Cairns Railway Station ~1890Works train in the Barron Gorge sectionStoney Creek bridgeBiboohra bridge ~1895Stoney Creek trestle bridge in the Barron gorge, September 1989QR loco 1760 hauls a special train on the Mareeba-Almaden section of the Mungana line, September 1989Arrival of the train at Atherton station, 1928View from a loco cab on the Mungana line, September 1989Train at Yungaburra, 19291760 and special train crossing a low level bridge on the Forsayth line, September 1989. Note the short, steep approaches to the bridge, as steep as 1 in 15, known as 'momentum' grades. The bridge is designed so floodwaters pass over it and minimise the risk of damage.
The Tablelands railway line is a railway line in North Queensland, Australia. It was opened in a series of sections between 1887 and 1916. It commences at Cairns and at its maximum extent, reached Ravenshoe at the southern end of the Atherton Tableland. The rail system served by this line was unusual for Queensland in that the majority of lines that connected to it were built by private companies and later purchased by the Queensland Government. It is known for its popular tourist services, the Kuranda Scenic Railway from Cairns to Kuranda and the multi-day Savannahlander from Cairns to Forsayth, which both incorporate heritage-listed sections of the line.
History
Following the discovery of tin at Herberton in 1879, the ports of Cairns and Port Douglas were established, competing for the role of dominant settlement in the area. The summer tropical rainfall in the region made roads virtually impassable in the wet season, leading to calls for improved land transportation in the region. The region to the west of this section of the Queensland coast was relatively rugged, being mountainous rainforest.
Three potential routes were investigated to reach Herberton, via Port Douglas, Cairns and Geraldton (now Innisfail). The shortest route was from Innisfail, but it was the steepest and through very rugged country. The Port Douglas route was the easiest but longest. Cairns had the best port, and the unstable geology of the Barron Gorge was not known at the time.
The area west of Mareeba was known to be mineralised, and mining pioneer John Moffat received government approval to build a copper mine at Chillagoe, smelter at Barron Falls and railway to connect the mine to the QR line, to be the same gauge and standard as the QR line. The Chillagoe Railway & Mining Co. was created for the project, but the public outcry over the site of the smelter forced its relocation to Chillagoe, the railway then becoming vital to ship coal and coke for the smelter from the wharf at Cairns.
The collapse of the world copper price at the end of World War I led to the Queensland Government purchasing all the privately owned 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) lines in 1919.
In 1936, demand from tourists wanting to travel through the Barron River gorge section resulted in the introduction of what is today known as the Kuranda Scenic Railway service.
A daily railmotor ran from Cairns to Ravenshoe and return.[9]
A twice-weekly mixed train (marketed as "The Last Great Train Ride") ran from Cairns to Forsayth until 1995, when it was replaced by the Savannahlander tourist service.
Suburban services
Frequent daily passenger services were provided between Cairns and Redlynch from 1927 to 1969.
Rail ambulance
One of the last rail ambulances in Queensland was based at Mareeba with the last patient transported in 1983.[10][11]
Heritage listings
Sections of the line which are heritage-listed include:
Trains crossing at Lappa on the Mungana line, September 1989
Stannary Hill tramway, Eureka Creek valley, 1902
Irvinebank Tramway station ~1909
Steam tram crossing Irvinebank bridge over Gibbs Creek ~1911. Locomotive is called Baby and is on a picnic tour to Stannary Hills. (Description supplied with photograph).
