Gangers on an 5A-class 2-6-2T steam locomotive with goods wagons, and as well as men standing beside the train, at Beech Forest station during construction, c.1902.Beech Forest station during construction of the line, c.1902. gangers; na-class locomotive; beech forest;

Leaving Colac the narrow gauge train goes through Tulloh. Coram, Barongarook, Kawarren, Lovat, Gellibrand, Banool, Wimba, McDevitt, Weeaproinah, Devitt Bros., and Ditchley before it reaches Beech Forest, and vice versa. The distance in miles, the height above sea level and the timing from the starting point is given. Note that Weeaproinah W NC changed its name to Dinmont when the Crowes line extension is built. Colac-Beech Forest timetable for May, 1911 showing the DOWN train from Colac to Beech Forest, and the UP train from Beech Forest to Colac plus annotations.colac; melbourne; tulloh; coram; barongarook; kawarren; lovat; gellibrand; banool; wimba; mcdevitt; weeaproinah; devitt bros.; ditchley; beech forest; railway; timetable;

The last train to Beech Forest ran on 30 June 1962, between Banool and Wimba. The train had a particularly motley look with 180 passengers loaded into NU goods vans and the old NQ wagons hastily fitted out with temporary seats and tarpaulin roofing. The train was hauled by the G42 locomotive kept alive through patch-up repairs and cannibalised G41 parts, steam escaping from every joint.Last train to Beech Forest, 30 June 1962.beech forest; trains; railways;

A four-wheeled, two-horse buggy and, further along, two men standing on a railway embankment before laying the track, near McDevitt in 1901A horseshoe curve near McDevitt during the course of construction of the Beech Forest railway, 1901.beech forest; mcdevitt; embankment; railway;

Gellibrand station was one of the larger and more important stations possessing a waiting room, station office, parcels shed and refreshment room joined by a common verandah. The refreshment room was managed for many years by Mrs. O'Neill who, with her staff, around 1920, offered a hot meal for one shilling. In the afternoon, a "cuppa and rock cakes" was available to passengers on the train to Colac. Other patrons were workers from the various establishments in the railway yard.Gellibrand Station Master and Refreshment Room staff, plus two men, under the verandah of the Refreshment Rooms, in front of two railway lines.gellibrand; railways; refreshments; mrs. o'neill;

The Beech Forest railway carried very heavy loading, mostly consisting of timber, but also potatoes, lime, gravel, chaff and dairy produce. Livestock was carried and, while no dedicated passenger service operated "car-goods" ran on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday plus occasional passenger specials. However, despite the high tonnage heavy financial losses were experienced, due partly to the small amount of inbound goods and the high empty wagon mileage. Annual losses by 1915 were up to L8,000, and these were only exacerbated by increased traffic.B/W. Beech Forest Railway Station, guard's van, carriages and wagons on the right, and wagons loading with timber on the left. c.1915.beech forest; railways; station;

Victorian Railways repairers with their NKS motor trolley outside the gang sheds at Beech Forest, Wednesday, 24 March 1954. beech forest; victorian railways; repairers; motor trolley; gang shed;

Beech Forest railway yards, 1907. Passenger carriage; good's van; boy (half hidden; NQ goods wagon; stacks of timber awaiting loading.beech forest; railway; yard; passenger car; timber; goods wagon;

Carriage and half-loaded goods wagon behind a flat railway wagon, all in front of the station building, Beech Forest, 1908.beech forest; passenger car; goods wagon;

A DOWN goods train consisting of a G42 locomotive, a louvre van, two NQ trucks and a guard's van awaits departure from Gellibrand. Three youths are seated in the doorway of the guard' van. On the near track further NQ trucks are parked. A water tank appears in the distance.A DOWN goods train with locomotive G42 awaits departure time from Gellibrand on 14 December 1955. B/W.gellibrand; railways; locomotive g42; louvre van; nq trucks; guard's van; water tank;

