Rails by the Sea

During the final years in the life of the Nyora to Wonthaggi Railway, Kilcunda was nothing more than a quiet and sleepy coastal hamlet that had a very small station, without a siding, opposite the township, on what is still a recreation reserve. However, this scene belied the rich local black coal mining history that began with its discovery at Kilcunda in the 1840s. In association with the mining, Kilcunda had a most interesting and unique railway history that included the building of...
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During the final years in the life of the Nyora to Wonthaggi Railway, Kilcunda was nothing more than a quiet and sleepy coastal hamlet that had a very small station, without a siding, opposite the township, on what is still a recreation reserve. However, this scene belied the rich local black coal mining history that began with its discovery at Kilcunda in the 1840s. In association with the mining, Kilcunda had a most interesting and unique railway history that included the building of a temporary line to the Powlett Coalfields, substantial temporary deviations and three station sites. This book tells the story behind the need to build the railway from Woolamai to the Powlett Coalfields via Kilcunda, to transport the vitally needed black coal to Melbourne for use by the Victorian Railways. Kilcunda was integral to this story and was central to the building of the line in only ten weeks, the fastest of any railway in Victoria.