The Yarra Valley Railway is a heritage railway operating on a section of the former Healesville railway which operated between Lilydale and Healesville in the Yarra Valley area northeast of Melbourne, Australia.
History
The Lilydale-Melbourne railway was extended from Lilydale to Yarra Flats (now known as Yarra Glen) on the 15 May 1888, with intermediate stations at Coldstream and Yering. Part of the structure included a long timber viaduct with 502 openings near Yarra Glen, spanning the Yarra River and the adjacent flood plains. The extension of the line from Yarra Glen to Healesville required a 1 in 40 (2.5%) climb into a 154.4 metre tunnel, with a corresponding descent at nearly the same grade. The Healesville Station opened on 1 March 1889 with an intermediate station at Tarrawarra.
Traffic on the line included timber, livestock, milk and dairy products. Early timetables included regular goods services specifically for transporting milk.
The last regular steam passenger service was hauled in August 1964. From this time until closure of the line in 1980 passenger services were run using Rail Motors, initially with Walker railmotors but due to degrading track quality the Walkers were replaced by Diesel Electric Railmotors (DERMs) from 1978 onwards. After 9 December 1980 no services operated beyond Coldstream and the Healesville-Coldstream section of the line was officially closed to all traffic on 10 March 1983. The Healesville Railway Cooperative was established in 1984 to reopen the line and in 1985 was granted an 'Order In Council' for this section by the Victorian State GovernmentReport of the Ministry of Transport for the Year ended 30 June 1985 , page 15 to operate the line as a tourist railway. It was partially reopened as far as Yarra Glen for tourist charter services in 1986 following major bridgework. However, these services ceased by 1990 when the Healesville Railway Cooperative merged with the Yarra Valley Tourist Railway, who began running trolley services on the Healesville-Yarra Glen section.
During the Black Saturday bushfires of February 2009 Yarra Glen station came under ember attack and two timber trestle bridges near Tarrawarra were burnt down in a fast-moving grass fire.
Following a track renewal and bridge reconstruction campaign, on 17 July 2010 the official launch of the Walker Railmotor service occurred with the first passenger train service to leave Healesville Railway Station in over 30 years. Mechanical issues cancelled services for most of February 2026.yvr.org.au/tickets/,, resulting in the YVR announcing the cessation of all passenger services until further notice. This pause in operations would allow the YVR to focus on rollingstock and track restoration, with a completion date yet to be determined.yvr.org.au/healesville-passenger-service-to-pause/
Current operations
The Yarra Valley Railway runs a railmotor service from Healesville station to a point near the historic tunnel at Tarrawarra. Trains run on Sundays and public holidays, and some Saturdays, crossing the Watts River and travelling under the Donovans Road overbridge.
The railway is rebuilding the section from that temporary terminus to Yarra Glen station. That involves the reconstruction of Yarra Glen and Tarrawarra stations, and the replacement of 14 timber trestle bridges within that section.
In February 2026, the Yarra Valley Railway announced the cessation of all passenger services until further notice. The railway said the move would allow its team to focus on the restoration of the track to Tarrawarra and Yarra Glen, as well as rolling stock refurbishment.
Station histories StationOpenedClosedAge Notes Original service Formerly Yarra Flats Tourist service Original service Tourist service Original service Tourist service
Rollingstock The railway is in possession of a number of locomotives and carriages, including the following:
Locomotives NumberImageYear builtBuilderStatusNotes J 516 1954 Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire Stored Victorian Railways J class coal-burning steam locomotive. Was plinthed in a park in Greensborough from 1975 until being acquired by YVTR in 1990. Stored at Healesville for possible future restoration. J 541 1954 Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire Overhaul Victorian Railways J class oil-burning steam locomotive. Privately owned by a group including the YVR and some of its members. Stored at a number of locations (including Healesville) until 2003, when it was moved to the Puffing Billy Railway for restoration. After restoration, it was loaned to the Victorian Goldfields Railway, where it entered traffic on 5 September 2007. Left VGR in late 2011 for Newport Workshops for an overhaul for preparation to return to Healesville. From 16 May 2025, J541 was offered for sale by tender by Steamrail Victoria Inc., as unclaimed goods.Steamrail Victoria Inc., J541 Tender Conditions, 16/05/2025T 3411956Clyde Engineering, Granville NSWStoredFormerly on hire to El Zorro.Y 109 (Y 145)1963StoredEx El Zorro, Formerly Commissioners Loco Y 109. Renumbered Y 145 2005.Y 1191963StoredEx Ettamogha Rail Hub.Y 1351965StoredEx South Gippsland Railway.Y 1361965OperationalEx Downer EDI Newport Workshops. Transferred to Tarrawarra 03/04/2025.Y 1421962StoredEx Ettamogha Rail Hub.Y 1571968OperationalEx Ettamogha Rail Hub.Y 1611968OperationalEx V/Line.Y 1711968OperationalEx Ettamogah Rail Hub.Y 1741968OperationalEx Ettamogah Rail Hub.W 2501960Tulloch Limited, Rhodes NSWOperational17 RTNewport WorkshopsStoredFormerly Sea Lake Shunter.53 RT1975Newport WorkshopsOperationalTarrawarra shunter. Built on frame ex I 181. Formerly Ballarat & Redan Shunter.
