Fernleigh Track

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Looking south along The Fernleigh Track from near Adamstown railway station
Looking north from gate on right of above photo across Park Avenue level crossing towards former junction

The Fernleigh Track is a multi-use rail trail near Belmont, New South Wales. The track was constructed in the way of the former Belmont railway line. The project is a joint venture between Newcastle City Council and City of Lake Macquarie. The track extends from Adamstown to Belmont over a distance of 15.5 km (10 mi). The railway closed in December 1991.[1] The first section between Adamstown and Burwood Road opened in 2003. Construction continued in stages with the final section between Jewells and Belmont completed in March 2011.[2]

The first section of the Belmont railway line opened in 1882 to Redhead with the line being extended to Belmont in 1917. At one stage there was talk of extending the line to Swansea.

A feature of the conversion of the former railway to a multi-use trail is the retention of many industrial heritage features. The trail passes through the brick-lined Fernleigh Tunnel under the Pacific Highway.

At the site of the former Kahibah station, the cycleway is crossed by the Great North Walk, a 250 km (155 mi) walking trail connecting Newcastle and Sydney. The track also passes through the centre of the Glenrock Lagoon catchment.[3][4]

Track details

Station/platform (distance)

  • Adamstown
  • Fernleigh: (2.82 km (1.75 mi))
  • Kahibah: (3.78 km (2.35 mi))
  • Dudley Junction: (4.59 km (2.85 mi))
  • Burwood Platform: (5.09 km (3.16 mi))
  • Whitebridge: (5.77 km (3.59 mi))
  • Redhead: (9.27 km (5.76 mi))
  • Redhead South: (10.56 km (6.56 mi))
  • Jewells: (12.13 km (7.54 mi))
  • John Darling Platform: (12.39 km (7.70 mi))
  • Belmont: (15.51 km (9.64 mi))

History of the line

  • 1 September 1892: Railway line opened to Dudley Junction[5]
  • 2 January 1917: Railway line extended to Belmont[5]
  • January 1925: Redhead Loop name changed to Fernleigh Loop
  • 8 April 1971: Last passenger train to Belmont[6]
  • 19 December 1991: Railway line closed[1]
  • 2 February 2003: Adamstown to Kahibah station stage opened
  • August 2004: Dudley Junction to Whitebridge station section completed
  • 7 May 2005: Kahibah Station to Whitebridge station section opened
  • November 2009: Whitebridge Station to Redhead station section completed
  • November 2010: Redhead Station to Jewels section completed
  • 12 March 2011: Fernleigh Track opened to Belmont[2][7]
  • 14 July 2024: extended to Murrays Beach[8]

References

  1. ^ a b Lambton Colliery closure causes abandonment of rail line Railway Digest February 1992 page 51
  2. ^ a b "Fernleigh track fully complete and open". ABC Newcastle. 12 March 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  3. ^ Fernleigh Track City of Lake Macquarie
  4. ^ Fernleigh Track Brochure City of Newcastle
  5. ^ a b Belmont Branch NSWrail.net
  6. ^ Belmont Passenger Service to be Withdrawn Railway Transportation April 1971 page 6
  7. ^ Ferneligh Track Railtrails Australia
  8. ^ Fernleigh Track could soon stretch all the way to Central Coast Newcastle Herald 26 June 2024