The Proston railway line is a branch railway from

Murgon Murgon is a rural town and locality in the South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Murgon had a population of 2,378 people. Geography Murgon is in the region of Queensland known as the South Burnett, the southern ...

Proston Proston is a rural town and locality in the South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia. Geography The town is located north-west of the state capital, Brisbane northwest of the South Burnett regions commercial centre, Kingaroy and south ...

in south-east

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, Australia.

History

On 7 December 1914

Queensland Parliament The Parliament of Queensland is the legislature of Queensland, Australia. As provided under the Constitution of Queensland, the Parliament consists of the Monarch of Australia and the Legislative Assembly. It has been the only unicameral s ...

approved a

branch line A branch line is a phrase used in railway terminology to denote a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line. Industrial spur An industri ...

to run west from

in south-east Queensland. Although construction began in late 1915, a shortage of rails and the impact of the war impeded progress and, after suspending work in 1920 for some two years, the line opened on 24 February 1923.Kerr, J. 'Triumph of Narrow Gauge' Boolarong Press 1990 Stops were established at Barlil, Byee, Gueena, Mondure, Kawl Kawl, Hivesville and

Kinleymore Kinleymore is a rural locality in the South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia. In the Kinleymore had a population of 93 people. Geography The Proston railway line enters the locality from the east ( Hivesville), passes through Kinleymore ...

en route to Proston. The villages of Byee and Mondure can attribute their existence to the establishment of the line, however Hivesville was already an established centre by the time of construction, predating it by at least a decade and it subsequently became a thriving service centre for the district in the immediate years after the line's opening. Proston township developed around the site of the terminus of the line from 1923 and in later years prior to the war it overtook Hivesville in size and importance. During part of the construction phase, a state school operated in a tent along the track-side for labourers' children. It was known as the Proston Construction Camp Provisional School (1917–18) and moved with the camp location. It is believed to have been located mostly within the vicinity of Hivesville. The Windera railway line branched off at Barlil. A mixed service was provided three times a week between 1938 and 1964 utilising a

rail motor Railmotor is a term used in the United Kingdom and elsewhere for a railway lightweight railcar, usually consisting of a railway carriage with a steam traction unit, or a diesel or petrol engine, integrated into it. Steam railcars Overview In th ...

service operated to and from

Gympie Gympie ( ) is a city and a Suburbs and localities (Australia), locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the Wide Bay-Burnett District, Gympie is about north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city lies on the Mary River (Queen ...

. Proston

timber mill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimensi ...

and

butter Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 80% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread, melted as a condiment ...

factory accessed the line until both closed and only spasmodic

grain A grain is a small, hard, dry fruit (caryopsis) – with or without an attached hull layer – harvested for human or animal consumption. A grain crop is a grain-producing plant. The two main types of commercial grain crops are cereals and legum ...

traffic continued until line closure. The thirty kilometre section between Byee and Proston was closed on 25 January 1993 and from Barlil to Byee was suspended in May 1999. The branch line from Barlil to Windera was closed on 1 July 1961.

References

External links

1925 map of the Queensland railway system
{{Railway lines in Queensland , state=expanded Closed railway lines in Queensland Railway lines opened in 1923 Railway lines closed in 1993 3 ft 6 in gauge railways in Australia 1923 establishments in Australia