Lysterfield tramway
Lysterfield tramway
This heritage walk in part follows the course of the tramway used to construct Lysterfield reservoir. It includes hidden treasures, forgotten relics, and a spectacular view at the summit
Summary
This heritage walk in part follows the course of the tramway used to construct Lysterfield reservoir. It includes hidden treasures, forgotten relics, and a spectacular view at the summit
Description
Lysterifeld reservoir was constructed in the period 1927 - 1935. To fabricate the dam wall, hard-worked horses hauled heavy loads of stone along a narrow gauge tramway linking the quarrie s at the crest of the range and the dam site. Now long forgotten, relics of that tramway are still in situ if one knows where to look
14977 Views
Points of Interest
1. Hallam North Road car park
This car park was first provided in the 1980s, but was much enlarged for the Commonwealth Games in 2006. Sometimes crowded on weekends, it has the only toilets and water on this trip
2. Down in the valley
This section of Valley View track is the lowest point on this trip. Watch for mountain bike riders, but also for wildlife in the mornings and evenings
3. Head of the incline
This landing was once the top of a 1 in 10 tramway incline. A 'powerful engine' once sat here to winch the empty skips back up. What kind of engine? We don't know!
4. The hidden quarry
A narrow defile on the right leads into the hidden quarry. This is not visible from the track, though walkers on the Rock Gardens track can look down from above
5. Tramway cutting
Tramline track does not follow the course of the old tramway at this point. The cutting on the right shows where it went. Cuttings were rare on tramways as being expensive to escavate by hand
6. Crest reservoir
This reservoir at the crest of the range is long out of use. What was it for? Walk from the north corner slightly west of north across Ridge track...
7. Horse drinking trough
This cement lined drinking trough provided water for thirsty horses at the top of the long climb from the quarry. Still intact despite being out of use for over eighty years
8. Lysterfield hills summit
The trig point marks the highest point of this range, with fine views through 360 deg, including Dandenong to the south, and the city of the north-west. The view is worth the 700 m walk
Features
Drinking water available
Public toilets
Historical interest
Local treasures