With the approval of the railways, in February1959 a special tourist train was organized by the Australian Railways Historical Society in conjunction with the "Kanyana: Festival Committee of Colac, Victoria, to run from Colac to Beech Forest. Eight NBH carriages, in store at Newport, were transferred to Colac. The train proved to be so popular that additional trains were later run over the next two years until the temporarily disused Puffing Billy needed the NBH carriages returned.Locomotive G42, labelled "A.R.H.S., Special Excursion, Kanyana", with a guard's van, eight NBH excursion carriages and an additonal guard's van attached, stands at Gellibrand Station with a large group of passengers milling outside the train. Note on the left a group of domestic railway dwellings, and, on the right side, two empty wagons. B/W.beech forest; colac; railways; a.r.h.s.; kanyana festival committee;

Snow at Beech Forest, taken before 1910 approximately from Ditchley around to the train yards at Beech Forest. B/W. beech forest; snow; ditchley;

Locomotive G41 on a trestle bridge at Colac Station with two enginemen. Another G class locomotive sits in the background. B/W.colac; beech forest; railway; locomotive g41;

On the Colac-Beech Forest-Crowes railway line the section from Ferguson to Crowes was closed in December 1954, but reopened as far as Weeaproinah in January 1955. The section to Crowes, left to its own devices, was rapidly covered with vegetation which had to be cleared when rail recovery trains later ran. The track to Crowes was pulled up in 1961. Crowes track being dismantled at the ashpit ready for loading into NQR wagons. colac; beech forest; crowes: railway;

Railway bridge over the Gellibrand River, 1902. Note the people on the roadway bridge in the top left corner. B/W.colac; beech forest; gellibrand; railway;

Drivers were highly skilled enginemen. Taking a train from Beech Forest to down to Gellibrand required the train to be controlled at 10 mph (16 km) without running out of air. When a brake application was made the brakes on the locomotive were applied harder than the train brakes. The brakes locked up and the engine would just slide along. Drivers used a retention valve on the loco, then released the loco brakes so as not to wear out the brake shoes. So the train pulled into Gellibrand ready to pull out again after refilling the loco with water.At Gellibrand, a Down goods train is about to depart the station on 14 December 1955. The train consists of the locomotive G42, a louvre van NO, two NQ wagons and a guard's or brake van NC. B/W.gellibrand; colac; beech forest; railway;

In early 1959 N.B.H. excursion cars were mounted on trains running from Colac to Beech Forest and Weeaproinah. Over the next three years much use was made of them bringing tourists up the line.Beech Forest Station, 21 November 1959. Passengers at the side of N.B.H. excursion cars on the right. B/W.beech forest; railway;

The Webster family disembarking from a 7 NB passenger carriage at Laver's Hill in c.1920. B/W. lavers hill; colac; beech forest; railways;

G41 engine and mixed goods carriages on the southern track nearest the Goods Shed, NQ trucks laden with timber next, an empty line, and further carriages next to the station building at Beech Forest in 1950. B/w.beech forest; colac; railways;

A mixed goods train with G41 locomotive changing tracks just after the balloon reversing loop, with piles of timber on the right and a shed on the left. B/W.beech forest; colac; railways;

Mrs Mabel Olive Hobson (nee Nichols, b. 1895), owner of Cavan House, a guest house, in Lavers Hill, was a valuable community member who did a lot around district. When she died in Colac in 1957 a memorial collection plate inscribed with her details was given to the Presbyterian Church in Lavers Hill. The Church was built in the early 1900s.Wooden circular bowl, two lips around the outer edge, with red felt in centre, 54mm steel inscription. On verso, raised lip with red felt insert in centre. "In Loving Memory of Mrs Mable Hobson November 12th 1957"lavers hill; presbyterian church; mabel hobson;

This is a collection of stories and newspaper clippings that relate to the women of the Colac district during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Over 300 women, some with a lot of information, others only covering a few lines, have been recorded. Many often would have had overwhelming issues to face in their day-to-day lives, with loneliness, lack of close communication and medical help, bad or unmade roads and harsh living conditions, ensuring that their children were fed. Pioneering days: a woman's life. Colac & District Family History Group Inc (comp.). 1st ed. Colac (Vic); Colac & District Family History Group Inc; 2013. vi, 284 p.; illus. ISBN 978 0975 0679 1 8 Soft cover.colac; otways; families; articles;

