Thread by @ozbob13

Good Morning Crowes!
Crowes was the terminal station of the Colac to Beech Forest, Beech Forest to Crowes VR narrow gauge (2' 6" gauge) railway. Opened in 1911. Crowes was the southernmost railway terminus in mainland Australia.
vrhistory.com/VRMaps/Vic1930…

Line profile Beech Forest to Crowes.
The station building at Crowes was on the northern side of the yard.
victorianrailways.net/grades/beech.h…

Crowes Station soon after opening in 1912 with Locomotive 8A about to depart for Beech Forest and Colac.
victoriancollections.net.au/items/5265eb9d… via @VicCollections

In 1919 bushfires destroyed the original Crowes station, and Lavers Hill.

Crowes after the 1919 fires
Crowes station sign, the remains of a chimney, galvanised iron sheet and a water tank
victoriancollections.net.au/items/5375bba9…

VR Crowes Railway Station, Otway Ranges Victoria, [1930s]
UON
livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/3364

Crowes never recovered its original facilities after the 1919 bush fires.

Crowes c. 1940s
Andrew Rhyder
members.optusnet.com.au/~narrow.gauge/…

Crowes was around 4 miles from Bass Strait and height ~1400 feet above sea level.

G41 at Crowes
Looking towards the south. Bass Strait can be seen.
P G Dow c. 1952

The last train from Crowes about to depart for Beech Forest G41
P G Dow 1954.
My grandfather and uncle travelled from Colac to Crowes and return on the last service.
11 December 1954 Ferguson to Crowes closed
(Ferguson-Weeaproinah reopened January 1955)
closed 30 June 1962.

Another view of the last train from Crowes. G41
P G Dow 1954

Grandfather's and Uncle's ticket for the journey.
Colac to Crowes and return.
Guard issued ticket from the van.
P G Dow 1954

Crowes: station yard, 1960
victoriancollections.net.au/items/534a1ed9…
Six years after closure.

Last train from Weeaproinah
victoriancollections.net.au/items/533f8504…
On the 27 June 1962 locomotive G42, 13 NQR wagons, several loaded with wood, and an NC guard's van negotiate Scanlon's curve near Tulloh.

I never made it to Crowes by rail, too young. But I did get to Weeaproinah a few times by rail.
Myself (young lad) and uncle at the station shelter at Weeaproinah.
P G Dow 1959.

A memorial to the Beechy has been erected at the buffer stop at Crowes.

A short section of track and an NQR wagon at the original end of the 2'6" gauge line at Crowes
flickr.com/photos/7837978… 2020

DISMANTLED SECTIONS OF TRACK BESIDE PIT AT CROWES - Public Record Office Victoria wiki.prov.vic.gov.au/index.php/VPRS… 1961
DISMANTLING OF NARROW GAUGE TRACK OUT OF CROWES.1961 - Public Record Office Victoria wiki.prov.vic.gov.au/index.php/VPRS…

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