Morkalla railway line

The Morkalla railway line was a railway line in the Millewa region of northwestern Victoria, Australia.[1] It extended west from Red Cliffs railway station on the Mildura railway line into the wheat farming areas established as soldier settlements after World War I.

The line opened initially to Werrimull in 1924 and was later extended to Meringur in October 1925[2] then Morkalla in 1931. As the towns along the line shrank with reduced populations due to increased farm size and mechanisation, the line became less used and was eventually closed completely in 1988.

There were several proposals to extend the line across the border into South Australia to connect with the Mallee railways either on the line to Renmark near Paringa or to extend the Peebinga railway line, however none of these proposals eventuated to extend the line beyond Morkalla.[3] There was support from South Australians in the Riverland region to gain this connection for trade, however it appears not to have been supported by the state government of the day.[4]

Route

Morkalla railway line
Line length: 60 1⁄2 miles (97.4 km)
Track gauge: Broad gauge 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm)
Legend
 To Mildura
 342 1⁄4 miles (550.8 km) Red Cliffs railway station
Mildura railway line To Melbourne
348 3⁄4 miles (561.3 km) Thurla
351 miles 42 chains (565.7 km) Mildura shire siding
353 1⁄4 miles (568.5 km) Ballast siding10 miles 66 chains (17.4 km) local
355 miles (571 km) Benetook
360 1⁄2 miles (580.2 km) Pirlta
366 miles (589 km) Merrinee
372 1⁄4 miles (599.1 km) Karawinna
378 miles (608 km) Werrimull
383 1⁄2 miles (617.2 km) Bambill
388 miles (624 km) Yarrara
393 1⁄4 miles (632.9 km) Meringur
reversing triangle(1928-1968)
397 1⁄2 miles (639.7 km) Karween
402 3⁄4 miles (648.2 km) Morkalla

Towns and settlements along the line included:[1]

References

  1. 1 2 Andrew Waugh (March 2003). "Redcliffs – Meringur" (PDF). Victorian Signalling Histories No 58, Version 1.0. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  2. ↑ "NEW MALLEE RAILWAY.". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 31 October 1925. p. 27. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  3. ↑ "THE MAN ON THE LAND.". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 24 August 1928. p. 16. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  4. ↑ "PARINGA- MILLEWA CONNECTION.". Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record. Renmark, SA: National Library of Australia. 30 June 1932. p. 4. Retrieved 24 June 2014.

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