We previously arranged this event in 2023 and had to cancel due to extreme hot weather, hoping earlier in the year  will be fine!

Meet at Morgan John Morgan Reserve Glen Forrest  9.30am  include time for café or cuppa before walk back ( 6 km in total). or arrange a pick up. It follows the original Eastern Railway Stage 2 route

History of the railway and today’s wildflowers and wildlife**  Construction of this Stage 2 of the Eastern Railway commenced in 1882 and was completed in 1884. The builder was J.W. Wright, assisted by Edward Keane. This route ran from Guildford to Chidlow’s Well via Darlington and Glen Forrest. All the work was done by manual labour and the evidence of blast marks and drill holes can still be seen along the line. During the construction, pipe clay was encountered at the big cutting later called the ‘Devils Terror’. This required a deviation of the line and the re-routing of Nyaania Creek south of the new alignment. This work added additional costs and time to the project. The inclines on this line were too great for heavy railway loads and an alternative railway route was added via Swan View/Hovea/Parkerville. This latter section became the main line around a decade later with passenger services being carried by both. The Darlington/Glen Forrest railway section closed in Jan 1954, due to falling revenue,.

** courtesy Darlington History Group Inc