The Victorian Act No. 821 of 1884 authorised construction of a 25.5-mile railway line from Wodonga to Tallangatta.

In 1887, contract No. 2663 for the 14.5-mile first section from Wodonga to Huon's Lane was awarded to E. Barkly & Co and in 1888, R. Thornton and Co. was awarded contract No. 3492 for the 11-mile, 66-chain next section to Tallangatta.

The first section opened on September 10, 1889.

Thornton's section opened on July 24, 1891 and three mixed trains ran daily to and from Wodonga.

A spur line from Ebden to Mitta Junction Hume Weir Depot opened on September 9, 1922.

Between 1930 and 1932 Barkly's original line between Ebden and mileage post 200 was relocated to higher ground.

Huon's Lane Station was rebuilt 59 feet higher and a 1866-foot long concrete and steel bridge was built over Sandy Creek and carried material for construction of Hume Reservoir.

From 1940 to 1945 it carried troop trains and 1957 to 1971 migrant trains.

When the dam was enlarged there were more changes to the track from Bonegilla to Bullioh between 1950 and 1958. The Sandy Creek bridge was raised by eight feet and lengthened by an additional 40-foot span at each end.

Wodonga-Tallangatta rail motor services were withdrawn in September 1961 and the last regular goods train ran on April 21,1978.

The line was renowned for its magnificent timber trestle bridges and its scenery.

Trevor Vienet recalls his journey on the Cudgewa goods train as a schoolboy in 1973.

"We were rocked to sleep on the slow 111 kilometre, six hour rail trip to Cudgewa. During the night we were woken often by the jolting of shunted carriages and also from the noise of unsettled mooing cattle. As we entered Shelley and I can still remember the sound of the engine T413 working hard during the climb towards Victoria's highest railway station. Shelley station was 779 metres above sea level; in the 77 kilometres from Wodonga the train climbed 623 metres in elevation."