Ida Bay Railway
The Ida Bay Tramway (Railway) is the only remaining Bush Tram in the State of Tasmania. It was the Southern-most Tramway (Railway) in Australia. It was constructed to provide limestone for the manufacture of carbon electrodes and acetylene gas.
The 2-ft gauge Ida Bay Railway was built in 1922 to transport limestone 6 km from the quarry to a wharf at Ida Bay. The limestone was then shipped to Electrona for use in the manufacture of calcium carbide by the Hydro-electric Power and Metallurgical Company. Over time the railway was extended 2.5 km uphill to two more limestone quarries. It was also extended 6 km along the shore from Ida Bay to Deep Hole to bypass the shallow bar at Southport, a restriction to shipping, making a total length of 13.8 km. The line operated a wide variety of locomotives and wagons over its long life. Limestone traffic ceased in 1974. The line was purchased by the Tasmanian government and leased to tourist operators. Periodic and intermittent operations took place until 2019 when it was closed due to safety requirements.
Hydro-electric Power and Metallurgical Company (HePMC) needed high quality limestone for the production of calcium carbide at its plant at Electrona. Initially use was made of the inactive Huon Timber Company timber tram line from the Lune River Mill, extended to the limestone quarries. The HTC moved in and took over the cartage. In 1922 the HePMC set out to build its own 2 ft gauge steam powered steel-railed railway from the quarries to a wharf on the waterfront of Ida Bay. During construction another deposit was found 2.5 km short of the original quarry and the new line terminated there in April 1923. In time it was extended to exploit a third (intermediate) quarry as well as the original, each having a local spur line. The alignment was well engineered with a steady but manageable grade down to relatively flat country to the wharf. Ships carrying the ore to Electrona had first to negotiate the Southport bar which limited the draft. It wasn’t until 1950 that the line was extended 6 km to Deep Hole on Southport itself where deeper draft ships could berth. The total length from the furthest quarry to the wharf at Deep Hole was 13.8 km.
Over the years the Ida Bay railway was equipped with three small Kraus 0-4-0WT Well tank locomotives, three 7-ton open bogie wagons, and a new Hunslet 0-4-2T locomotive. From late 1948 five army-surplus Malcolm Moore petrol driven four-wheelers arrived and took over the work. There was also a custom-built rail motor, built up from an old car and used to carry workers each day up to the quarry and back to Lune River.
References: Clennett, Scott, ”Engaging the Giants; a history of sawmills and tramways of Tasmanian Southern Forests”.
Peterson, John et al: Light Railways 157 February 2001 pp 3-8.
