My 4 km (return) hike was from Oakleigh Station to Hughesdale Station, with an extension along a local Trail next to Railway Parade.
The Rail Trail follows the alignment of the former 8 km Rosstown Railway, which was built in 1888 as a private undertaking, between Elsternwick and Oakleigh Stations.
Sidings were built at Oakleigh Station, where the line joined the main Gippsland Railway.
With Government approval, the railway was to have transported processed sugar from a large beet mill which was built on the corner of present-day Neville and Miller Sts, Carnegie. This was to transport the product direct to the Melbourne ports.
Rosstown was the original name for Carnegie - in that era the land was mainly flat paddocks, which were being carved up for residential development in the 1890s.
Cuttings, bridges, crossings, and embankments were constructed, and the line was parallel to modern North Rd. Rosstown Station existed next to the Mill.
The railway and mill never worked, either for passengers or freight, and it was officially closed in 1914, with rails being removed and used for another project in Tasmania
In the 100 years since, the alignment has been built over, and no trace remains. The Trail follows the original route, through parks and reserves, and along modern streets and roads.
The Trail starts at Elsternwick Park and ends at a pedestrian crossing about 200 m west of Oakleigh Station, at the end of Richardson St. Information Boards are set into the sealed pathway at the Oakleigh end.
A commemorative plaque on the southern perimeter of Balgally Reserve marks the route of the line adjacent to Hughesdale Station. Another plaque is located on Marara Rd, between Bambra and Booran rds, Caulfield.
The eastern terminus was near Oakleigh Station - the western end was at Elsternwick Station.
The Oakleigh end was also known as the "Rosstown Railway Junction" - the former Outer Circle Railway joined the Gippsland Line where Hughesdale Station now stands.
An on-line Guide/Map of the Trail is available from Glen Eira City, at http://www.gleneira.vic.gov.au/
Photos in this Album are sourced to SLV and Public Records Office.
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