Crowes

Colac to Crowes line

pronunciation - as in crows.

Crowes was the terminus of the line, and the southernmost railway terminus on mainland Australia. Crowes was 4 miles from, and 1,358 feet above the sea. A straight line to the nearest water would have required a 1 in 15 grade all the way. (the maximun V.R. gradient used was 1 in 30.) Add to this that there was neither place nor need for a harbour and it becomes obvious why the line was never extended to the sea.

A memorial to the Beechy has been erected at the buffer stop. To get to it drive south along Melba Gully Rd (off the Great Ocean Road) for about 30m. Turn right into the parking area. A path leads west to the display. The station itself was to the east of Melba Gully Rd.

18/3/1941

#2 rd. removed.

This creates interesting operational problems. The implication is that usually there were no vehicles left in the loop. If some were left the train would have to shunt before the engine ran around the train.

N. Houghton states "After this (1934 bushfire WR) the station existed mainly for departmental convenience as a train reversing point because very little traffic was generated here."

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