The Oliver Hill Railway is a heritage railway on Rottnest Island, Australia.
History In 1935 construction commenced on a nine kilometre military railway to service two 9.2-inch guns at Oliver Hill and two six inch guns at Bickley on Rottnest Island.Still running Track & Signal issue 19/4 November 2015 page 99 Two light diesel locomotives named Crab and Crayfish were used. It had fallen out of use by the 1950s.The Rottnest Island Defence Tramway Light Railways issue 46 Summer 1973 pages 3-9
In 1966 the Rottnest Island Board of Control purchased the line with a petrol locomotive and eight wagons from the Australian Army with the aim of reopening it as a scenic railway.Here & There Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin issue 342 April 1966 page 8 However it was not until 1993 that work began to restore 6.5 kilometres of the line with track recovered from the Miling line. Westrail helps to rebuild the historic Rottnest railway Westrail News April 1993 page 12 Oliver Hill Railway The Westland issue 101 June 1993 page 12 It was officially opened by Premier of Western Australia Richard Court on 3 July 1994. Rottnest Island Railway Opening The Westland issue 115 August 1994 page 7Rottnest Island Tourist Railway Continental Railway Journal issue 100 January 1995 page 103
The initial rolling stock was two former Western Australian Government Railways 4wDH shunting tractors loaned from Rail Heritage WA. In 2003, a new diesel railcar built by Gemco Rail, Forrestfield named Captain Hussey, after Frank Hussey who oversaw the construction of the original railway, entered service.Oliver Hill Railway, Rottnest Island Continental Railway Journal issue 135 October 2003 page 52News in brief Railway Digest January 2004 page 15
Arc Infrastructure undertakes an annual maintenance program on the line.Arc Infrastructure invests $300,000 in WA's Oliver Hill Railway Rail Express 19 November 2019Preserving a piece of history on Rottnest Arc Infrastructure 28 October 2022Extended scope of works at Rottnest Island Arc Infrastructure 3 November 2025
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