1 Engineers Australia Engineering Heritage Victoria Nomination for Recognition Engineering Heritage Australia Recognition Program Bairnsdale to Orbost Railway May 2016 Bairnsdale to Orbost Railway Nomination for Engineering Heritage Nomination 2 CAPTION FOR COVER PHOTOGRAPH This shows the start of the Bairnsdale-Orbost Railway Line. The track in the middle of the photo is new as the Bairnsdale Station still remains in operation. The older track can be seen on the left side of the photo together with the old goods shed. Bairnsdale to Orbost Railway Nomination for Engineering Heritage Nomination 3 Table of Contents 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 6 2. Heritage Award Nomination Letter ................................................................................................ 7 3. Heritage Assessment ....................................................................................................................... 7 3.1. Basic Data ................................................................................................................................ 7 3.1.1. Other/Former Names ...................................................................................................... 8 3.1.2. Location ........................................................................................................................... 8 3.1.3. Address............................................................................................................................ 9 3.1.4. Map of Railway Line: ..................................................................................................... 10 3.1.5. Suburb/Nearest Town: Bairnsdale to Orbost................................................................ 11 3.1.6. State: Victoria ................................................................................................................ 11 3.1.7. Local Govt. Areas covered by Bairnsdale to Orbost Railway: East Gippsland Shire Council 11 3.1.8. Owner: Victorian Railways used to own and operate the railway line; however East Gippsland Shire Council now manages the railway. ..................................................................... 11 3.1.9. Current Use: Closed ...................................................................................................... 11 3.1.10. Former Use: Railway Line .............................................................................................. 11 3.1.11. Designer: Maurice Edwin Kernot, Chief Engineer ......................................................... 11 3.1.12. Maker/Builder: Victorian Railways ............................................................................... 11 3.1.13. Year Started: 1912 ........................................................................................................ 11 3.1.14. Year Completed: 1916................................................................................................... 11 3.1.15. Physical Description: ..................................................................................................... 11 3.1.16. Physical Condition ......................................................................................................... 11 3.1.17. Modification and Dates ................................................................................................. 12 3.1.18. Historical Notes ............................................................................................................. 13 3.1.19. Heritage Listings .......................................................................................................... 24 4. Assessment of Significance ........................................................................................................... 27 4.1 Historical Significance ................................................................................................................. 27 4.2 Historic Individuals or Association .............................................................................................. 27 4.3 Creative or Technical Achievement ............................................................................................ 27 4.4 Research Potential ...................................................................................................................... 28 4.5 Social ........................................................................................................................................... 29 4.6 Rarity ........................................................................................................................................... 32 4.7 Representativeness ..................................................................................................................... 32 4.8 Integrity/Intactness ..................................................................................................................... 32 Bairnsdale to Orbost Railway Nomination for Engineering Heritage Nomination 4 5. Statement of Significance ............................................................................................................. 33 6. Area of Significance ....................................................................................................................... 35 7. Interpretation Plan ........................................................................................................................ 36 7.1. General Approach ................................................................................................................. 36 7.2. General Attributes of the Interpretation Panel .................................................................... 38 7.3. The Interpretation Panel ....................................................................................................... 38 7.4. Preliminary Mock-up for Interpretation Panels .................................................................... 38 8. References ........................................................................................................................................ 39 Appendix 1: Major Stations of the Bairnsdale to Orbost Railway Line ................................................. 41 Bairnsdale Station ............................................................................................................................. 41 Nicholson Station ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..43 Bumberrah Station ............................................................................................................................ 44 Mossiface Station .............................................................................................................................. 45 Bruthen Station ................................................................................................................................. 46 Colquhoun Station ............................................................................................................................ 46 Nowa Nowa Station .......................................................................................................................... 46 Tostaree Station and Waygara Station ............................................................................................. 47 Orbost Station ................................................................................................................................... 48 Appendix 2: Significant Bridges of the Railway Line ............................................................................. 50 Mitchell River Bridge ......................................................................................................................... 50 The Nicholson River Bridge ............................................................................................................... 51 Temporary Nicholson River Bridge ................................................................................................... 54 Tambo River Bridge ........................................................................................................................... 54 Stony Creek Trestle Bridge ................................................................................................................ 55 Boggy Creek Bridge ........................................................................................................................... 56 O’Grady’s Creek Bridge ..................................................................................................................... 58 Hospital Creek Bridge ........................................................................................................................ 58 Snowy River Floodplain Bridges ........................................................................................................ 59 Appendix 3: Lorain Steel Company ...................................................................................................... 61 Appendix 4: Victorian Railways History ................................................................................................ 64 Appendix 5: Opening and Closing Dates of Victorian Railways ........................................................... 80 Appendix 6: Historic Individuals or Association .................................................................................... 95 Charles Heber Perrin ........................................................................................................................