Maldon with Township was founded in 1853 the discovery of an alluvial goldfield. In its heyday Maldon had a population of 4000 who were largely employed by gold mining companies.
By 1880, Maldon was the largest community in Victoria, that was not served by a railway. On the 16th June, 1884, the first train ran on the Maldon branch.
Maldon Railway Station is an historic Victorian building with neo-Gothic arched windows, and today the station sees the departure of steam hauled tourist trains on Sundays and most public holidays. Diesel trains also run on advertised occasions.
The train takes you for a typical branch line railway journey through eucalyptus forests that are made more colourful in Spring, by wattle blossom and native wildflowers. Here and there sheep and cattle can be seen grazing in paddocks.
An extension to Shelbourne was opened in 1892. Passenger trains ceased running in 1941. The Shelbourne line was closed in 1969, after being badly damaged by a bushfire.
The Shelbourne wheat traffic was lost to road transport and the remaining Castlemaine-Maldon section continued operation with a weekly goods train.
On 3rd December 1976, the Maldon line was closed by the Victorian Railways.
Some 12 months earlier, a committee was working to promote the preservation of the line.
The Castlemaine & Maldon Railway Preservation Society was formed by a public meeting held at Maldon on 17th December, 1976.
After four years of negotiations, supported by the Ministries for Transport; Planning; and Tourism; and the City of Castlemaine and the Shire of Maldon, the Society was able to buy steam locomotives J 549; К 160; and later E 371.
Steam locomotives used on the Railway date from the 1940’s to the 1950’s and the diesel-electric locomotives, from the mid 1950’s. Compartment carriages date from the 1900’s and the excursion carriages from the 1920’s.
Easter Saturday, 29th March,1986 saw the re-opening of the line from Maldon station to the Bendigo Road level crossing. Further sections of track are now in use, and work is progressing on the re-opening of the line through to Castlemaine.
(Notes on the railway history are dated circa 1990)
As part of these restoration works, the timber used to restore the Muckleford Rail Bridge was milled by 91 Forestry Squadron using the units 60 inch sawmill at their Annual Camp held at Scrub Hill Puckapunyal in October 1989.
On 19 May 1990, the Squadron was given the opportunity to return and observe the fruits of their labours at an Open Day Maldon hosted by the Castlemaine and Maldon preservation Society for whom the timber was milled.
Mel Constable
RAEAV Collection PV 521
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