Railway

Home       NEW Updates      About Us       Feedback      Historic Sites       Consultants          Contact Us       Terms/Conditions

 

STATIONS AND SIDINGS

The Ongerup Branch railway, also known as the Tambellup, Gnowangerup to Ongerup railway, is a former railway in Western Australia although most of the trains operating on this branch line originated from Katanning to the north..

 

 

GNOWANERUP RAILWAY STATION                 #1
 

The 94.1-kilometre (58.5 mi) Tambellup to Ongerup branch line from the Great Southern Railway main line between Perth and Albany was opened to Gnowangerup on 1 July 1912, and finally through to Ongerup on 6 January 1913. The line was developed to provide direct access for the expanding wheat production area to the port at Albany. The line was authorised for construction under the Tambellup-Ongerup Railway Act 1911. A timetable from 1937 shows two trains per week leaving Ongerup on Tuesdays at 06:55 and Fridays at 04:00. Lengthy connections of around 12 hours were available at Katanning for Perth, arriving approximately 30 hours after leaving Ongerup.
The line went via Tambellup, Dartnall, Toolbrunup, Pallinup, Gnowangerup, Formby, Kebaringup, Borden, Laurier, Toompup and Ongerup. Water supply for the trains was provided at Formby.
In 1918 a barracks was constructed on Eldridge Street for railway workers based in Ongerup. The building survived the closure of the railway and now houses the Ongerup and Needilup District Museum, opened in 1978.
In 1986 the Gnowangerup Railway Station building was closed as a working station and remained unused until 2000, when it was dismantled and moved to the Lily Vineyard, near Borden, where it was rebuilt in 2003 as a restaurant.
The section of line from Gnowangerup to Ongerup was closed on 13 October 1957 as part of the State Government’s raitionalisation of railways program. The Tambellup to Gnowangerup section was closed in July 2007
 

TAMBELLLUP - GNOWANGERUP - ONGERUP LINE

DARTNELL                   Opened 1912.  Closed 1967

TOOLBRUNUP              Opened 1912.  Closed 1981

PALLINUP                    Opened 1912.  Closed 1978

NGNOWANGERUP         Opened 1912.  Renamed                                    Gnowangerup in 1913              

GNOWANGERUP            Renamed in 1913.                                     Closed1990-c2004   Suspended

GNOWANGERUP CBH     Opened 1997. Suspended in 2012.

BUTTER FACTORY         Opened 1918. Closed 1957

FORMBY                       Opened 1913. Closed 1957

FORMBY EAST TANK      Opened by 1940. Closed.

ARNOTT                        Named after an early settler.                                      Renamed Kebaringup in 1913.

KEBARINGUP                 Renamed in 1913 after Kebaringup                                      Wall  nearby. Closed 1957.

BORDEN                        Opened 1913. Named after Sir                                     Robert  Borden (Canada). Closed 1                                     1957.

LAURIER                       Opened 1913. Named after Sir                                     Wilfred Laurier (Canada). Closed                                     by 1957.

TOOMPUP                     Opened 1913. Closed 1957

ONGERUP                      Opened 1913. Closed 1957


 

       PALLINUP SIDING PLAQUE         #2

                      FORMBY RAILWAY TANK       #4

         ONGERUP RAILWAY BARRACKS       #5
 


          GNOWANGERUP RAILWAY STATION        #6
 


       GNOWANGERUP RAILWAY STATION                  #7
 

    OLD  GNOWANGERUP RAILWAY STATION              #8
 

       OLD GNOWANGERUP RAILWAY STATION             #9
 

THE LILY RECEPTION CENTRE

 


The Federation style Railway Station was built in Gnowangerup between September 1924 and August 1925 and was used by Westrail till 1984.
In February 2000 year an Archival Historical Record of the Station was prepared and in March that year, Westrail and the Shire of Gnowangerup granted the Station to The Lily Dutch Windmill.
In July 2000 the building was completely but carefully taken apart, transported to The Lily where the materials were restored and stored till the reconstruction started adjacent to the Dutch Windmill. The building has been reconstructed as closely as possible to the original design of the Station, with a kitchen added to the back.
On the 8th of July 2003, after 9 years being housed in the windmill, the Windmill Restaurant was relocated into the "new" Railway Station Restaurant.
On the first of March 2017 the railway station restaurant was officially converted into The Lily reception to accommodate our accommodation guests.
 The Gnowangerup Railway Station at the original location in the town of Gnowangerup, pictured below in 2000.

        GNOWANGERUP STATION BUILDING PRIOR TO REMOVAL            #10
 

         GNOWANGERUP STATION BUILDING PRIOR TO REMOVAL           #11
 

      STATION BUILDING CONVERTED AT THE LILY            #11
 

       STATION BUILDING CONVERTED AT THE LILY            #12
 

 

Every endeavour has been made to accurately record the details however if you would like to provide additional images and/or newer information we are pleased to update the details on this site. Please use CONTACT at the top of this page to email us. We appreciate your involvement in recording the history of our area.

References:                 Article:      Wikipedia

 

                                  Image:     6, 7                 Gordon Freegard
                                                10, 11 12, 13      The Lily Reception Centre

 

Copyright : Gordon Freegard 2023