Centenary of the Mapleton TramwayPrint Page

The seat commemorates the centenary of the Mapleton Tramway which operated from 1915 to 1944.

The Mapleton Tramway was an 18 kilometres long, 0.6 metre gauge railway, which climbed the Highworth and Blackall Ranges, west of Nambour. In many places the line was located on shelves in the mountainsides, and it used steep gradients and very sharp curves, and reached 380 metres altitude.

The line was built over the first range by the Moreton Central Sugar Mill Company of Nambour between 1897 and 1904 to tap what it was hoped would become sugar growing lands. Building that section severely damaged the finances of the company. It was extended to the top of the second range at Mapleton by the Maroochy Shire Council in 1914 and 1915, the Shire having purchased the section already built by the mill company.

The company portion was initially operated by horses and gravity, but that was very expensive, and eventually a Shay geared locomotive was obtained. The Shire bought a second such locomotive. The line as extended was used to haul sugar cane, logs and sawn timber, fruit, cream, small livestock and supplies, as well as passengers and mails. 

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