Sleepers

The figures for railway sleepers produced from State forests are simply astounding.

More than 26 million were cut between 1919 and 1986, primarily from the red gum forests along the Murray, the yellow stringybark forests of Mullundung near Yarram and greybox from East Gippsland.

Sleeper cutting began around Orbost in the 1920s and there are records of up to 150 sleepers being cut from a single tree.

Initially cut by hand with a broad-axe and adze most sleeper cutters switched over to terrifying swing saws.

This article about the well known Donchi family from Orbost appeared in Victorian railways magazine in August 1975.

Source: Collections Victoria. https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/5a21e29221ea690274aeb86e