after which the government had the option of purchasing it was reduced to five years, which was not well received by the Victorian promoters. Due to this, they promptly withdrew their support for the scheme. Initial Issues The Maryborough and Urangan Railway Bill received government approval on 5 December 1884, but by 1885 no work on construction of the railway or its associated works had been undertaken. In March 1885, some of the Vernon Co. directors visited the Burrum coalfield and were surprised to find that little development of the coal deposits had taken place, but promises were made that the railway would soon be commenced. Though the company had proven to the government that it had sufficient funds to complete the railway, doubts were now being expressed as to the company's intentions, and the government withheld deeds of 1,000 acres of land that the company had selected on the coalfield for mining purposes until the completion of the railway. The first share issue of the company in February 1886, did not meet with the expected response and difficulties were being experienced in obtaining land leases for right of way. Second bill and collapse of Vernon Co. Vernon Corporation was on the verge of collapse in 1887, but interest shown by London capitalists, the Australian-based Transcontinental railway syndicate, in buying the company, gave renewed hope. This led to the presentation in September, 1887, of a further bill to parliament – the Maryborough and Urangan Railway Amendment Bill – the main issue affecting the railway construction being an extension in the time for it to be undertaken. The select committee appointed recommended that the bill be passed. Soon after, the London-based syndicate had discontinued its interest in Vernon Corporation, and as it stood was unable to raise an additional £3000 deposit and eventually went into liquidation in 1888. The project collapsed and the bill was withdrawn. After the Vernon Co. liquidation In 1889, a new company, the Isis Investment Corporation (which at that stage was working the Torbanlea Colliery), made approaches to the government regarding the construction of a private railway from Torbanlea to the mouth of the Burrum River on terms which were similar to those granted to Vernon Co. some years earlier. This proposal also failed to eventuate, and although interest in a railway did not wane, there seemed little likelihood of the government or a private enterprise building