The Great Southern Rail Trail is a Rail trail from Leongatha to Foster in South Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. The trail is 49 km long and travels through open farmland, before passing through the Hoddle range to Foster. As of 2008, there is a 3 km section between Koonwarra and Meeniyan where trail users are diverted onto the nearby South Gippsland Highway. This section, containing three dilapidated trestle bridges, will remain incomplete until at least 2009.
There is also discussion about extending the rail trail 43 km to Yarram.
The trail is well maintained with a surface of compacted gravel. Koalas and wallabies can often be seen from the trail particularly in the early mornings and evenings.
The original South Gippsland line opened in 1892, joining Dandenong to Port Albert, with a later extension to Woodside and branch lines to Strzelecki, Outtrim and Wonthaggi. The railway was important for settlement and development of the area, providing transport for forestry and dairy products to Melbourne. The line was closed to trains in 1992, a century (100 years) after opening.
Read more about Great Southern Rail Trail: Route
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