Riding the rails to Stockyard

by John Wells
A little while ago we had a story about the little screw-steamer SS Tarra, working between Port Albert and The Landing at Stockyard Creek. That was as far up the creek as she could go – and it was still a rough task getting all the way up the township.
An example of the difficulties of getting to Foster showed during the gold rush up to Turton's Creek. The larger steamer Murray brought a load of prospectors down from Melbourne, but ran aground near the mouth of Stockyard Creek. The little Tarra was used to tranship the passengers and bring them up the creek as far as The Landing. That cost them seven shillings and sixpence each (another source says five shillings), and they still needed to pay to get their gear up to Foster – to be followed by a very difficult climb up the Turton's Creek field.
Something needed to be done. Foster was growing with the gold mines showing promise and providing much employment, much optimism and, for a time, quite a lot of gold. One response was the building of a wharf at Port Franklyn, so incomers could pay for a shorter journey on the Tarra, or walk the eleven kilometres to Stockyard Creek.
Still, even the little Tarra had to stop about five kilometres south of Tarra. She drew only six feet, one fathom.
Ten residents of Foster, full of enthusiasm and the gold mines developed, raised a thousand pounds by selling shares in the Buln Buln Tramway Company, to build a tramway down to the landing and provide better, cheaper transport than the bullockies, who were charging up to four pounds a ton. In August 1872 the capital was called as a lease had been granted for the Crown land needed.
There was great enthusiasm at the time – some workers were happy to be paid partly in company shares – and by the end of November the right-of-way had been cleared. By June 1873 the tramway was operational, using timber rails and sleepers brought down from the Hoddle Range. It was a rough ride, but the freight was carried for only two pounds a ton.
There were apparently only two passengers 'carriages', from which the seats could be removed if there was too much cargo for the one open goods truck. The passenger carriages must have been quite small because luggage went onto the goods truck. It was not a grand tramway at all – the motive power was a single horse.
For a time it was successful and it provided employment, convenience, cheaper freight – and it was making a profit. Like so many tramways and railways the line altered the development of the place it served. The walking track along the west side of the creek went back to the bush, and the town developed more along the east bank than the west.
William Flinn was a successful carrier based in Tarraville and he leased the tramway and built the profits significantly. He took in two partners in May 1873 but the partnership collapsed after a few months. Profits were no longer growing as the gold rushes slowed down and the coal trade did not come on as hoped. Tenders were again called for an operator to run the tramway and a publican from Foster, William Lomax leased the tramway for 35 pounds a month, then for 35 per cent of the gross revenue. This second arrangement brought less money to Buln Buln Tramway Company
In 1872 work was begun to extend the Buln Buln Tramway Company line further when a good seam of coal was discovered to the west and there was great excitement at Foster's likely future. The excitement about the gold discovery was overshadowed by the discovery of gold at Turton's Creek, with miners and their supplies coming in through Foster.
The Landing had become a small settlement of its own and the tramway promoters would have had this in mind. It had two hotels (one boasting 24 rooms) and a small cluster of houses serving a few fishermen and several small-area selectors.
There was a proposal to build an alternative tramway from Port Franklyn but the promoter wanted exclusive access to the wharf there. This monopoly was not attractive to the government and a number of politicians visited the area to see exactly what they were deciding upon.
Part of that group came up to Foster on the tramway – and a coach derailed and threw them all into the lineside scrub. Nobody was hurt, but it was not a good look.
Nor was the embarrassing case of Captain Pascoe, the local Police Magistrate, who needed to answer the call of nature while walking down the tramway to the Landing. Many people preferred to walk, given the very rough ride offered. At the crucial moment the tram came rumbling around the bend. A passenger called Williams reported the Captain to the local police who charged the Captain with indecent exposure.
The case was dismissed. Williams did not appear and it seems that a local lawyer had pushed Williams to make the complaint to get back at Pascoe. In any case the story went round South Gippsland faster than a speeding bullet.
In mid-1875 the line was sold to a consortium which included Pinkerton, master of the "Tarra" who has invested ashore and done well out of it. He had also bought the "Tarra" in partnership with Stewart Patrick, master of the "Murray". Pinkerton was well aware of the synergies available, and he also bought up much of the Landing.
There was tragedy in September 1876 when a group which had perhaps celebrated well rather than wisely, took the tram from Foster back toward the Landing. the horse bolted and the man driving could not pull him up, The brake lever came away in this hand and he could not pull the horse up with the reins. A passenger named James came to help him and they each took a rein, to no effect. At this point a lurch threw the driver, Phayer, from the carriage. James had the reins wrapped around his hands – and the ringbolts holding the trace chains gave way. James was found between the rails, dragged a few hundred yards, still alive, but with a broken neck. He died soon after, leaving a large and very young family.
There could be a whole book written about the Foster tramline and how it's rise and fall reflected the changing town of Stockyard Creek, later to be Foster. When the South Gippsland line passed to the north in 1872 there was no longer a need for shipping access and thus no longer a need for the tramline.
A Select Committee recommended a system of tramways to bring produce to the Great Southern line, because the soils were so soft and the tracks so difficult that only farmers close to the line would benefit. That recommendation was ignored.