The Palmwoods-Buderim Tramway is a heritage-listed former tramway at Telco Road, Buderim, Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1914 and operated until 1935. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 28 July 2000.
History
The Palmwoods-Buderim Tramway began operations in December 1914 and provided the impetus for substantial settlement expansion and economic growth in the Buderim area. It was constructed as a "private" tramway, and continued to operate until August 1935. The length of the line was , which ran from the Palmwoods railway station across undulating country to Forest Glen on the Bruce Highway, and then climbed to the top of Buderim Mountain.
Queensland's coastal areas north of Brisbane, and the hinterland, (now known as the Sunshine Coast) developed rapidly in the 1880s. At Buderim, a settlement which developed to service the local farmers, was established by the late 1880s. Shipping of farm and fruit produce from Buderim and surrounds by coastal steamer was complicated by problems with the bar and silting of the Mooloolah and Maroochy rivers. There was great competition in the region, and between regions, for development investment, with the port of Maryborough to the north being a rival for vital road funds.
Government railway building began in Queensland in the 1860s and a Gympie to Maryborough section was opened on the North Coast railway line in 1881. An extension from Brisbane through Palmwoods north to Yandina was completed in 1891. The line was neither coastal nor western, lying between Buderim, the Lower Maroochy River, and the Blackall Ranges. However, poor roads hindered access to the railway. The roads up the steep slopes to Buderim were difficult to negotiate, especially in wet weather.
Maroochy Shire Council established a committee in 1903 to consider the possibility of a tramway to Buderim. Differences arose between supporters of the Buderim-Palmwoods link, the Buderim-Woombye link, and those lobbying to join with the Moreton sugar mill tramway system near Diddillibah, causing negotiations to continue for some time. During this time, the Maroochy Council purchased tramway lines from the Moreton mill in 1910, and using a government tramways loan of , extended the line () from Nambour to Mapleton west. Finally, an Order in Council for the establishment of the Palmwoods/Buderim tramway was reported on 29 July 1911 in "The Queenslander".
The tramway began operations on 1 December 1914 and was officially opened by the Minister for Railways on 18 June 1915. The official party and many others travelled to Buderim on the tram for the ceremony in the School of Arts. With this steady means of transport the Buderim area boomed. The Nambour Chronicle of 16 August 1935 reported that fruit production increased enormously, land values rose to great heights and further land was taken up by settlers at high prices. The tram, to cope with the traffic, had frequently to make two trips a day.
The tram became a central feature in the area it serviced. It assumed importance for all social facets of the community, as well as the primary economic purposes. Expectant mothers were driven to the Buderim Station by horse gig to travel to Palmwoods and thence by train to Nambour, to await the birth in one of the maternity nursing homes, there being no hospitals in the region. Passengers from the Vise Road area would be driven in a gig to Telko Station to go to Palmwoods, either to visit Brisbane or Nambour, and then on return by the tram they would get off at Mons Station, to climb the slope and steps up to Mons Road and higher to the present Mons School Road. There was no direct road access to the Mons Station from Mons Road. Loveday records that Mons Station was "a mere shed with no visible means of approach". Other social uses for the tram included transport to sporting and recreation events, while throughout the depression days those who were drawing the "dole" would travel by tram and then train to Woombye to collect their sustenance allowance.
Patrons of the tramway included more than the local population. Passengers from Brisbane would travel to Palmwoods to meet the tram and then journey to Buderim. The tram consisted of perhaps some thirteen wagons, one passenger coach and a guard/brake van, pulled behind a German Krauss or American Shay steam engine. The flat-top wagons had fruit cases placed down their centres along which planks of timber were arranged to form central seats. In this manner about 150 passengers could be carried each trip. and at times two trips per day were made. The visitors would stay in one of the Buderim Guest/Boarding Houses, or travel down to the coast.