taradale viaduct

Didnt actually go to Taradale to see this was just travelling through, saw the viaduct from the main road and decided to have a closer look, easy to find and get a good closer look.Really wonderful bit of history, well worth a look!Traveller tip, dont follow road under viaduct as it goes offroad into the bush!Have a look take some photos and turn around :)

This is a classic walk in the park,or a walk along the viaduct,to be more precise. Its a magnificent edific, being one of the longest and highest railway bridges in Victoria. We left our car in the main street and walked towards the bridge along a footpath that takes you through open ground with a water race on one side and a splendid 19th century house and barn on the other. The viaduct is 198 m long and 36.5 m high-a remarkable achievement considering it was constructed without the use of modern machinery. The steel trestles were added in 1930 to give extra support for the newer and heavier locomotives. A cast of 2000 men and 1600 horses built the line between Gisborne and Castlemaine. There is a story about a man who fell from the top of the viaduct during its construction but luckily landed in the creek unharmed. Apparently a short time later the same man fell into a relatively small hole,broke his neck and died! Ther is magic invested in bridges and this one ticks all the boxes.

This wonderful bridge was built about 1861 for the so-called Main Line in Victoria, Australia which ran and still runs from Melbourne to Bendigo.It is great to observe a train rushing across this impressive viaduct while you are in a car passing through Taradale on the Calder Highway, which I have done several times this year.Taradale railway station is closed to passengers but the bluestone buildings remain in use as a private 'holiday house' so to speak.