The Oberon Branch is a short line in the mountains to the west of Sydney. It extends south from the Main West Line to the town of Oberon. Open for 56 years, services were suspended in 1979.
Leaving the Main West at Tarana, the line meandered south to Carlwood where it began the 10km climb to Hazelgrove. This section featured some of the steepest (1 in 25 compensated) and tightest (5 chain radius) curves in the state. From there, the line proceeded toward the terminus of Oberon.
Suggestions in 1995 that it would be re-opened to service CSR in Oberon failed for various reasons. An announcement in late 2000 to turn the line into a walking track also failed. In 2005 Oberon Tarana Heritage Railway Inc. commenced the restoration of the line as a heritage railway. By late 2007 restoration was proceeding from Hazelgrove to Oberon (Stage 1) and is due for completion in February 2008. Details and progress viewable at the Oberon Tarana Heritage Railway website. Stage 2 will complete the section from Hazelgrove to Carlwood and Stage 3 from Carlwood to Tarana.
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