Stannary Hills Tramways, Historical tramway formations in Mareeba Shire, Queensland, Australia.
Stannary Hills Tramways are two heritage-listed private tramway formations at Irvinebank, built 1901–1907 on a 610 mm gauge, narrower than the Queensland government railway's 1067 mm. The Boonmoo–Stannary Hills line, known as Dixon's tramway, ran along Eureka Creek and was extended 11 km to the Rocky Bluff battery on the Walsh River. Sleepers and bridge spans used local cypress pine, bloodwood and spotted gum; there were no stations, and passengers hailed the tram to board.
The Boonmoo–Stannary Hills line opened in May 1902, built by the Stannary Hills Mines and Tramway Company under engineer S. Dixon, and was extended 11 km to the Rocky Bluff battery. John Moffat's Stannary Hills–Irvinebank line followed from 1906. Both private 610 mm lines carried tin, firewood and passengers until 1936.
Passengers hailed the tram to board, as there were no stations; the one-way fare from Stannary Hills to Rocky Bluff was 3 shillings sixpence, and they travelled "at their own risk". The line was also called Dixon's Tramway after S. Dixon, the engineer who built the first section.
The remains are reachable by walking trails or with local guides, though wet weather sometimes makes access difficult. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear and check local conditions before arriving.
The tramway used an unusually narrow gauge of about 2 feet instead of standard track width, which allowed simpler and cheaper construction through the difficult mountain terrain. This choice made it faster to build and maintain the system despite the steep slopes.
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