October 9, 2010
Day one at last!: Lilydale to Upper Yarra Reservoir
We were all familiar with today's ride but not of course carrying loaded panniers.We all met at Lilydale Railway Station, a terminus on one of Melbourne's suburban railway lines. It was not always thus but was once a junction for the Healesville (which was an extension of the suburban service but which required a change from the "Spark" to a diesel railcar) the other branch was the Warburton line which was phased out in the nineteen sixties towards the end of steam traction in Victoria. The closing of this line however created an opportunity for a magnificent 40km rail trail from Lilydale to Warburton. A lot of the rail reserve had been assumed by local landowners but were persuaded to withdraw in favour of the trail with one notable exception of which more anon.
We set off following the old rail alignment until we came to Lilydale College, who was the only stand out refusing to give up the land that they had assumed.Just past the College Chris headed down a narrow path assuming that it was the way to by-pass the College but in fact it did not and ended abruptly about 500 metres later. We returned to where we were before and took a road through suburban Lilydale until we reached the start of the rail trail proper just across the Maroondah Highway. They are currently building a bridge across the Highway to take the trail back through suburban Lilydale to the Station.
The Trail then climbed gently for about six km to Mount Evelyn, once a village but now part of suburban Melbourne. On the Trail at Mount Evelyn is The Cog Bike Cafe and Workshop. We had a well deserved coffee and muffin to sustain us until lunch time.
We were joined by Neil, a KBTC member who was to accompany us as far as Warburton. From Mount Evelyn the Trail runs gently downhill for about 15 km to Woori Yallock another village which has an excellent bakery about 1km and uphill off the trail, but we did not feel the need to stop this time.
| Heart | 0 | Comment | 0 | Link |
| Heart | 0 | Comment | 0 | Link |
We stopped at the Warburton bakery for lunch. Warburton and Marysville, our destination for the second night started off as holiday resorts with numerous guest houses. Guest houses have lost popularity but there are still plenty of B&B type accommodation available for holiday makers and each town has a caravan park. Warburton had the advantage of the train in the early days when there were not many motor cars around while people going to Marysville had to rely on a bus service.
| Heart | 1 | Comment | 1 | Link |
After lunch we attacked the final 22km to the Upper Yarra Reservoir.
At a number of places in Victoria during the nineteenth century gold rush miners diverted the courses of small rivers by tunneling through spurs that the river bed ran around thus lowering the water level in the river bed to enable the miners to pan for the alluvial gold deposited there.
The RV belongs to John and Maureen, KBTC members. John recently celebrated his 80th birthday and has graduated to an electric powered bike. John will accompany us tomorrow up the Reefton Spur climb. As a young man in the nineteen fifties John spent a year working as a maintenance fitter on the heavy vehicle and earthmoving machinery used in the construction of the dam. Working conditions were harsh and as soon as he had saved enough money for a deposit on a house he resigned and returned to Melbourne and married Maureen.Camping facilities are basic, toilets, hot showers and a microwave in the shelter building which now contains many picnic tables but according to John was the original mess hall for the construction crews.
Today's ride: 62 km (39 miles)
Total: 62 km (39 miles)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 1 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 0 |