Marrawah Tramway

The line was extended from the Leesville settlement to Mowbray Swamp, an expanse of unbelievably rich blackwood forest.

The original tram, which was built around the edge of the swamp, turned south at what in later years became known as the Five Mile, and skirted the higher land to the west.

This tram , which ultimately became a spur line of the tramway, was later extended through Christmas Hills to the Roger River flats.

A locomotive, “The Gadget,” handled the traffic to and from the Trowutta mill delivering its loads to the main line at the Five Mile.

As they had some six miles already constructed to wards Marrawah, and substantial help was also promised by the people of Smithton and district, the directors decided to go in with them and build the line.

A Bill was passed by Parliament at the end of the year giving the company power to construct, also a lease of 5,000 acres of timber.

During this time a further ease of 5,000 acres of timber was sanctioned by Parliament to enable the company to give enough security to J. S. Lee and Sons for their financial assistance.

[6] At the annual meeting of the company at Marrawah on 19 July 1908, Mr. A. W. Ford, chairman of directors, stated that work had been going along steadily on various sections of the line.

At the annual meeting of the Tramway Co., held on 22 February 1912, Mr. Geo Allen was elected a director, at a time when F. F. Ford, the founder and also the largest shareholder in the company, had just passed away.

The cheese was forwarded to Melbourne via Smithon per the ketch Eliza Davies, and the other items through Stanley for despatch to Launceston.

At an inquest held in Smithton on Arthur McMahon, bush foreman for Lee & Sons, Crawford Cure, the driver of the Coffee Pot said that he was proceeding to Leesville with a load of eight logs when an axle broke.

It originally used white myrtle spars for stringers, and was closely corded and ballasted with sawdust so that the five-horse teams could haul the trucks with up to two pieces of sawn timber without tripping.

The timber was then delivered to the Pelican Point jetty at the Duck River heads, where it was loaded on ships bound for Melbourne or Adelaide.

[4][12] The main line was bought for £21,500 around October 1913, and since that time further sums have been spent in repairs, bringing the total outlay to £30,000.

In October 1915 the Public Works Committee reported to the Tasmanian House of Assembly that the line was in a very bad state, and was not safe for the conveyance of passengers.

Special permission had to be given to drive it to Salmon River on the Marrawah Tramway and extra care was taken due to the type of wheels on the engine but it reached its destination without any serious damage.

Bridging the Welcome River, 1913
First tramload of cheese, butter and wool to Smithton on the Marrawah tramway
Nine Marrawah Tramway employees on a trolley on the wooden tramline section near Marrawah, where wooden rails were used, 1931
The vertical boilered steam engine Coffee Pot hauling logs
Ford Model T converted into rail motor. With the wide wheel flanges it could travel both on wooden and steel rails.
The Marshall loco hauling a load of blackwood
Harlot , a converted Ransomes steam lorry