The Carpolac Railway Line was a railway line located in the Wimmera region of Victoria that branched off of the Serviceton railway line at Horsham railway station, Victoria. It was opened from Horsham to East Natimuk in August 1887, East Natimuk to Goroke in July 1894 and then from Goroke to Carpolac in May 1927 and closed on December 8, 1986. [1]
| Carpolac | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Status | Closed, track removed |
| Termini |
|
| Stations | 11 |
| History | |
| Opened | August 1887 |
| Closed | 8 December 1986 |
Branched from the Serviceton railway line at Horsham station
East Natimuk junction with the Balmoral railway line
The line was opened in stages from Horsham to East Natimuk in August 1887, East Natimuk to Goroke in July 1894 and Goroke to Carpolac in 1927. It closed from East Natimuk to Carpolac on December 8, 1986 however the last train on the line ran in February of 1986. [1]
in 1910 the railway line in Mitre (formerly St Mary's then known as Mitre Lake) was flooded due to it running at a low elevation through the Mitre Swamp, this resulted in the line being suspended beyond Mitre. A deviation around the swamp was constructed a short time later and the original line was dismantled and formed the main road to Goroke. [1]
Beginning in 1937 and lasting until April 1965 there was a daily mail/passenger train between Horsham/Carpolac. Sometime during the line's life, there was also a daily goods train. [1] [2]
During the 1968-69 grain harvest, the line saw a record number of trains with up to 10 trains a day in operation.. Over the period of the grain harvest, 17,325 wagons of grain were transported along the line as it was transported entirely by rail. [3]
The Shire of West Wimmera is a local government area in the western part of the Wimmera region of Victoria, Australia, located in the western part of the state. It covers an area of 9,108 square kilometres (3,517 sq mi) and in June 2018 had a population of 3,862. It includes the towns of Apsley, Edenhope, Goroke, Gymbowen, Harrow, Kaniva, Minimay, Nurcoung and Serviceton. It was formed in 1995 from the amalgamation of the Shire of Kaniva and parts of the Shire of Kowree, Shire of Arapiles and Shire of Glenelg.
Natimuk is a town in Western Victoria, Australia. It is located about 300 kilometres (190 mi) northwest of Melbourne. A further 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Natimuk is one of Australia's best climbing areas, Mount Arapiles. At the 2016 census, Natimuk had a population of 514, up from 449 in 2006.
The first railway in colonial South Australia was a line from the port of Goolwa on the River Murray to an ocean harbour at Port Elliot, which first operated in December 1853, before its completion in May 1854.
Horsham is a regional city in the Wimmera region of western Victoria, Australia. Located on a bend in the Wimmera River, Horsham is approximately 300 kilometres (190 mi) northwest of the state capital Melbourne. As of the 2021 census, Horsham had a population of 20,429. It is the most populous city in Wimmera, and the main administrative centre for the Rural City of Horsham local government area. It is the eleventh largest city in Victoria after Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Wodonga, Mildura, Shepparton, Warrnambool, Traralgon, and Wangaratta.
Antwerp is a locality in Victoria, Australia on the Dimboola – Rainbow Road, in the Shire of Hindmarsh, 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) north of Dimboola and 356 kilometres (221 mi) north-west of Melbourne. The Wimmera River passes 500 metres (550 yd) west of the locality. The population at the 2016 census was 63.
Serviceton is a small town in rural western Victoria, Australia. It is near the Victorian–South Australian border, 437 kilometres north-west of Melbourne. Named after James Service, who was Premier of Victoria in 1880 and from 1883 to 1886, it was established when the inter-colonial railway line between Adelaide and Melbourne was completed in 1887. The railway station served as the change-over point for train crews and locomotives of the Victorian Railways and South Australian Railways since neither could operate in the other colony.
The Serviceton railway line is part of the Melbourne–Adelaide rail corridor. It serves the west of Victoria, linking the state capital of Melbourne to the cities of Ballarat and Ararat. It once extended to the disputed South Australian border as part of the Melbourne–Adelaide railway. The former broad-gauge track was replaced in 1995 by the 1435 mm Western standard gauge line.
