Kawarren was an early timber and limestone loading point. Timber was shipped in by Watson and Facey, Condon Brothers, and Coppock, amongst others, some of which had tramways up to 6.5 km long to the station. Bushfires roared through the area in 1939 and made the area unworkable. An outcrop of limestone existed near Kawarren but it was not until the railway was built that it became workable. 360 metres north of Kawarren station two then three kilns were erected, and later a shed and covered area over a short length of the rail siding in order to prevent rain damage to the lime while it was being loaded. Sluicing was introduced, and the tramway was extended further when the quarry ate deeper into the hillside. Limestone traffic of around 2,000 tonnes each year kept the station busy until the trade ceased in 1957.B/W. On the 14 December 1958 at Kawarren an UP goods train shunts on the siding. A man is talking to the engine driver while another man approaches the engine.kawarren; railways; timber; lime;

Originally known as Loves River it became Kawarren station on 16 June 1902. It consisted of a loop siding and combined office and passenger shelter. Goods loading was sawn timber (brought in on four tramways operating between 1905 and 1939), firewood, charcoal and limestone. In 1920 the limestone company built a store shed and a covered loading area at the terminus to assist operations. The company also requested the siding to be extended by three metres, which Victorian Railways did in the same year. This gave the loop a capacity of 21 trucks. Around 2,000 tonnes per year of limestone traffic kept the station busy until trade ceased in 1957. A postal motor started in October 1938, Kawarren being a point where the postal motor and trains were permitted to cross.B/W. G42 with a Down goods train at Kawarren on 14 December 1955. On No.2 Road empty NQR wagons proceeding to get filled at a covered lime loading operation. A three workmen are checking aspects of the train while a group appear to be clustered at the guard's van around an NKS motor trolley.kawarren; railways; limestone; timber; charcoal;

In 1955 staff numbers were reduced to an absolute minimum with one track gang at Beech Forest and one at Colac, one of whose members resided at Gellibrand. No new sleepers were issued to the track gangs after 1955/56, cut down ones being used instead. Albert Denning, the son of a Gellibrand selector, worked at Driver's planing mill and Hitt's Lardner mill before joining Victorian Railways in 1928 as an engine cleaner at Beech Forest and Crowes, the last one in both places. He later became a track repairer at Gellibrand and worked with this and the Colac track gang until 1962. Bill Jamieson was a track repairer on the Colac-Gellibrand gang from the 1950s until 1962, and witnessed the official policy of minimum maintenance in the last years of the line.B/W. 201mm x 254mm. In c.1950, the Colac track gang near Kawarren, featuring, from left to right, Bill Jamieson, Albert Denning, and Don Loury on an NKS motor trolley..colac; kawarren; railways; track gangs;

After a nearby mill closed down the Cashin family, who lived south of the mill site, requested Victorian Railways to keep the siding open for passenger use, which it did, but changed the name to Birnam in 1926. In 1927 it was moved south a little distance, closer to the houses it served. From left to right, awaiting the train, are the people it served, Tom Cashin, Ted Cashin, Arthur Cashin, the child Eva Facey, Jim Cashin, Sarah Cashin, the second child, Doris Hansen, Beatrice Hansen (nee Cashin), Bert Hansen, Jim Facey and Percy Facey. It was regularly patronised until 1939 after which it saw little use.B/W. 195mm x 250mm. At Birnam Station in c.1926, seven men, one with covered axe, three women and two children, awaiting the train.birnam; railways; tom cashin; ted cashin; arthur cashin; eva facey; jim cashin; sarah cashin; doris hansen; beatrice hansen; bert hansen; jim facey; percy facey;

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;