This is a great spot for picture on sunset of mount hope 20klm
away, So bring a camera, *RAIN* if it's been raining driving up the
dirt road is not advisable - park just off the black stuff and
walk30 seconds. The best time of the year is August, September and
October for the reddest sunsets.
but have at other times been fantasic too .
This is the site where it all started for the
TORRUMBARRY WEIR
Two small steam locos "Trams" transported over 47,000 ton of
materials a huge job for 2 little trams and 30 odd flatops and side
tipping buckets towed at any one time.
Approval for the construction of Torrumbarry Weir and Lock was
given in 1919 and so begun building of the
Torrumbarry weir siding and tram railway line at Patho off the
elmore cohuna main line. in early 1919 and a 6 ton crane was
errected with platform and shed completed on 31st october 1919 but
the steam tram loco engines didnt arrive till july 1920,
A german built krauss 4 ton 6hp steam engine and the other was
a
Black Hawthorn.co England 6 ton 10hp steam engine
basicailly looking simular to each other but bigger
boilers.
The train tracks was only 2 foot (610mm) wide and
somtimes the trains, flatops and side tipping buckets would
derailed due a combination of the wonky tracks and to
much speed.
The tramway ran for 6 1/2 miles (10.4 klm) cross country carring
there materials, goods and workers to the weir,
Crossing three bridges on the Patho creek -
National channel (Gunbower creek) - and the third being swamp
ground ) You can actually drive some of this
tramway - Part of the Torrumbarry weir lock road is the actual same
path the steam loco's traveled.
when you hit the tree line of the Gunbower forrest via the
Torrumbarry lock road this was the path the loco trams plied
to the weir.
The Weir Pool now supplies water for the Torrumbarry Irrigation
System, which delivers around 500,000
megalitres each year to about 120,000 hectares of irrigated land,
yielding agricultural products with a gross value of
around $130 million.
Torrumbarry Irrigation System - Torrumbarry, Patho, Gunbower,
Leitchville, Cohuna, Kerang and Swan Hill areas. it taken me 3
years of ongoing research so if any one know of any info on the
torrumbarry wier tramway im only to happy to chat