  Brisbane Valley Line Brisbane Valley Line in locator map | |
 Abandoned station and track at Lowood | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Locale | Queensland, Australia |
The Brisbane Valley railway line was a railway connection in Queensland, Australia connecting Ipswich, west of Brisbane, to the upper Brisbane River valley. Progressively opened between 1884 and 1913, the railway provided a vital transport link between Ipswich and Yarraman and forged development and prosperity along its path. The line acquired its serpentine reputation because it did not take a straight course when faced with a hill or gully.[1]
The line branched from the main western line to Toowoomba at Wulkuraka a short distance west of Ipswich and struck a north-westerly route towards Fernvale and Lowood before continuing on via Toogoolawah and Blackbutt to Yarraman. It became one of the few branch lines to accommodate passenger and mixed trains and the introduction in 1928 of rail motor services ensured that it retained an important passenger traffic role.
Passenger services beyond Toogoolawah ceased in 1967, with the Toogoolawah railmotor being withdrawn in 1989 and the entire line closed in 1993. A recreational rail trail, the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, has been built on the route. The completed trail was opened in August 2018 and covers 161km (100 miles). The trail is open to walkers, cyclists and horseriders.
- ^ "Triumph of Narrow Gauge: A History of Queensland Railways" by John Kerr 1990 Boolarong Press, Brisbane