Rail Motors +NumberImageYear builtBuilderStatusNotes22 RM1948Walkers, EnglandOperationalWalker Railmotor. 24 RM1948Walkers, EnglandScrappedWalker Railmotor. Ex Tallangatta Valley Steam Preservation Society, Huon55 RM1928Newport WorkshopsUnder Restoration"Super DERM". Ex South Gippsland Railway58 MT1952Martin & King, ClaytonUnder RestorationWalker Railmotor Trailer. Ex Tallangatta Valley Steam Preservation Society, Huon64 MT1954Martin & King, ClaytonStoredWalker Railmotor Trailer. Ex Tallangatta Valley Steam Preservation Society, Huon
Carriages +NumberImageYear builtBuilderStatusNotes1 BW1911Newport WorkshopsStored OperationalEx Steamrail Victoria32 BW1914Newport WorkshopsUnder RestorationEx Steamrail Victoria34 BW1914Newport Workshops, Smith & PartyStored Operational35 BW1914Newport Workshops, Williams & PartyStoredEx Steamrail Victoria43 BW1925Newport Workshops, Owens & PartyUnderframe OnlyEx Steamrail Victoria62 BW1926Newport Workshops, Barber & PartyUnderframe OnlyEx Steamrail VictoriaACN 91981Newport WorkshopsStored OperationalACN 121982Newport WorkshopsStored OperationalTransferred to Tarrawarra 12/09/2023ACN 151982Newport WorkshopsStored OperationalTransferred to Tarrawarra 27/03/2025ACN 181982Newport WorkshopsStored OperationalBN 81981Newport WorkshopsStored OperationalBN 111982Newport WorkshopsStored OperationalTransferred to Tarrawarra 12/09/2023BN 131982Newport WorkshopsStored OperationalTransferred to Tarrawarra 27/03/2025BN 171982Newport WorkshopsStored OperationalBRN 381983Newport WorkshopsStored OperationalBRN 401983Newport WorkshopsStored OperationalTransferred to Tarrawarra 27/03/2025BRN 441983Newport WorkshopsStored OperationalTransferred to Tarrawarra 12/09/2023BRN 471983Newport WorkshopsStored OperationalBDN 21981Newport WorkshopsStored OperationalFormerly BN 2. BTN 2531957Newport WorkshopsStored OperationalFormerly 3 AZ. BZN 2721957Newport WorkshopsStored OperationalFormerly 2 BZ. Transferred to Tarrawarra 03/04/2025
Guards Vans +NumberImageYear builtBuilderStatusNotes3 CA1960Newport Workshops4 CA1960Newport Workshops17 CW1935Newport WorkshopsStoredEx South Gippsland Railway58 Z1932Newport WorkshopsStoredEx Tallangatta Valley Steam Preservation Society, Huon. Former Wondonga Breakdown Van.19 ZD1879Williamstown Workshops Stored Operational619 ZD1928Newport WorkshopsEx Steamrail Victoria24 ZF1962Newport WorkshopsStoredEx South Gippsland Railway68 ZLP1967Stored
Line guide
The Yarra Valley Railway currently runs on a section of track from Healesville to the Tarrawarra Tunnel. The rest of the line between the stop board outside the Tarrawarra Tunnel exit and Yarra Glen is currently being restored.
See also Tourist and Heritage Railways Act
Further reading Yarra Glen test train, Newsrail, January 1986 General news: the Healesville railway, Newsrail, January 1986 The Yarra Glen Railway, Newsrail, March 1986 General news: Full steam ahead to Healesville, Newsrail, April 1986
References
External links Yarra Valley Tourist Railway Gallery of historic photos along the Healesville line