By PAUL MILLAR
VOLUNTEERS expect a green light in time to re-open Portarlington’s mini-railway for summer’s tourism surge.
The Rotary Club of Drysdale ran the popular children’s line from 1999 but mounting costs and fewer vounteers forced operations to halt last December.
Club president Bruce Van Every said Rotary was drawing up an agreement for a volunteer organisation to control the tourist attraction.
“Basically, we have an ageing and falling membership base and we couldn’t see our way clear to continuing … it’s a big commitment to keep it running,” Mr Van Every said.
“It will be sad to pass it on but it’s also a good move because the volunteers are keen to take it over and have worked with us previously.”
A dedicated group of engineers and volunteers built the locomotives over hundreds of hours after constructing the rail line. The kilometre of track includes a platform and railway signals.
