The historic goldmining township of Walhalla, was recently cut-off from the outside world by a rock-fall on its one and only access road. The rock-fall, which occurred on the Walhalla Road about 2 kilometres from Walhalla on late Friday afternoon 24 May 2002, blocked all vehicles from getting to and from the town of 22 people. VicRoads indicated that the road may be blocked for more than a week as major engineering works were undertaken to clear the road and make it safe.
While the road was closed, the only form of access to Walhalla Historic Township was via the Walhalla Goldfields Railway, the unique narrow gauge railway which winds its way up Stringers Creek Gorge from the Thomson River to Walhalla. The road was blocked from the Thomson bridge, so visitors to the town were required to catch the train from there. The railway operated each day the road was closed providing a lifeline for the town. In a total step back in time for the town, all food, drinks, mail, linen, staff and visitors needed to revert to the train which was closed in 1944 but was only reopened from the Thomson River to Walhalla in March this year.
“Possum” and “Alice” (the town’s two Clydesdale horses) were walked into town to provide much needed transport services in Walhalla itself. Unfortunately they were caught on the wrong side of the slip when it happened and there was no vehicles in Walhalla that can carry more than a few people at the time of the rock fall. It was difficult to move people around, so it was the horse and cart to the rescue.
The Walhalla Goldfields Railway operated free of charge during the road closure and the Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine conducted free mine tours. Walhalla remained open for business and encouraged people to visit the town to see it as it was 100 years ago...with no cars.
After a week of solid work, and the removal of over 2,000 cubic metres of rock, the road reopened to traffic on Monday 3 June 2002 much to the relief of the town which had suffered from a substantial fall of visitor numbers during the time of the road closure.
