Ida Bay Railway
Ida Bay Railway
The Ida Bay Railway is the last operating bush “tramway” in Tasmania. It is also Australia’s southern most railway. Situated 2 hours drive south from the Tasmanian capital, Hobart. This 2 foot narrow gauge line runs from Lune River to Elliott’s Beach, a distance of 7km.
One of the many features of this line are the Malcolm Moore diesel locomotives, brought as replacements for steam in 1948. The railway has two of them. Their distinctive red and yellow livery now a common sight on this former minerals line. Several of the passenger coaches are built on boogies from the original “flat wagons” dating back to the 1880’s. These are some of the earliest bogie wagons in Australia.
At Lune River Station, the railways headquarters, there are relics of the limestone days, as much of the original machinery has been kept, as a reminder of when this part of Southern Tasmania was the heart of quarrying. Indeed when this line was built it was the only way to transport the minerals from the quarries to the port.
Total Running Time 61 minutes.