A family history of Steffano Zapelli from Italy and Hannah Robertson of Victoria, and their descendants.The Zappelli Family. Italy ... Australia. 1690-1992. Irene Stokes. nl; Irene Spokes; nd. 92 p.; illus, map. Soft cover.zappelli; irene spokes; migration; history;

In order to accommodate its key Otways staff of train crews, station masters and gangers the VR provided departmental housing. Laurie McCabe, a former porter at Wyelangta, a player in the local football team, and married to one of the potato-growing families, was the Station Master becoming the travelling station master and guard in 1930. He was based in Beech Forest and housed departmentally with his wife, Victoria Elizabeth (nee Tann) and their two children.Laurie McCabe, Travelling Station Master and goods Guard, his wife, Victoria, and their two children outside their railway house at Beech Forest. B/W.beech forest; railway; departmental housing;

The Victorian Railways "G" class Beyer-Garratt locomotives had 2 foot 6 inch gauge engines of the 2-6-0 + 0-6-2 wheel arrangement, that is it had a tender in front of the engine and a tender behind. Two people are riding on the tender in front while a crewman is mounting the engine.B/W. Engine G42, with a crewman entering, and a NUU louvre van, in front of a pulp wood stack. Two people are mounted on the articulated section of the locomotive. Two empty tracks in front.beech forest; railway; loco g42;

Laurie McCabe was in charge of Beech Forest Station until October 1929. When the timber industry went into decline because of poor markets and the crippling effects of the 1929 strike, and when road haulage signalled the beginning of a new transport era it was the beginning of the end. As a result staffing levels were severely cut over the period 1927/29 with the two station masters at Beech Forest and Gellibrand replaced by caretakers in October 1929. The line was then supervised by travelling station masters of whom Laurie McCabe was one of two.B/W. Laurie McCabe in charge of Beech Forest Railway Station in the 1920s, pictured on track one just down from the station buildings. Note the slight snow covering on the tracks.beech forest; railways; laurie mccabe;

During construction of the railway in 1901 a ballast siding was originally opened 4.5 km south of Barongarook but the ballast proved inferior and a new ballast siding was opened 4 km south of Gellibrand to provide material for track construction. A spur siding, with points facing Beech Forest and a capacity for six trucks, was cut into the side of a slope. Above this was erected a loading bin and chute. This stone was of durable quality so the siding continued in commission after 1902 for periodic track re-ballasting. By the mid-1920s Victoria Railways found it more economic to use ballast from elsewhere so the siding was closed by 1925 and the rails lifted.B/W. Gellibrand Ballast Siding loading ballast down the slope, with five workmen watching at the base.gellibrand; ballast; railways;

B/W. Tracks 1 to 4 at Beech Forest, an NA-class locomotive and goods on No.1, an NQR wagon on No.4, and a station building in the right, in the early 1900s. 167mm x 280mm print.beech forest, train, wagon, railway, tracks, train station

For two years after the opening of the Colac-Beech Forest railway line trains were preceded by a ganger on a trolley to ensure no landslips or wash-a-ways created a danger to the trains. Afterwards the trains continued on their own. The line was built as cheaply as possible, "a mere skeleton of a railway" as one Victorian Railways spokesperson commented. With earthworks specified to the bare minimum landslips in the cuttings and wash-a-ways in sloping areas were always a problem, particularly in the early years before the works had time to settle. The line to Crowes was built to open in 1911 and a wash-a-way between Lavers Hill and Crowes was only to be expected. B/W. 8A locomotive, with driver and fireman, and a mounted repair gang attending a wash-a-way just past Lavers Hill in 1913.183mm x 260mm print.

ISBN 064623241 Cliff's story of his racing career in his own words.Zappelli "Best Wishes, Cliff Young"

Reminiscences and anecdotal recollections from the Otways and other places. R.W. Hill. 1st Ed. No imprint. iii, 49 p. Soft cover.Letter from R.W. Hill to Anthony Zappelli of Beech Forest.reminiscences; anecdotes; recollections; otways; beech forest; the ridge;

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;