The Gippsland Plains Rail Trail is a 67 km recreational trail following the former historic Gippsland Plains railway line/

Maffra railway line The Maffra railway line is a closed railway line in Victoria, Australia. The line provided an alternative route to East Gippsland than the current route to Sale. The line was closed in stages from Traralgon to Cowwarr in 1986, and from Cowwarr ...

route between

Traralgon Traralgon ( ) is a town located in the east of the Latrobe Valley in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia and the most populous city of the City of Latrobe. The urban population of Traralgon at the was 26,907. It is the largest and fastes ...

and Stratford in

Central Gippsland The area known as Central Gippsland, also termed North Gippsland, is a region of Gippsland in Victoria, Australia, roughly corresponding to Shire of Wellington. Often this region is considered part of a larger "East Gippsland". Central Gippsl ...

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

. The trail passes through dairy country, the foothills of the Great Dividing Range to the north, and across the Great Gippsland Plains. The rail line was built in 1883, and was a busy route until the 1950s as an alternative route to East Gippsland. The train line carried sugar beet from Maffra, and timber from Heyfield. Towns on the route are:

Glengarry The Glengarry bonnet is a traditional Scots cap made of thick-milled woollen material, decorated with a toorie on top, frequently a rosette cockade on the left side, and ribbons hanging behind. It is normally worn as part of Scottish military ...

Toongabbie Toongabbie is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. One of the oldest suburbs in Sydney, Toongabbie is located approximately 30 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the Greater We ...

Cowwarr Cowwarr is a town in Victoria, Australia, 27 kilometres north-east of Traralgon, 174 kilometres east of Melbourne, in the Shire of Wellington. At the 2016 census, Cowwarr and the surrounding area had a population of 368. Established in the 1860 ...

Heyfield Heyfield is a town in Victoria, Australia, with a population of 1,993. It is east of Melbourne, in the Shire of Wellington local government area. Located on the Thomson River, Heyfield is a gateway to the Victorian High Country. History In 1 ...

Maffra Maffra is a town in Victoria, Australia, east of Melbourne. It is in the Shire of Wellington local government area and it is the second most populous city of the Shire. It relies mainly on dairy farming and other agriculture, and is the sit ...

and Stratford.

Routes

Traralgon – Glengarry (10km)

Officially commencing at the intersection of Marshalls Rd and the Traralgon-Maffra Rd (C105), the trail passes through the scenic Latrobe River floodplain and over four spectacular restored bridges.

Glengarry – Toongabbie (9km)

This smooth, well packed

gravel path A gravel road is a type of unpaved road surfaced with gravel that has been brought to the site from a quarry or stream bed. They are common in less-developed nations, and also in the rural areas of developed nations such as Canada and the Unit ...

leads to Eaglehawk Creek, offering a scenic picnic spot. Toongabbie is a popular spot to explore due to the Toongabbie wetlands and the Ned Stringer Memorial.

Toongabbie – Cowwarr (9km)

This section has a well formed gravel path that sets out across the plains with views towards the Great Dividing Range. The trail passes through the remnant red gum forest and the lush farmland. Relics of the old Cowwarr Railway Station and rail head can be seen in this section. The small township of

has its history built on gold prospecting era. Today, historic buildings remain including the Cowwarr Butter Factory (now the Cowwarr Art Space), the original Cowwarr General Store and one remaining hotel, The Cricket Club.

Cowwarr – Dawson – Heyfield (11km)

This section has a well packed gravel surface. Heading out of Cowarr the trail continues past the scenic Rainbow Creek crossing and through the rich river flats. The trail passes through Dawson Flora Reserve, housing many significant flora species and can be found along the trail's shoulder. Heyfield offers several dining and accommodation options.

Heyfield – Tinamba (10km)

The trail follows the South shoulder of Traralgon-Maffra Road (C105) for a kilometre before crossing the road and heading northeast. The going here is flat and easy on well packed gravel, and much of the trail on this section has recently seen major improvements.

Tinamba – Maffra (8km)

This section of the trail has an excellent surface and passes through wetlands, forest and a number of creek crossings. Remnants of an old railway bridge can be seen just after passing Riversdale Road, just outside Maffra. The trail passes through dense forest before it meets the Macalister River where a bridge crossing reaches Macalister Park. The historic town of Maffra is popular with tourists, visiting the remnant of the town's ties to the sugar beet industry of the early 1900s. Today, the Beet Museum can be visited, and the Gippsland Vehicle Collection is a popular attraction in the town.

Maffra – Powerscourt – Stratford (10km)

The trail follows the main railway line through quintessentially country landscape on a path that is flat, solid packed, and easily ridden.

Rail trail map

Map of Gippsland Plains Rail Trail Stevage

External links

*
Rail Trails AustraliaMaffraTraralgonBicycle Victoria
- history of the trail. *

References

{{coord missing, Victoria (Australia) Rail trails in Victoria (Australia) Gippsland (region)