At a meeting, they argued that a line from Stratford would only be a quarter of the cost than the Maffra proposal, due to the fact that no bridges would be required, and that the ground was more level.

[2] The Gippsland Farmers' Journal reported on 22 July 1887 that the Premier at the time, Duncan Gillies, responded to a request asking for the line to end in Stratford by saying that he "could not now see his way to propose any alteration in the route adopted from Maffra".

In December 1888, a group of Briagolong residents gathered in the Mechanics Institute to advocate for extending the line to Dargo, which had been part of the Welshpool to Omeo proposal.

McLean said that the government led by Duncan Gillies had initially refused to put the Briagolong line on a costing estimates list for constructing rail lines across the state, but the Speaker had intervened to put it to a committee vote, owing to what McLean called "the splendid accumulation of statistics by the prominent residents of the district".

[10] On 10 November 1911, a group of young people were brought before the Children's Court in Maffra, charged with putting obstacles on the railway line.

[2] On 25 April 1936, a public meeting was held in the Shire of Maffra hall in regards to the "likely closing" of the railway line.