Goroke is a town in the Wimmera region of Victoria. The town is located in the Shire of West Wimmera local government area, 370 kilometres (230 mi) north west of the state capital, Melbourne. At the 2016 census, Goroke recorded a population of 299.
The Western standard gauge railway line is a standard-gauge railway line in western Victoria, Australia. Completed in 1995, it forms part of the Melbourne–Adelaide rail corridor and serves as the principal interstate rail link between Victoria and the western states. The line replaced a number of former broad gauge routes which were gauge converted, and today sees both intrastate and interstate freight traffic, as well as the twice weekly The Overland passenger service. Major towns on the route include Geelong, Ararat, Horsham and Dimboola.
The Portland railway line is a railway line in south-western Victoria, Australia. It runs from the main Western standard gauge line at Maroona through Hamilton to the port town of Portland.
The Natimuk-Douglas Wetlands comprise a chain of freshwater, brackish and saline wetlands in the semi-arid Wimmera region of western Victoria. Australia. They are important for waterbirds.
Serviceton railway station is located on the Western standard gauge line in Victoria, Australia, in the small town of Serviceton, 461 kilometres by rail from Melbourne. Opened in 1889, and closed in 1986, today it is leased to West Wimmera Shire Council for community group use.
Natimuk railway station was a railway station located in Natimuk on the Carpolac railway line. It was opened in 1894 when the line was extended from East Natimuk to Goroke and officially closed in 1986 however the last train to run through the railway station was in February. Today all that remains of the station are the grain silos and some sleepers.
Carpolac Railway Station was a railway station the terminus of the Carpolac railway line. It was opened in 1927 when the line was extended from Goroke to Carpolac. There was never a passenger platform at Carploac however there were grain trains operating out to Carpolac. By 1989 only the freight shed remained with all track removed and by 2002 all that remained were the grain silos. The station closed on the 8th of December, 1986 giving it a lifespan of just 59 years.
Goroke Railway Station was a railway station on the Carpolac railway line located in the town of Goroke, Victoria. It was opened in July 1894 when the line from East Natimuk was extended to Goroke. Goroke remained the passenger terminus until 1927 when the line was extended to Carpolac railway station and some passenger services were extended to Mortat. The station had a goods shed and a short passenger platform, there were also a number of Grain Silos located near the station as Goroke was a major grain pickup location. Despite the line being extended to Carpolac railway station, most passenger services still terminated at Goroke with some services continuing to Mortat. There was also a passenger and mail train in regular operation between Horsham railway station, Victoria and Goroke between 1937 and 1941.
The Patchewollock railway line is a standard-gauge railway line branching off of the Serviceton railway line. The line was opened in stages beginning from Murtoa to Warracknabeal on May 12, 1886 and reaching Patchewollock in May 1925.
The Balmoral railway line was a railway line branching off of the Carpolac railway line at East Natimuk. The line was opened in stages beginning from East Natimuk to Noradjuha in 1887 and reaching Balmoral in 1919 with a link being constructed from Hamilton in stages beginning with Hamilton to Cavendish in 1915 and finally reaching Balmoral in 1920.
The Bolangum railway line was a railway line branching off of the Serviceton railway line at Lubeck. The line was opened in stages beginning with Lubeck to Rupanyup in June 1887 and eventually reached Bolangum in July 1927.
The Yaapeet railway line is a standard-gauge railway line branching off of the Serviceton railway line. The line was opened in stages beginning from Dimboola to Jeparit on June 19, 1894 and reaching Yaapeet on June 25, 1914.
The Yanac railway line was a railway line in Victoria, Australia, branching off of the Yaapeet railway line at Jeparit station. It was opened in two stages from Jeparit to Lorquon on December 10, 1912, and Lorquon to Yanac in 1916. It was closed in late 1986.
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