The Lachlan Valley Railway was formed in 1974 initially to operate locomotive
5917 (not owned by the LVR but a group called the 59 syndicate) and four carriages. It soon acquired other locomotives and formed a relationship with the Lachlan Vintage Village,
Forbes. It then operated rail tours, including an interstate tours from Parkes to
Peterborough in August 1976 with 5917. At that stage, rolling stock was stabled at
Parkes locomotive depot. On 18 June 1977, the society moved its base to the 1923-built Cowra
roundhouse. In 1979, the LVR commenced operating tours from
Sydney to
Kiama, with a base established at
West Ryde in Sydney. However, the site had to be vacated in August 1987 to make way for the
Northern line to expand. In November 1983, the LVR purchased its first diesel locomotive,
4204, and shortly afterwards
Australian Iron & Steel shunter
D9. The
State Rail Authority ceased services on the Cowra to
Blayney section of the
Demondrille to Blayney line in 1987 and leased it to the LVR. The line was closed for repairs in 1990 and was reopened in 1993. In late 1990, the society's subsidiary,
Lachlan Valley Rail Freight, successfully tendered to operate wheat trains between
Woodstock and Cowra on the
Blayney to Cowra line for the Grain Handling Authority. In August 1994 the LVR operated wheat trains from Trajere on the
Eugowra line to Cowra with
47 class locomotives. In June 1999, Lachlan Valley Rail Freight commenced operating trip working services between
Port Botany and the
Cooks River container terminal in Sydney using 47 class locomotives and former
Australian National wagons. In July 1999 Lachlan Valley Rail Freight commenced operating a service between Cooks River and
Carrington with 44 and 47 class locomotives for R&H Transport Services. Congestion in Carrington saw the service diverted to the
Toll Holdings siding at
Sandgate. In January 2000 Lachlan Valley Rail Freight started hiring locomotives from
Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia and
Freight Australia, and in September 2000 from
Great Northern Rail Services. In October 2006, the company was sold to Stephen Heraghty of Bowport Allroads Transport and rebranded as Independent Railways of Australia. A government decision in 1999 to reopen the Cowra–Blayney section to other users caused LVR to lose its rights to exclusive use of the
Demondrille to Cowra line, although its trains were still able to operate on the line. In 2009
RailCorp closed the line, first to Blayney and then Harden. In August 2009 the society hurriedly moved its serviceable rolling stock to
Cootamundra and
Junee. Since then it has operated steam and diesel trains in other parts of the state; however, those still in Cowra have remained "landlocked" and have had to be moved when needed by road transport. It is planned to reopen a short section of the Blayney line for heritage train operations. The station is used by the society. The society's present complex houses more than 55 carriages and locomotives under cover, and is open to visits daily. == Organisation ==