Buninyong railway line

The Buninyong Line (also known as "Bunny Hop Line", or simply "The Bunny") was a Victorian Railways (Australia) branch line running south from Ballarat to the town of Buninyong. The line branched from the main Melbourne – Ballarat railway at Ballarat East station and was 11 km long. The line was opened on 11 September 1889, with traffic commencing the following day, 12 September 1889 and finally closed on 1 December 1986. The section from Eureka to Buninyong closed much earlier on 2 February 1947. The line had previously closed to passenger services in 1930.

1890
The stations in the 1890s were as follows:


 * Ballarat
 * Ballarat East
 * Eureka
 * Canadian
 * Mount Clear
 * Buninyong

1900
Additional stations were added to this line in the early 1900s.


 * Ballarat
 * Ballarat East
 * Eureka
 * Spencer Crossing
 * Canadian (originally named Butts)
 * Mount Clear
 * Mount Helen
 * Buninyong

1910–1930
During this period stations were added and/or renamed and on 24 November 1930 the Buninyong line was closed to passenger traffic and mixed trains; goods trains from then on would run as required, until the line closed for all traffic.


 * Ballarat
 * Ballarat East
 * Eureka
 * York Street
 * Levy
 * Canadian
 * Mount Clear
 * Reid
 * Mount Helen
 * Buninyong

1930–1947
During the 1940s the Buninyong Line went from 10 stations to 5 stations and was only used for goods traffic until 1947.

Tenders for removal and disposal of the station buildings at Mount Helen and Canadian were called for in January 1932, the last remaining building after this being the stationmaster's cottage at Buninyong.


 * Ballarat
 * Ballarat East
 * Eureka
 * Canadian
 * Buninyong

During World War II, an Army camp was established at Buninyong, which resulted in a temporary increase in good services to once per day

1947–1990
During this time the Station and Sidings at Eureka were the only part of the line being used until they were closed and removed sometime in the early 1980s.