Hughenden-Winton railway line
The Hughenden‑Winton railway line was a 212-kilometre rail link in Queensland, Australia. It started at Hughenden on the Mt Isa line and finished at Winton on the Central West line. Built in three stages, it opened between 1897 and 1899, with the final section to Winton opening on 5 July 1899. Although it began as part of the Great Northern Railway, the line beyond Hughenden became known as the Winton Branch after the western extensions.
The line helped people travel from Winton to Townsville in about 17 hours and boosted the wool industry in the area. A mail train ran three times a week and a goods train ran to Hughenden; later services were reduced to once a week. Over time, freight declined and the line became uneconomical. It closed in 2008. By 2012, most of the track had been removed and recycled.
Today the old route runs parallel to the sealed Hughenden‑Winton Road, which provides a flood‑safe alternative route to the North Queensland coast when other highways are cut by floodwaters.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 00:56 (CET).