The rail trail
This week is my second part of what will now be my three (maybe four…) part series on forgotten railways in Victoria.
This week I took delivery of my winter bike, a mountain bike. Yes, I have crossed to the dark side but I will return to the road when the weather and, hopefully, the manners of some drivers improve.
In order to christen my bike I went to Queenscliff. Not the way I am used to, via the Bellarine Highway, no I went on the Bellarine Rail Trail. The trail follows the rail line that was opened in May 1879 by the Governor of the Colony of Victoria and ran off the main line just east of South Geelong Station. For the next 35 km you can safely follow the course of the old railway.
For the first 6 km to where the old line crosses the Bellarine Highway, it’s a pretty easy ride on a bitumen path with a number of roads to cross. Each km on the trail is marked with the distance to Geelong (South Geelong actually), Drysdale and Queenscliff. Once you cross the Bellarine you see the remains of the old line for the first time and follow alongside it for quite some way. The road here switches to gravel and dirt (and mud and water.) Heading through the back blocks of Leopold you pass a number of the old stations with names such as Kensington flat (now Leopold) and Kensington hill. Knowing the joys of climbing the Leopold hill on my road bike I can see why this route was chose for the train, certainly it’s not the most direct to Queenscliff but definitely flatter.
The railway ran right behind the Curlewis Golf Club, which is probably one of the nicer parts of the trail and my ride. Here I discovered that Legacy had planted an Aleppo pine, the descendant of the original lone pine of Gallipoli. A little further down the road was probably the smallest rail bridge I’ve ever seen. The rail continues alongside you, now completely overgrown, but clearly visible.
Arriving at Drysdale I crossed the road and took a look at the Drysdale Station. From here there is a clear and poignant change in the rail because from here the line is still in use as a tourist train mostly on the weekend. After Drysdale you go through Mannerim then Suma Park stations.
A little further on and as I approach Queenscliff, I start to see the water. Here I follow the train line from the road for a way until I get to Swan Bay where alongside the rail I get a fantastic view over the water. I was lucky to have chosen a great day and the bay was as calm as can be.
A few kms outside of Queenscliff, I came across something that I hadn’t seen for many years. Legend has it that a pirate named Benito Bonito entered Port Phillip Bay sometime in 1821 and concealed in a cave a treasure known as the Lost Loot of Lima. After doing so, he ventured out of the heads to continue his trade.
Waiting for him outside the heads, however, was a British Man-O-War, which gave chase and eventually stormed Bonito's ship. Bonito was allegedly hanged at sea. The only crew member to escape was a cabin boy who was said to have had a map tattooed on his arm as to where the treasure lay. A number of expeditions and syndicates have sought the treasure but all to no avail. One of these ventures excavated under the train line near Queenscliff in the mistaken belief that the cave was under the line. Alas, it was not and now the local Government has banned further attempts to explore for it.
Apparently, the 'Loot of Lima' is one of the most sought after treasures and probably one of the most documented. Researchers, historians, and authors all agree on one point and that is that the so-called treasure is buried on a tiny island in the Pacific known as Coco's Island not in Port Phillip Bay. But thanks Dad – NEVER let the facts get in the way of a good story.
Arriving at Queenscliff, I took a good look at the station, the engines, and the immediate surrounds. The official post marker showing that I was 109km from Spencer Street Station caught my eye. Interesting I saw at least one more of these hidden away in vegetation along the way back home – 10km from Queenscliff.
For those that haven’t been to Queenscliff – why not? It’s an incredibly interesting place, sometimes makes me think it’s the place that time forgot. An interesting abnormality in the region as it, along with its close neighbor Point Lonsdale, it remained outside the wrath of Jeff Kennett in 1993 and is still its own “borough” these days and not part of the City of Greater Geelong.
Anyway, back to the railway. Having originally opened in 1879 it was never planned that this would be just a commuter train, as the volume wouldn’t justify that, instead it was intended that it also be used to transport troops and goods to the military installations on Swan Island and at Fort Queenscliff. By 1885 the train was running four passenger services per day as well as one goods train. Later the line was altered with the addition of a siding for Cheetham Salt (at Newcomb) and more stations were opened and some closed. The entire line was first closed in May 1959 but soon after reopened for shell grit and lime movements, one train per week.
Around this time, 1960 summer excursion trains recommenced and in 1961 all of the stations except Drysdale and Queencliff were demolished. Then in 1976 the line was officially closed bringing the end to all official operations.
However, in the next few years the Geelong Steam Preservation Society and then the Bellarine Peninsula Railway obtained leases and started to operate the first all-volunteer railway in Victoria. Soon after this, in 1980, train services returned. As I said at the start, there are still train services today, mainly on the weekends and between Queenscliff and Drysdale (16.5kms.)
If you’re in or near Geelong it’s really worth a look some day whether you’re on foot or on bike or want take a ride on an old steam train. For those with kids, the Thomas the Tank Engine Spectaculars held four times per year are worth a look. The alternative for others is the Blues train. There’s alcohol on that one!
Until next time, have fun out there!
CG
