Trentham Trumpet ‘Going on the Railways’
The TDHS has regularly been contributing articles to the The Trentham Trumpet in recent years. This story, written by Sue Worthington was published in the Trumpet in May 2022.
If you would like to look at other previously published Trumpet Newsletters, they are available via their archive https://www.thetrenthamtrumpet.com.au/archives
Many of the stories recorded in The Trumpet, have been gathered together and published in the Trentham Tales. This, along with our other publications are available from our Online Store.
Although the above photo is Lyonville, it with Trentham had the largest output on our line. It's pretty evocative with the logs by the rail. These logs belonged to August Miller who ran the Lyonville General Store at the turn of the 20th century
Timber Spuds and Railways
Written by Sue Worthington
Colony wide, in 1860s & 70s, there was a 'hunger for timber': for firewood, construction material, mine supports, mechanical parts. Timber was vital to the 1850s goldrush in our district, underpinned the later commercial mines of the district and went on to be the mainstay of colonial expansion, climaxing in the boom days of 'Marvellous Melbourne'.
Although in great demand, the timber from the Wombat Forest faced serious challenges transporting lumber to market. Early mobile timber cutting camps relied on the only transport and haulage commodity available - draught horses. Jinkers hauled the 'big timber' out of the forest - a tree of up to one ton was dragged by a single draught horse. Later, while the larger, commercial sawmills built tramtracks, they too relied on horsepower (remembering, one draft horse cost 50pds) to transport their lumber in drays, along roads that barely existed, to the Kyneton rail depot
At this time the government was also opening-up agricultural land, with the aim of providing employment for ex-goldminers. Potato farming, already undertaken in small ventures, was actively supported for development in the district, but farmers too faced transport problems.
For most the journey to Kyneton with their goods was an overnighter. Potato farmer, John Toomey, however, gained local fame for delivering his potatoes to and from Kyneton in a single day. Leaving at daybreak, dray loaded with 1 ton of potatoes, with his oldest daughter Anne, lantern in hand, coaxing the lead horse along the first leg of the journey, Toomey's team of 6 prized draught horses were guided the 2 kms along the mud track that was then Pearsons Road until they safely reached the Trentham-Tylden Road. Anne and the lead horse would be despatched back home, while the dray pushed on to Kyneton. Once home, Anne would wash down the horse before making ready for school, as John, having unloaded the potatoes at Kyneton, bound for Melbourne, would also turn for home, arriving back that same day he left - hardwork and draughthorses achieving the almost impossible.
The expanding timber and potato industries were clearly in need of more convenient transport and in January 1879, the Carlesruhe-Daylesford line began construction. The Trentham leg was completed in February 1880 and reached Daylesford 1 month later. "Every hamlet saw the railway as its passport to prosperity" (M. Osborne, Timber, Spuds & Spa) and before long the railway itself became a reliable source of employment. All through the night lanterns would be burning at the station with men loading and unloading freight into rail trucks, or preparing livestock for transport. "Going on the railways" became the ambition of many a young lad.
Outward tonnage of goods on the line increased rapidly in the 1880s. In 1884-1888, each year there 20,000 tons of both firewood and timber; 20,000 bags of chaff, 20,000 bags of potatoes, 3,000 bags of peas, 3,000 bags of oats, 1,600 bags of bran, 180 tons of hides, hay and fruit moved from the Trentham Station.
On top of the freight came 50,000 passengers. Trentham Falls became an increasingly popular tourist destination, particularly for walking parties, and their arrival benefitted new and existing hotels providing accommodation and respite for tourists and workers alike.
With regular mail, availability of newspapers, communication with the outside world, Isolation for many evaporated. New populations brought new ideas and growth.
Unfortunately, the 1890s depression saw demand for produce reduce, railway services cut and although the railway maintained its fundamental importance into the early 20thc, with a brief resurgence in the mid 1920s, the peak levels of the 1880s boom years were never revisited.
images from collection: Timber at Lyonville Railway (above); drays taking potatoes to Trentham station; Trentham Railway Station
