Walhalla Goldfields Rail Trail (7km)

Summary

A short rail trail in beautiful mountain countryside, featuring tall forests and the meandering Thomson River.  An old mining area with the historic village of Walhalla close by.

Ride the short tourist railway from Thomson to Walhalla
Walk or cycle through steep cuttings with many twists and turns along the old railway formation

For more information on this trail see the book Rail Trails of Victoria and South Australia.

Gold was discovered at Walhalla in 1863, and created an impetus to build a railway.  A campaign started in the 1880’s, but it wasn’t until 1910 that a narrow guage line was built from Moe to Walhalla.  However by the time the line was finished, the gold had started to peter out, and the miners used the railway to leave the area.  The line was closed in stages, and the final section from Moe to Erica was closed in 1954.  The wonderful concrete and steel bridge at Thomson was almost used by the army for demolition training, but a campaign by the Walhalla Goldfields Railway group finally succeeded in overturning that decision.  The railway is open between Thomson and Walhalla with a collection of completely restored rolling stock, and bikes can be carried on board.

Erica – Park at the recreation reserve to Thomson – follow the track from the end of railweay yard up to the railway formation

Notes

• Erica to Thomson
• Foothills of the Great Dividing Range, 165km East Of Melbourne
• Surface – Coarse gravel
• Terrain – Hilly

For more information and a location map please visit RailTrails Australia.