Following in the Pawprints of Gippsland’s Railway Dog
A stray dog that made history more than 90 years ago by trying to outrun a fast-moving train through Central Gippsland has been honoured with three larger-than-life scrap metal sculptures along the route of the historic 20-mile chase.
The female red kelpie, known only as “the railway dog”, survived on scraps from Traralgon Station’s refreshment rooms and loved riding in the guard’s van on the train’s regular run from Traralgon, about two hours’ east of Melbourne, to Stratford.
One day, in November 1935, the train left without her so she chased it to Glengarry, five miles away. However, just as she reached the home signal, the train pulled out. Undeterred, the railway dog ran on to Toongabbie, only to see the train disappear into the distance. She pushed on to Cowwarr but once again the train had just pulled out. At this point, the dog gave up and sat patiently on the Cowwarr platform waiting for her ride back.
