Branching off the main North East railway at Springhurst, it ran north-west to Wahgunyah.

Because the two lines were of differing gauges, and the stations 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) apart, there was no particular benefit in building a bridge to connect the two incompatible systems.

However, for a number of years after that, the "Green TRail Associates Group" operated a motor trolley service, known as the "Stringybark Express", over the section of the line between Wahgunyah and Rutherglen.

[3] In 2002, the line was handed back to the Victorian Government by the lease holder, Freight Australia,[1] and, in 2006, it was announced that the Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail would be built on part of the closed track, creating nine kilometres of trail between Rutherglen and Wahgunyah.

Although being closed for over twenty years now, remnants of the once active rail line such as signs, track and sleepers are visible.