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]

• Thurla
• Benetook
• Pirlta
• Merrinee
• Karawinna
• Werrimull
• Bambill
• Yarrara
• Meringur
• Karween
• Morkalla

References

1. 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.

External links

Media related to Morkalla railway line at Wikimedia Commons