Opening of the Maryborough and Avoca Railway in 1876

This year marks the 150th anniverary of the opening of the Maryborough and Avoca Railway.

This image first appeared in the Illustrated Australian News of 29 November 1876. An article reporting on the opening was at page 186:

OPENING OF THE MARYBOROUGH AND AVOCA RAILWAY.

The ceremony of opening the railway from Maryborough to Avoca afforded an opportunity to many of visiting the prettily situated little goldfields township that takes its name from the ‘ sweet vale’ that has been immortalised by Moore. True there is here no ”meeting of the waters,” and a powerful imagination alone could realise the “soft magic of streamlet,” and the ”purest of crystal and brightest of green,” but nevertheless it claims to have beauties of its own, and is not altogether undeserving of a title that awakens recollections of one of the most charming and picturesque spots in the world. The township was laid out in 1854, and is situated in the centre of a fine agricultural tract of country, which at one time was found, in parts, to be auriferous. The streets are wide and intersect each, other at right angles, the principal thoroughfare being ornamented by a neatly fenced enclosure, running the full extent of the town, planted with a variety of indigenous and deciduous trees, which have a very pleasant and refreshing effect. The smooth sloping shoulders of the Pyrenean ranges form a bold and magnificent back ground, the middle distance being diversified by bits of striking scenery an artist might revel in contemplating. Like all small country towns it seems to a resident of the metropolis a sleepy hollow. Under normal conditions its population would appear duly a few hundred, the greater proportion being children. It contains several excellent hotels, and well-built shops and private residences, and boasts an assembly hall, devoted to literary and musical entertainments, political and religious demonstrations, balls, public dinners and similar junketings. It has its local press, and is no doubt proud of the same, but it must for ever remain a mystery how two journals can exist in so small a place, even though they did it after the Eatonswill fashion. The Avoca diggings may be said to be a thing of the past. The town now mainly depends upon agricultural population in the surrounding districts for any commercial vitality it may possess. The district is at present essentially agricultural, and was therefore entitled to consideration at the hands of the Government when planning an extension of our railway system. The distance between Maryborough and Avoca is only fifteen miles, through country slightly undulating, and presenting few engineering difficulties for railway purposes. The expense of construction was only about £2500 a mile, so that the limit of £5750 per mile for rolling stock, station and fencing allowed by Parliament is not likely to be exceeded. There are about thirty cuttings between Maryborough and Avoca, the deepest being only seven feet, and only one bridge has been required— that crossing the creek known as the Bet Bet. The day upon which the opening ceremony occurred (Friday, the 27th of October) will no doubt long be remembered in the locality. The little township was moved to its very centre, the excitement extending over a radius of at least ten miles. From every house there floated banners, and across the principal street was stretched a line with varied colored bunting attached; while the Commercial Hotel, the principal place of rest and refreshment in the township was decorated in a style that made the Chinese inhabitants stare in wonder. An allegorical painting on canvas, surmounted by the word “Welcome,” in large characters, occupied a conspicuous position in front of the balcony, on which a large number of persons assembled to do honor to the guests from Melbourne, who arrived by special train about two o’clock. The station is situated about half-a-mile from and overlooking the town. Here thousands of people were assembled, all attired in their best. The Chinese, of whom a considerable number reside in the district, mustered in great force, and joined in the procession of the inhabitants to and from the station. Many of them were arrayed in their native costume, which it is needless to say was of the fearful and wonderful character, and quite sufficient to make the juvenile population look on in awe. The sketches given by our artist convey an accurate idea of the little town nestling beneath the mountain range to the rear, no less than of the more striking scenes in connection with the opening ceremony. A platform was erected at some short distance from the station, and to this his Excellency the Governor and the members of the Government attending were conducted. Some thousands of persons were assembled, having arrived shortly before in procession, in which the Chinese inhabitants and the children attending the schools in the district formed a considerable part, Mr. Moate, the President of the Shire Council, presented an address of welcome, to which his Excellency replied at some length. In the course of his remarks he referred to the gradual extension of our railway system, “If,” he said, “the large sums spent in the early days of the goldfields on the roads to Ballarat and Sandhurst had been spent on cheap railways, our internal communication would have advanced far more rapidly. But a quarter of a century ago the art of constructing cheap railways was still unknown here and elsewhere. Labor was also exceptionally dear in Victoria, and some portions of the first lines of this colony cost the now almost incredible sum of £47,000 per mile. The official statistics show that our new railways cost (including the rolling stock) only about £6000 per mile. If the early cost had been anything like as low as it is now, the profit of our railways as a whole would already cover all working expenses, and more than the interest of the money borrowed for their construction, and would thus not only have practically extinguished the public debt, but contribute a considerable balance to the public revenue. As it is, the returns from the department show that at the end of 1877, within fifteen months from the present, we shall have 927 miles open, uniting the capital with every centre of population in the whole colony. Indeed, it appears there will be no town or village with about 2000 inhabitants which will not be in direct communication with Melbourne. Already the North eastern line to the Murray at Wodonga pays all expenses and interest, and gives a net yearly profit of over £24,000. The steady increase of the railway revenue is very satisfactory. In the past year, 1875-76, it was larger than in any previous year, being £75,000 in excess of the preceding year, 1874-75, while the working expenses fell at the same time from 52⅓ to 50¼ per cent of the gross profits.”
The Chinese subsequently presented a loyal address, to which his Excellency replied in suitable terms. A banquet was given in the afternoon in the spacious hall attached to the Commercial Hotel, at which about 300 attended. His Excellency the Governor made a very felicitous speech, which was well received. In the evening a ball was given in the Assembly Hall, and a picnic to Amphitheatre, about ten miles distant, on the 28th October, wound up the vice-regal visit to the locality.

Author: Anne Young

I blog about my family history at http://ayfamilyhistory.com/ View all posts by Anne Young