News and Updates

6th November 2009:
Cowra to Demondrille Line Closure

In December 2008 the Lachlan Valley Railway first approached the Australian Rail Track Corporation regarding the future of the line between Cowra and Demondrille following the sudden and unexpected announcement contained within the State Government’s mini budget of November 2008 to close the Cowra to Demondrille rail line.

The purpose of this letter was to inquire about obtaining a lease on the line so that we could maintain continuous access to the line between Cowra and Demondrille, and the NSW rail network.

We eventually received a reply in February from the Rail Infrastructure Corporation that the future of the line is included with the Expression of Interest released by the State Government as part of the mini budget proposal.

On Monday the 17th of August the Lachlan Valley Railway was notified that train services between Cowra and Demondrille would be suspended as of the 1st of September, effectively 2 weeks notice, quoting track condition.

On Sunday the 23rd of August we operated a train from Cowra to Young and return with a load of children to watch the latest Harry Potter movie, along an “unsafe” track.

The Lachlan Valley Railway is currently negotiating a “Licence Agreement” for the rail line between Blayney and Demondrille as well as the line between Koorawatha and Greenethorpe and we have been informed that this licence agreement should be very simple process.

Once this agreement is in place we will commence operations between Cowra and Demondrille as soon as it is practicable to do so.

This simple process is still ongoing.

Most of our operating rolling stock is stored at a couple of places around NSW and we continue to operate a variety of tours from these locations.
Our Museum at Cowra is still open on a daily basis.