The sleepy hamlet of Knowsley has been highlighted yet again by the O’Keefe Rail Trail. Back in April-May 2015, the last sections to be constructed for the trail’s extension would see Knowsley as the focal point, the final link in the continuous trail between Bendigo and Heathcote.
In April 2016, two new milestones have again focused on Knowsley. The Friends of the Bendigo-Kilmore Rail Trail group have been adding a number of facilities and features along the O’Keefe Rail Trail, some linking the trail to its former railway heritage. Two such features have been the replica railway marker posts, often known as ‘mile posts’, and replica railway station name boards. The marker posts originally indicated the railway distance in miles from Melbourne, and the name boards stated the name of a particular railway station.
Wednesday 13 April 2016 saw Knowsley receive the last of the Friends’ manufactured concrete marker posts, number ‘83’, placed on the O’Keefe Rail Trail. These concrete posts have been ‘planted’ at every mile distance, or as near as possible to the original, between Heathcote and North Bendigo.
Knowsley is highlighted on the O’Keefe Rail Trail. 13 April 2016. Photo: Stan Pieper
Also the eighth and last station name board to be placed along the trail between Bendigo and Heathcote, ‘Knowsley’, was installed to highlight the once fully functional railway station. While unable to place the name board directly on the former platform site, the sign is located right on the railway line alignment where a railway ‘cattle grid’ was once located.
With those having an interest in railway history being attracted to rail trails, or for other trail users learning about the former transport links, these historical connections with the past are bound to create additional interest for what is becoming a popular walking and cycling tourist attraction.
