Wooroloo to Wundowie Visitors are often surprised at the tranquillity and the rural nature of this area. You won’t even hear the thousands of vehicles that whiz by every day only kilometres away on Great Eastern Highway. Pipeline You won’t see the pipeline – at least not today’s. But if you look around as you walk you will see remnants of the old route it used to follow, the trench in which it was buried, even some old sections. At least one has been put to a different use. [more]
High hopes were held out for this particular section of the railway line. Instead, rather than becoming a major route, it has lost its rail connection altogether. Road names are reminders of some of the former sidings. [more]
As is the case with most of the sections on Kep Track, water and timber were the reasons for settlements. Although not much water may be flowing, you will cross a gully and a brook. [more]
You won’t see the pipeline – at least not today’s. But if you look around as you walk you will see remnants of the route it used to follow, the trench in which it was buried, even some old sections. At least one has been put to a different use. New uses for old pipe Pieces of original locking bar pipe have been used for all sorts of innovative purposes: ranging from circular sections used as containers for barbecue coals to half-sections used as drinking troughs for stock. In this section a piece of pipe was used to direct water through an impressive railway embankment. Irony The presence of a reliable water supply from the goldfields pipeline was a major factor in establishing Western Australia’s first iron and steel industry in Wundowie. It all happened 50 or so years too late for the pipeline itself – steel to make the pipes had to be imported from Germany and the United States of America.
Railway line High hopes were held out for this particular section of the railway line. Instead, rather than becoming a major route, it has lost its rail connection altogether. Road names are reminders of some of the former sidings. The train has departed A stopping place on the eastern railway at Byfield’s Mill was raised to booking station status in 1897 and the name changed to Wooroloo. In Wooroloo Reserve, through which Kep Track passes, you can read more about the railway’s history and you’ll pass the old red brick station master’s house (now a private residence) as you enter or leave Wooroloo heading east.
The future of this area seemed bright when Werribee, about 6 km up the line from Wooroloo, was chosen as a junction for the Trans Australia railway in 1913. People tried to buy blocks but sales were suspended awaiting clarification of railway requirements. Nothing ever happened and with standardisation the line east was relocated entirely.
As is the case with most of the sections on Kep Track, water and timber were the reasons for settlements. Although not much water may be flowing, you will cross a gully and a brook. Wooroloo Although it had been favoured for grazing and watering stock, the Eastern Railway really opened up the area leading to the establishment of sawmills. And when a mill site became an official stopping place on the line, orchardists and farmers settled in this area in the 1890s. Wundowie Water, timber and iron ore deposits all came together at this place conveniently located on the railway line. Kep Track does not go directly through this town specially constructed for an iron and steel industry, but you can easily make a detour to obtain some refreshments. Dry towns Although they owe their very existence to the presence of water, both Wooroloo and Wundowie do not have “watering-holes” in the sense the term is used today for taverns. Applications for such establishments were squashed early on by the residents of Wooroloo. |
