The Deniliquin-Moama railway line story began in the 1860s, when Victorian Railways completed its broad‑gauge line between Melbourne and Echuca.
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For a decade, the NSW Government resisted extending the line north to Deniliquin, until an Act passed in March 1874 allowed a private syndicate to construct a 1600 mm gauge line from Moama to Deniliquin.
Opened on July 4, 1876, the 71 km route linked with the Victorian line at the Murray River bridge near Echuca.
It operated as a NSW Railway for nearly half a century before the 1922 Border Railways Act transferred ownership to Victoria.
From December 1923, the line officially became part of the Victorian Railways system.
The railway was more than infrastructure, it was a lifeline for Deniliquin’s growth, connecting the town’s pastoral and agricultural industries to Melbourne’s markets and ports.
It also symbolised the determination of local pioneers who pushed for progress despite political boundaries.
While the railway line has not been used for regular passenger travel for many years, occasionally a new campaign to reopen the line arises.
To honour the 150th anniversary of the railway line’s completion, we’ve gone back to the archives.
The following articles appeared in the Pastoral Times to mark the 100th anniversary, in July, 1974.
Centenary celebrations included an exhibition, fashion parades, golf days, a grand ball, a horse race meet, a family-friendly carnival, a street parade, a dinner dance, steam pump displays and the arrival of a steam train filled with passengers.
An obelisk marking the centenary was also unveiled at the Deniliquin railway station, which has long since been demolished.
D&M: First Inter-Colonial Railway
The Deniliquin and Moama Railway - opened on Tuesday, July 4, 1976 - was the longest line in the colonies constructed by private enterprise, in the the shortest possible time and at the lowest possible cost.
The year of opening was the 26th anniversary of the first railway construction in Australia.
“The long-tried patience of the Deniliquin People could scarcely be better illustrated than by the fact that there was, many tears ago, as much necessity for a railway between Deniliquin and Echuca as there was on July 4, 1876.”
This has been impressed on the Sydney Government over and over again before the year 1866, but to no purpose.
In that year, free selection commenced in Riverina, and from that time to the present the highway had been made more and more difficult and dangerous to travel.
The highway has been gazetted a mile in breadth, but selectors selected and sat down upon it, hemming in the traveller in places.
The squatter, in some instances, had done the same.
The agitations for a railway first took the form of the Murray and Darling Railway Association.
In 1866, the people of Deniliquin petitioned parliament for a light railway between Deniliquin and Moama.
Tuesday, July 4, 1876 was a red letter day in the history of Deniliquin.
The sudden bound from the horse dray or stage coach to the railway was one of no ordinary nature.
Travelling by Cobb’s coaches from Deniliquin to Echuca was unpleasantly difficult, dangerous and dear.
Carriage of goods was dear also, from 100-120 shillings per ton - or twice as high as from England to Australia.
Railway built within 12 months
To construct the Deniliquin-Moama line and to open it for traffic within 12 months was an achievement described as so brilliant, that it was to elevate Collier, Barry and Co to the highest pinnacle as railway contractors.
The whole length of the line if 45 miles.
The total cost was approximately £3500 per mile, which included the cost of the Act, the Parliamentary expenses, the bridge over the Murray, the goods shed and other buildings, as well as the rolling stock.
The highest grade on the railway is one in ninety, which continues for more than a quarter of a mile.
The steam engine first crossed the Murray from Victoria to NSW on December 22, 1875.
The railway declared open
The platform of the station was crowded with several hundreds of persons awaiting the arrival of the train from Moama, which was to bring that first instalment of visitors from Victoria.
About 2 o’clock, a pilot engine ran into the station, followed by the train conveying the visitors.
The arrival of the train was saluted by the Cobram and Deniliquin brass bands united, which struck up some lively airs as the train approached.
A second train arrived shortly afterwards, also crowded with guests.
The honour of declaring the line open was assigned to the Hon William Hay, MP for Murray, who, as soon as the train became stationary, took up his position on the tender of the engine “in the presence of an immense concourse of spectators”.
He said that this was the longest line in the colonies that had been constructed by private enterprise, and in the shortest possible time and the lowest possible cost.
Mr Hay declared the line open.