Today, it is a haven for walkers, photographers and explorers alike.

It’s the tunnel at Tunnel.

Tunnel sits at the back of Lebrina, just a few kilometres past Lilydale, in the state’s North East.

It is relatively hidden, and its location passed on mostly through word of mouth.

Work on building the structure’s approaches began in late 1885, Stuart Dix said.

Mr Dix is the secretary of the Tasmanian division of the Australian Railway Historical Society.

It would be a further two years, Mr Dix said, until the two headings met.

It was another 12 months until the 700-odd metre tunnel reached completion.

The first passenger train to run through the tunnel took its maiden voyage on February 2, 1889, with special cargo aboard in the form of the Governor.

The Tasmanian Government Railways opened the tunnel for revenue traffic, along with the line through to Scottsdale, in September that year.

Mr Dix said the line that the tunnel sat on connected outer-lying communities to Launceston, and made many aspects of life less taxing.

“The line was important to the North East line and the local community (as far as Herrick), but it wasn't as important or as noteworthy as for example the tunnel on the mainline between Hobart and Launceston,” Mr Dix told The Sunday Examiner.

“It would have reduced the travel time from day(s) down to a few hours – including the ability to travel to Launceston and back in the same day - and made life and farming in the areas much easier.

“From a railway perspective it probably saved a long and expensive deviation, but it didn't make the line any easier to operate.”

At the time, the tunnel was a rare feature of Tasmanian railways. So rare, in fact, that the accompanying railway station was named Tunnel Station – hence, the tunnel at Tunnel.

The last revenue freight train made its way through the tunnel, from Tonganah to Launceston, on October 1, 2004.

Thirteen years after its decommissioning, the tunnel still stands strong.

Moss has crept over the tracks, and blackberry shrubs edge further down the banks each season.

Mr Dix said the line and tunnel still falls under a lease owned by Tasrail.

Work on a rail trail for the former railway line has been in progress for several years, and the trail sits at 26 kilometres in length from Scottsdale to Tulendeena

As progress continues on the trail, it is planned that it will be expanded to ride through the tunnel.