Railroad Adventure at Maydena with Railtrack Riders

Take a scenic ride along the rail corridor once used to haul timber

Duration

1.25 hours Please be onsite 10 min prior to the departure time

Ages

All Ages

About

Leaving the Maydena station, this 8km return ride ventures east. Riders pass through the site of the former rail station at Fitzgerald.

Only two original railway houses remain along the side of the rail line. In the early 1920’s Fitzgerald was a bustling town with timber cutting and haulage being work for locals and miners travelling to Adamsfield to seek their fortune mining ‘Osmiridium’. Miners stayed overnight at Fitzgerald in boarding houses one of which was known as the ‘Pig & Whistle’ located just east of Fitzgerald. Gourlay’s Mill was located across the Tyenna River from Fitzgerald it supplied Hobart and surrounds with its valuable timber.

Fitzgerald was at one time the last stop on the Derwent Valley Line until Australian Newsprint Mills (A.N.M) purchased Gourlay’s Mill and it’s land for the supply of timber for the manufacture of Newsprint at its mill at Boyer. The newsprint mill, now owned by Norske Skog, grows and uses pine for paper production harvested from the same areas of the Tyenna and Florentine Valleys.

The Riders

We have three styles of Riders (2, 3 and 4 seaters) at each station to suit a range of bookings. On all Riders, only the front 2 seats have pedals and brakes. 3 seaters can carry 3 adults. The rear 4 seater seats are only suitable for small children under 10 years.

What to bring

Please wear comfortable clothing with practical shoes suitable for the weather .