History
The full story can be read in The Railton-Roland Branch Line by Leonard C. Fisher and Barbara Wells, available from the Society but here’s a condensed version of why the Society was formed.
In 1993 the Second River Tramway Society Inc. experienced problems with land tenure and future commercial viability. It operated a 1km long two foot gauge railway at a location near Lilydale on private property and maintained a small collection of traction engines, a steam roller and portables. The location of the operation was not subject to passing tourist traffic and as such could not become an economically viable tourist attraction. The members of the society realised that its collection would be preserved for future generations in Tasmania in a tourist attraction situated on leasehold Local Government owned land. Remaining members of the Second River Tramway Society Inc fostered the creation of the Redwater Creek Steam and Heritage Society Inc.
Since then other substantial collections of vintage machinery have become available (for display) to the Society as owners realised that a large museum combined with an operating steam railway could become a major tourist attraction, the revenue from which would be used to further the preservation of historical machinery and prevent it from being sold to the highest bidder - who is usually not in Tasmania.
