Bellarine Railway, Heritage railway in Queenscliff, Victoria, Australia
Bellarine Railway is a heritage railway line that runs between two coastal towns using preserved steam and diesel locomotives. The route passes through farmland with occasional views across the bay.
The line opened on 21 May 1879, linking Queenscliff with South Geelong; military traffic from Fort Queenscliff helped justify its construction. Passenger services ended in 1931, freight closed the line on 6 November 1976, and volunteers ran their first trains from Queenscliff in May 1979.
The railway's volunteer society, formed in 1970 as the Geelong Steam Preservation Society, runs the line with unpaid crews. Its calendar includes licensed family events such as "Day Out With Thomas" weekends and THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride, alongside the Blues Train live music experience and The Q Train restaurant train.
Trains run most days with journeys taking about an hour for the full route. Check ahead as schedules vary by season and maintenance work affects availability.
The railway holds locomotives from all four Australian state 1,067 mm gauge systems — Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland — plus industrial lines. In 2013 the last surviving Australian Standard Garratt was moved here from the Newport Railway Museum for restoration.
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