A brief history of the historic rail trail that connects Bendigo with Heathcote in Victoria, Australia.
The O’Keefe railway line from Heathcote Junction to Bendigo has its history rooted in the development of the railway system in Victoria: from the establishment of the Victorian Department of Railways in 1856, the acquisition of privately owned railways by 1878, to the passing of The Railway Construction Act in 1884 which led to the construction of numerous new lines.
Rail Bridge over Axe Creek
Knowsley Railway Platform
The O’Keefe line was originally known as the Wandong, Heathcote, Sandhurst Railway, and later known as the Heathcote Junction to Bendigo Railway or the Wallan to Bendigo service. Constructed between 1887 and 1890, it was a cross country line, a rarity in Victoria. The route passed through various community districts and towns, starting from Heathcote Junction on the Melbourne – Wodonga line and ending at Sandhurst (North Bendigo) on the Melbourne to Murray River (Echuca) line.
Andrew O’Keefe, the trail’s namesake, was one of three contractors responsible for the line’s eventual completion. His contract was to construct the Sandhurst to Heathcote section which was completed in 1888.
Heathcote Railway Platform
The importance of the Heathcote Junction to Bendigo Railway was to facilitate commerce–specifically timber, wool, and sheep–and to connect communities by making travel accessible to ordinary people. At its height, the line featured thirteen stations, platforms and sidings between Bendigo and Heathcote, though not all were operational throughout the life of the railway. Passenger services operated on the line and in 1926 a rail motor was introduced, and a turntable installed at Heathcote to reduce the cost of transporting travellers.
The timber industry was instrumental in the success of the line by supporting mining in Bendigo and supplying various timber products to the Melbourne market. The McIvor Timber and Firewood Company, which commenced operations in 1906, played a significant part in this. They built a broad-gauge tramway network branching off the main line at Tooborac, extending as far north as Cherrington and as far east as Puckapunyal. The main product was firewood for the Bendigo and Melbourne markets. The company operated two American Baldwin 2-6-0 locomotives (named ‘Major’ and ‘McIvor’) and later an ex-VR W class 4-6-0 to work the tramway. A Victorian Railways’ turntable was installed in the Tooborac Station yards, operational from November 1908. The tramway network, which was about 35.4 kilometres long, ceased operating in 1927 with the demise of the company.
Last Train to Heathcote passing over the Mollisons Creek Bridge
Manufactured features that distinguish the O’Keefe Rail Trail and its proposed extension today are the expansive waters of Lake Eppalock, and the trail’s bridges. In the railway’s heyday there were approximately fifty bridges between Bendigo and Heathcote Junction. The most notable remaining structures are the Axedale bridge which spans the scenic Campaspe River, and two bridges in the Pyalong area.
The Pyalong bridges are heritage-listed, timber, pile/trestle structures that are facing the ravages of time: the Hanford Creek bridge and the Pyalong bridge. The Pyalong Bridge was built in 1889 by McDermott & Sons, has 27 spans and is 125 metres long and was originally 15 metres high at its centre. The bridge was closed in 1968.
Gatekeepers Cottage, Heathcote.
The dismantling of the Wandong, Heathcote, Sandhurst line was a sign of the times when widespread use of Victoria’s railway network began to decline. The line officially closed in December 1958 and was lifted in 1959 due to the construction of Lake Eppalock. Unfortunately, the dismantling of the line was coupled with the loss of significant infrastructure including a timber bridge attributed to contractor Andrew O’Keefe, at Axedale.
The O’Keefe Rail Trail is a valuable asset for the communities and visitors of Bendigo and Heathcote. It highlights the rich heritage and natural beauty of the region as well as the challenges and achievements of the people who built and used the railway.