The Victor Harbor railway line is a broad gauge line in South Australia. It originally branched from the Adelaide to Melbourne line at Mount Barker Junction then ran south to Victor Harbor. When the mainline was converted to standard gauge and the junction was closed, the northern end of the Victor Harbor line was curtailed at Mount Barker, from the junction. History South Australia's first railway venture was the line completed in 1854 from Goolwa, on the River Murray, to the small ocean harbour at Port Elliot. Short trains pulled by horses moved freight and passengers between the shallow-draft River Murray Paddle steamers and coastal and ocean-going vessels, bypassing the narrow, shallow mouth of the river with its unpredictable currents. However, Port Elliot was extremely hazardous; seven vessels had sunk there by 1864. The line was then extended to a safer harbour at Victor Harbor. The Institution of Engineers Australia placed a Historic Engineering Marker on the railway in 1992. The line was extended northwards to Strathalbyn in 1869, the connection from Adelaide reaching the town in 1884 and completing the link. Until 1884, trains south of Strathalbyn were hauled by horse power, but between 1883 and 1885 the section to Currency Creek was rebuilt to steam railway standards. Australian National operated freight services between the Strathalbyn and Victor section of the line were withdrawn in 1980 and along the rest of the line from October 1987. The last goods train to Victor Harbor ran on 23 April 1980 and was hauled by engine 843. In July 1982, AN recommended closure of the Strathalbyn-Victor Harbor section to the Commonwealth Minister of Transport and suspended passenger services from Adelaide to Victor Harbor on 30 April 1984. In the early 1980s, Australian National announced that the Victor Harbor line would close, despite high levels of public opposition. Several factors were noted for the closure of the line, such as a deteriorating track condition, a long time-consuming route compared with a more direct road journey, and declining passenger numbers: more than 50,000 return journeys were made during the 12 months to June 1978, but the number had dropped to about 16,000 in 1982–83. The last Australian National passenger service ran on 30 April 1984. Renewal The SteamRanger Heritage Railway was established in 1986 to operate tourist trains on the line. In late 1989, Australian National declared the Mount Barker Junction–Strathalbyn section unsafe due