Thirty VFTY wagons were built during 1979 to replace four wheel wagons in timber traffic; mainly _IT_ and _GY_ by then.
The main traffic was on the Orbost line. Due to reduced maintenance on the line, the wooden trestle bridges were not strong enough to support the loaded VFTY wagons coupled together. To spread the load, a four wheel wagon was required to be placed between the loaded VFTY wagons.
The Orbost line closed in 1988.
By the late 1980's, most wagons were recoded to VFTF.
With the reduction of timber traffic, some wagons were placed on the standard gauge. They were coded VFTX and were conversions from VFTF/VFTY. The traffic was for pipes..
Between 1987 and 1991, the majority of VFLX wagons and derivatives were cut down and made into conatiner wagons coded VQLX. Most if not all the VFTF and VFTX wagons were converted into this group.