Unfortunately I didn't have time to follow this up further, but in 2008 I returned for a more in depth followup.
During the course of my stay I visited the quarry, which in itself is quite interesting with some old stone huts and old machinery etc lying around. I also observed a path labeled 'Railway to Stawell'. I followed this a bit and it was indeed an old rail track as there were some sleepers still in the ground. I didn't go too far down that path as it was getting late.
Later on I tried to find some evidence of the rail line south of Mount Dryden, where the map in the Info Centre had shown the rail line going. I couldn't find anything where I expected it to be. I later discovered that this was because the road was actually on the old rail line.
Eventually I Stopped on the corner of Pines Rd (also called Heatherlie Rd) and Heatherlie
Track. I started down Heatherlie track, and saw some sawn bits of wood. When I
went closer for a better look I realised I was standing next to a raised bit of
earthworks - in-fact an old railway formation. A bit further on I found this 'drain'
and some sleepers which confirmed I had found it.
Unfortunately I didn't have time to follow this up further, but in 2008 I
returned for a more in depth followup.
My 2008 activities were not related to the quarry itself, but to the spur line from Stawell. I actually travelled along bits of the line in a non-consecutive order, but I'll make by description in order from leaving Stawell. Objects along the line are listed by their (very) approximate distance along the spur line from the points at Stawell.
At the Stawell end , there is a
rail-trail that follows the old line. Grampians Rail Trail - Trail Description. It is
not
very well marked. I suspect that the signs have all been
nicked from the poles
that are along the pathway. The initial part of the spur from Stawell is not part of the bike path. The old line looks like it
crossed the Western highway just north of the Major Mitchell cairn. The line travels pretty much due east. You can see the path of
the line in the borders of paddocks etc in Google Earth.
Along the cycle path, especially as you get further from Stawell you can occasionally see sleepers across the path. It appears
the line was layed directly on the ground, without the use of ballast stones around and under the sleepers. This obviously was
to reduce costs, but it does mean that once the sleepers completely disintegrate there wont be much left of the line apart from
any earthworks. ( Note the gradiants and curves book says it has 4 inches of gravel ballast. - where
has it gone?)-->
Also along the rail-trail are a number of relics of bridges. The cycle bridges have been built next to the remains of old bridges.
thus preserving whats left of them :
 2601m |
 2898m |
 5133m 100 year old bridges don't survive fires too well. |
 8146m looking west This bridge is was quite long and goes through over a 'swamp' like area. If the cycle path bridge wasn't there you wouldn't be able to get past here. It was quite pleasant standing in the middle of the bridge surrounded by the river gums and the wetlands. - Apart from the insects! |
 8146m looking east You can see the cycle bridge here behind the rail bridge |
 8744m This is the same bridge as on the rail-trail page photo. The water level is has dropped a bit |
 12563m. Just off the Illawarra Mt Dryden Rd |
 13506m. Sth of Pickering Lane. You can see the stumps where the bridge was. This is about where the line curves slightly to the south |
 This pine was growing right in the middle of where the sleepers show the track to be. It must be less than 59 years old in 2008 |
 The undergrowth was quite scratchy! |
Along this section there was quite a variety of native flora. This rail line would have been a very pleasant trip though a variety
of environments. However for me, the dense scrub in places made things rather difficult. I really should have worn long pants
 19849m Looking West This bridge is close to Osleps Tk. |
 19849m Looking East |
 20213m The bolts from this bridge are just lying where they have fallen after the wood they were in has rotted or burnt away. |
 This is an easy bit of the formation to walk along with a bit scrub growing in patches. Off the side the scrub was quite dense. |
 However the scrub also has grown across the formation, making it difficult to actually walk along. |
 21434m This looks to have been a very low drain. I didn't notice it untill I was almost standing on it. |
Just about 100m before I got to the Mt Zero Rd the scrub got too thick for me to follow the track and I had to get out to the road
as best I could. However the line of the track shows pretty well where the track must have crossed the road.
There is a gap in my following of the track on the other side of the Mt Zero rd as I actually came down from the Heatherlie quarry and gave up on the scrub
bashing before getting to the Mt Zero Rd. However I'll describe this in the direction continuing from Stawell to Heatherlie
 22545m A very low drain, made of concrete. Probably being so close to Mt Difficult, the amount of water flowing in winter may have washed out a wooden structure |
 23268m A fully concrete bridge. 2 piers. This 'creek' was quite narrow and deeps, so probably a lot of water was flowing during rain in the wet season. |
 23852m This was the tallest timber bridge on the whole line |
 24100m A fully concrete bridge. 3 piers |
 24564m A fully concrete bridge. 2 piers |
And finally Heatherlie Quarry. 25278m from Stawell
 |
 |
 |
