the eastern end of the platform so that an additional platform could be constructed to service the newly created branch lines to Tara, Jandowae and Bell. The wooden station building built in 1913 was burned down in 1930, to be replaced later in that year by a pre-cast concrete building using the same foundations and floor plan of the original building.
The Western railway line is a narrow gauge railway, connecting the south-east and south-west regions of Queensland, Australia. It commences at Toowoomba, at the end of the Main Line railway from Brisbane, and extends west 810 km to Cunnamulla, passing through the major towns of Dalby, Roma and Charleville, although services on the 184 km section from Westgate to Cunnamulla have been suspended since 2011. The Queensland Government was the first railway operator in the world to adopt narrow gauge for a main line, and this remains the system-wide gauge.
Maclagan is a rural town and locality in the Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census the locality of Maclagan had a population of 195 people.
The Jarowair are an indigenous Australian people of the Darling Downs area of Queensland.
Cooranga is a rural locality in the Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Cooranga had a population of 133 people.
Chinchilla–Wondai Road is a continuous 151.6 kilometres (94.2 mi) road route in the Western Downs and South Burnett regions of Queensland, Australia. Part of the route is signed as State Route 82. It is a state-controlled part regional and part district road. It provides an alternate route between the Warrego Highway and the South Burnett, bypassing Dalby, Oakey and Toowoomba.
Dalby–Jandowae Road is a continuous 47.3 kilometres (29.4 mi) road route in the Western Downs region of Queensland, Australia. The road is signed as State Route 82. Dalby–Jandowae Road is a state-controlled regional road.
The roads that join the towns of Dalby, Oakey and Cooyar form a triangle that encloses some of the most fertile land on the Darling Downs in Queensland, Australia. These roads are the Warrego Highway, Oakey–Cooyar Road and Dalby–Cooyar Road. Several of the more significant internal roads intersect with Dalby–Cooyar Road, and these are briefly described in this article, along with some significant external roads.
Bunya Mountains road network is a group of roads that provide access to the mountain community from various lowland localities. The network ensures continuity of access in times of flooding or other natural disasters, and during planned maintenance activities. The locality of Bunya Mountains includes the Bunya Mountains National Park and the enclosed locality of Mowbullan. The area hosts a small residential community plus many tourism accommodation venues.
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