Qld, Kilkivan track at the end of its journey

[ozbob]

From Gympie Times click here!

Qld, Kilkivan track at the end of its journey

09.01.2008

AN announcement later this month by State Transport Minister John Mickel is expected to end speculation on the future of the Theebine to Murgon railway line, Kilkivan Shire Mayor Ron Dyne told The Gympie Times.

Five councils of the South Burnett region met with the transport minister and agreed that the money allocated for the maintenance of the Theebine to Murgon railway line  which amounts to about $19 million  be allocated instead to improving roads in the area,  Cr Dyne said.

No trains have used the line since October 2004, but the Queensland Government has spent $275,000 on maintenance in the last financial year.

Cr Dyne said this money would instead be diverted to sealing the Widgee-Woolooga Road, the Woolooga-Biggenden Road and upgrading dangerous sections on the Kilcoy-Murgon Road.
There s an opportunity to have the roads in the area improved, which will benefit far more people than maintaining the Theebine   Goomeri railway line,  he said.

Cr Dyne said the line would be used as a cycling/walking/horse-riding track, which he sees as supplementing and enhancing the tourism success of the Great Kilkivan Horse Ride and attracting additional tourists to the area. However, members of the Kilkivan Community Garden and Railway Markets are opposed to the line s closure.

Kilkivan resident Dulcie Hewett says she is prepared to take up a petition against shutting it down.
This line is the most historical railway line in Queensland. It was opened on January 4, 1886. Many of us are very upset about this decision,  Mrs Hewett said.

Why pull up this magnificent heritage track? We need this line to bring tourists into our area,  she said.
Cr Dyne said he understood there were some people against the line s closure, but the reality was the line  had been closed for quite a long time .

[ozbob]

Looks like this line is gone.

[ozbob]

Not quite yet --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=413.0