O'Keefe Rail Trail

It previously ran 17 km (11 mi) from Bendigo to Axedale but works completed in 2015 extended the route to Heathcote[1] The trail includes a number of bridges, including the $50,000 Axe Creek Suspension Bridge, which was built in 1993.

The trail is named after Andrew O'Keefe, an early railway pioneer.

The Heathcote to North Bendigo line was built by O'Keefe in 1888 after successfully tendering 88,409 pounds to build the 28 miles (45 km) of track and 50 bridges.

At the time, Heathcote had a population of 1500, and was part of the supply chain for the gold rush.

From 1888 for several decades, the railway was kept busy supplying timber for mine shafts, and as fuel.