INTACT SECTION OF THE FORMER COLAC-BEECH FOREST-CROWES RAILWAY LINE
4845 GREAT OCEAN ROAD LAVERS HILL, COLAC OTWAY SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
This record has minimal details. Please look to the right-hand-side bar for any further details about this record.
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INTACT SECTION OF THE FORMER COLAC-BEECH FOREST-CROWES RAILWAY LINE - History
A series of land acts were passed in the I 860s in an attempt to create small farm holdings, whilst at the same time recognising the pioneering efforts of the squatters. Under the first land act, the 1860 Land Sales Acr, three million acres were surveyed into allotments of between 80 to 640 acres. No person could select more than 640 acres annually, and the land had to be paid for outright, or half paid and half leased. Subsequently more land was made available for selection under the Land Act (1862) and the 1865 Amendment Act. Then in 1869, most land - including unsurveyed land - became available for selection under the Land Act. (Sheehan, 2003:19)
The Otway Ranges, in south west Victoria, were first opened to agricultural selection in 1884, under the Land Act 1884, when allotments were selected from pre survey maps prepared by the Lands Department (Minchinton 2011 :2). Within ten years more than 200 allotments had been taken up (Houghton 2005:1). Yet it wasn't until the arrival of the railway, during the 1870s, that Victoria's isolated south western region was considered penetrable. Umil this time, the Otway Ranges were virtually impassable and as such, were oflitde economic value. The introduction of the railway provided the first all weather, fast and reliable transport service into the area, which as Houghton noted was 'characterised by dense timber and high rainfall'
INTACT SECTION OF THE FORMER COLAC-BEECH FOREST-CROWES RAILWAY LINE - Interpretation of Site
Site is part of the former Colac-Beech Forest-Crowes railway line. Closure of the line during the 1960s lead to the abandonment of the line and the removal of the railway and associated infrastructure.
By the 1950s traffic along the line had declined and the locos that travelled along its length were aged and were in constant need of repair. In November 1960 the Joint Transport Research Committee advised the Minister for Transport that the railway close in 1961 . In June 1961 the Minister announced that the line was to close that year, but due to pubic pressure and urgent road building works, the line stayed open until 1961 . It finally closed on 30 June 1962 (see Downs 1963:99 and Houghton 2003:10).
Parliament passed a Bill in November 1963 authorising the dismantling of the Colac-Beech Forest-Crowes railway line. By December 1963 the points at every sliding and station had been removed and a tender advertised for the purchase and removal of all the buildings, Ballarat contractor Littlehales and Sons won the tender.
INTACT SECTION OF THE FORMER COLAC-BEECH FOREST-CROWES RAILWAY LINE - Archaeological Significance
Low potential to contain archaeological deposits.
Heritage Inventory Description
INTACT SECTION OF THE FORMER COLAC-BEECH FOREST-CROWES RAILWAY LINE - Heritage Inventory Description
Located alongside the Beech Forest Lavers Hill road, 1.5km from Lavers Hill, a small section of the former railway is evident. It is located 5 metres south of the Beech Forest Lavers Hill road and extends approximately 13 metres in a south easterly direction. The remnant line has been exposed by Friends of the Old Beechy Rail Trail
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INTACT SECTION OF THE FORMER COLAC-BEECH FOREST-CROWES RAILWAY LINEVictorian Heritage Inventory
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