Orbost Line

The Orbost Line was the main line through central Gippsland from Melbourne. The line was built in stages to Sale, then Bairnsdale and finally to Orbost in 1916.

The line served a number of functions; passengers and general freight as well as coal and briquettes from the La Trobe Vally and logs from East Gippsland. The line was electrified to Traralgon to serve the large amount of briquette traffic expected. Unfortunately this traffic never eventuated to the extent predicted and the overhead was decommisioned and removed between Warragul and Traralgon in 1987 and then between Warragul and Pakenham as part of the Regional Fast Rail Project in 2005.

The line between Bairnsdale and Orbost was closed in 1987 and the tracks were removed soon after. The track between Sale and Bairnsdale was also suspended in the mid 1990s following the ceasing of passenger services in 1993. However these tracks were not removed as log trains recommenced running to Bairnsdale in 1997 and passenger trains were resturned in 2003 after a 10 year absence.

The former right of way beyond Bairnsdale contained several spectacular timber trestle bridges and traversed some heavily forested land. This section is now used as a Rail Trail for pedestrians and cyclists.

Suburban train services run as far as Pakenham where the overhead now finishes. V/Line trains operate beyond Pakenham all the way through to Bairnsdale. The track between Pakenham and Traralgon was upgraded in 2005 as part of the Regional Fast Rail project. The only freight which currently operates on the line is paper trains to Maryvale near Morwell, log trains to Bairnsdale and cement trains to Westall. Intermodal traffic was lost following the suspension of the Gippsland Intermodal Freight Terminal siding in Morwell.

Orbost Line

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