The first engines to run on the Colac-Beech Forest line between 1900 and 1902 as work trains were A Class locomotives, otherwise known as 'Coffee Pots'. They were based and serviced at Colac, but coal stages were erected at Barongarook and Wimba water tanks because of the lengthy periods of waiting time required to unload sleepers and rails or to load ballast.An A Class train on a revetment hauling timber and men to build the Colac-Beech Forest railway, with a steep hillside in the background.. B/W.colac; beech forest; railway; timber;

By 1960/61 all the factors operating against a narrow gauge railway were in place for the Colac-Beech Forest line. As well as using a 2-6-2 Tank engine over 60 years old, 14A, the train by this stage only had a louvre van, two NQ trucks and a guard's van to bring to Colac. It was very near the end.Locomotive 14A and a mixed goods trucks taking water at 10 mile tank in c.1960=61. The driver controlling the water is W. Brady while the fireman, Les Ogden, peers into the smoke box. B/W.colac; beech forest; ten mile creek; locomotive 14a; w. brady; l. ogden; railway;

Locomotives 5A and 14A on a siding at Colac with a boy standing in front. In the background an engine shed and goods sheds, while on the left hand side a louvre van and NQ truck. B/W.colac: beech forest; railway; loco 5a; loco 14a;

Education Department of Victoria Merit Certificate No. 277619 awarded to Daphne Lawson on 6 December 1934. Paper; rectangular; off white paper; black ink. (Mounted on grey cardboard, 330mm x 180mm.)Daphne Lawson, Grade 8, Elementary Schools, Wyelangta. 6th day of Dec, A.D. 1934. U.H. Greene W.D. Le Coutuste (?)education department, victoria: merit certificate; wyelangta; daphne lawson;

Rectangular; coloured; white paper. Printed: 'The Argus Camera Supplement', 'For the sharp ones', 'Certificate to', 'from Old Nancy'. Illustration of a Magpie, "10" beneath.Daphne Lawson Treasure Hunt 16/12/33daphe lawson; the argus camera supplement;

From 1945 a sawmill, the Calco Mill, was formed to cart sawn timber initially from the Zappelli's property on Denherts Track. The plant was later shifted to Pul's property and, in 1951, finally moved to a new mill in the Beech Forest railway yard. Potato output also rose, around 280 hectares and was shipped exclusively by rail until 1955. The railway was very busy, in fact so busy that potato farmers and especially saw millers started agitating for road transport.G41 locomotive, four NQR loaded wagons, and a louvred van near the Goods Shed. Next line, three loaded and three empty NQR wagons. In the foreground near the station building, a louvred van. A water tank and timber mill in the background. B/Wbeech forest; railways; loco g41;

On the 1st March, 1959, the first special train was organized by the Australian Railways Historical Society in conjunction with the Kanyana Festival Committee of Colac, Victoria. It proved so popular that additional trains were later organized. Temporarily in storage at Newport railway yards eight NBH excursion carriages were transferred to Colac which ran on the special trains until early-1962. A A.R.H.S. "Kanyana" special excursion locomotive G41, an NC guard's van and NBH excursion carriages at halts at Gellibrand while the fireman attends to the engine requirements (or 'ER' in railways' parlance). The passengers are milling outside the excursion carriages while two are talking to the driver. Houses are in the background. B/W.gellibrand; railways; kanyana special; colac; beech forest; loco g41;

Beech Forest Railway Station was constructed in 1902 and had a number off additions to it over the years. At the far end of the station in 1902/3 was constructed a 'balloon' reversing loop, rather than a turntable or a triangle, which rolling stock used in order to even the wear on the wheels. However, the trains also used it. The Garrett in particular was supposed to be turned every second trip to even out its wheel wear, although this was usually ignored for other reasons. The loop was used throughout the life of the station.Colour. Beech Forest Railway Station showing the 'balloon' reversing loop at the far end. The tennis courts and shelter are in the background.beech forest; railway; balloon loop;