Part of a broader project that dreams of a rail trail extending from Heathcote Junction to Wallan, this first check box on the list, supported by the Victorian Government’s Tiny Towns Fund, is what MATT’s Tim Budge calls “the Trojan Horse” — opening up a world of possibilities for local bike users.
At High Camp, located just off the Northern Hwy on Crawfords Rd, works are being undertaken to turn the gravel-filled reserve into a bustling picnic area for walkers, cyclists and rail enthusiasts to enjoy.
While it will offer a tranquil spot for travellers on their journeys, the site will also share the rich history of the area.
In 1890, there was a rail line passing through Heathcote Junction, Kilmore, Willowmavin, Pyalong, Tooborac and other towns in the area, which also included a stop at the High Camp Reserve.
While the only evidence of this stop today is a gravel mound, steam trains would once pass through the site before the rail line’s closure in 1968.
The area was also home to a school, a pub and a church — all of which are now nowhere to be seen.
“It’s spine-chilling to look at that and think there was a platform over there. Then, beyond that, there were two railway houses, there was a school, a church, a pub. And it’s all gone,” Mr Budge said.
“Rather than leave it as a place for people to leave rubbish, we want to make it into a picnic spot.”
For centuries earlier, however, the reserve was tended by the Taungurung people, whose history with the land is rich and long.
To pay homage to the stories of the past, Pauline Duff of MATT said the group was organising signage, and had actually interviewed people who had grown up using the old rail line, including a local who had since passed away.
“We’re proposing to put up a sign about the station and the local history, and to also have a QR code to connect to a website telling more history, from the Taungurung time through to the settlers,” Ms Duff said.
Rather than let the history go to waste, this first part of the wider rail trail project will be a space of reflection.
“It’s hard to imagine because now it’s just a gravel dump, but all of us, as keen bicycle riders, and as a local, think it’s a hidden treasure. It would be nice to restore,” Mr Budge said.
After finishing one working bee at the reserve, three more have been scheduled in the new year to make the site into a picnic area.
Afterwards, MATT is hoping to host two yarning circles and an official launch event.
For more information, contact Tim Budge at budget@tribalstrategies.com.au
