Toowoomba at the time of the opening of the railway from Ipswich, c1865

Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Rail in Queensland

Rail transport has been very important to the economic development of Queensland.

The first section of railway opened between Ipswich and Bigge’s Camp on 31 July 1865. A railway gauge of 3 feet 6 inches was chosen. This was one of the earliest uses of such a narrow gauge for a public railway. It was cheaper to build and the government had little financial resources.

The railways in Queensland stretched from coastal ports inland. This allowed the transport of farming produce for export. These goods were important for our economy. In 1865 it took a dray load of wool about seven days to travel from Toowoomba to Ipswich. When the railway reached Toowoomba in 1867 it reduced the same journey to only five hours.

Queensland State Archives Image ID 3387

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