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Laidley Valley (Mulgowie) railway line

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The Laidley Valley Branch Railway, also known as the Mulgowie railway line, connected Laidley to Mulgowie in Queensland, Australia. It was 11 kilometres long, making the line one of the shortest in Queensland.[1]

History

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The line was the culmination of 30 years agitation to access the rich agricultural area along Laidley Creek.

The line was opened on Wednesday 19 April 1911 by the Queensland Treasurer, Walter Barnes.[2]

The line was never profitable, servicing an agricultural valley with a low population density. The initial twice-daily service was reduced to once daily in 1918 and reduced again to a twice weekly service in the 1930s. The line reached its greatest popularity in 1914 when 1,285 people travelled on the line - by 1950 the average use was one passenger every three weeks.[3] Freight averaged ninety tons a year in the early years, but by the late 1930s this had dropped to 38 tons a week. By 1954, there was barely enough freight to fill a single wagon.[3] A possible extension to Thornton did not materialise, and once an all-weather road was constructed the uneconomic branch closed in 1955,[4] although 1.3 kilometres of the line to the Laidley cattle yards continued in service until 1969.[3]

Route

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Mulgowie railway line, 1942

Branching from the Main line at Laidley and passing through Cooper's Hill, Goothenda, Paree and Kullee, it terminated at Mulgowie.

Distance from Laidley Station Present locality Coordinates Altitude Notes
Laidley Laidley 27°37′42″S 152°23′36″E / 27.62838°S 152.39329°E / -27.62838; 152.39329 (Laidley railway station) 338 feet (103 m) Named after the town.[5][6]
1 mile 30 chains (2.2 km) Cooper's Hill Laidley South 27°39′26″S 152°23′05″E / 27.6572°S 152.3847°E / -27.6572; 152.3847 (Coopers Hill railway station (former)) 363 feet (111 m) Named after a long-time local resident and farmer.[5][7]
3 miles 14 chains (5.1 km) Goothenda Laidley South 27°40′14″S 152°22′39″E / 27.6705°S 152.3775°E / -27.6705; 152.3775 (Goothenda railway station (former)) 371 feet (113 m) Named using an Aboriginal word meaning forest country.[5][8]
4 miles 70 chains (7.8 km) Paree Laidley South 27°41′38″S 152°22′16″E / 27.6938°S 152.3711°E / -27.6938; 152.3711 (Paree railway station (former)) 407 feet (124 m) Named using an Aboriginal word meaning black soil.[5][9]
5 miles 78 chains (9.6 km) Kullee Mulgowie 27°42′43″S 152°22′05″E / 27.7119°S 152.3680°E / -27.7119; 152.3680 (Kullee) 424 feet (129 m) Named using an Aboriginal word meaning fresh water.[5][10]
7 miles 12 chains (11.5 km) Mulgowie Mulgowie 27°43′30″S 152°21′56″E / 27.72503°S 152.36565°E / -27.72503; 152.36565 (Mulgowie railway station (former)) 453 feet (138 m) Named after the local area.[5][11]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Kerr, J. 'Triumph of Narrow Gauge', Boolarong Publications 1990
  2. ^ "LAIDLEY VALLEY LINE". The Brisbane Courier. No. 16, 621. Queensland, Australia. 20 April 1911. p. 5. Retrieved 22 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ a b c Bromby, Robin (2006). Ghost Railways of Australia. Sydney, Australia: Lothian Books. p. 10. ISBN 0734409230.
  4. ^ "6 State Branch Railway lines To Be Closed". Townsville Daily Bulletin. Vol. LXXV. Queensland, Australia. 15 January 1955. p. 1. Retrieved 8 June 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Queensland Two Mile series sheet 2m43" (Map). Queensland Government. 1953. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Laidley – railway station in the Lockyer Valley Region (entry 18798)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  7. ^ "Coopers Hill – rail station - feature no longer exists in Lockyer Valley Regional (entry 39245)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  8. ^ "Goothenda – rail station - feature no longer exists in Lockyer Valley Regional (entry 39261)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  9. ^ "Paree – rail station - feature no longer exists in Lockyer Valley Regional (entry 39310)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  10. ^ "Kullee – rail station - feature no longer exists in Lockyer Valley Regional (entry 39698)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Queensland Two Mile series sheet 2m43" (Map). Queensland Government. 1942. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
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