“In the 1920s, it was theoretically possible to travel by tramway between Warburton,
Powelltown, Gembrook, Noojee, and Longwarry!” – M. McCarthy (July 2020)
Sawmills in Noojee were connected by timber tramlines that transported mountain ash
logs from the dense forests to the mills and delivered sawn timber to the ends of a railway
line.
These tramlines often served as loading and unloading points for freight such as sawn
timber. In the forestry industry, they functioned as essential transport hubs where timber,
moved by tramway or truck from the forests, was transferred onto mainline trains for
delivery to markets or other mills. Built to a 3-foot gauge, these tramways were
established by individual sawmills and operated using horse-drawn wagons or steam
winches.
There are about 446 sawmill sites and approximately 1,247 km of tramline shown: This
map is based on information from Mike McCarthy.