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Ongerup branch railway

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The Ongerup branch railway, also known as the Tambellup, Gnowangerup to Ongerup railway is a former railway line in the Great Southern region of Western Australia.

Ongerup branch railway
The heritage listed Station Master's House in Tambellup
Overview
StatusClosed
LocaleGreat Southern, Western Australia
Termini
History
Commenced1911
Opened6 January 1913 (1913-01-06)
ClosedGnowangerup -Ongerup: 1957
Tambellup-Gnowangerup : 2007
Technical
Line length95 km (59 mi)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Ongerup Branch Railway
Main locations
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
45km
30miles
Ongerup
3
Ongerup
Gnowangerup
2
Gnowangerup
Tambellup
1
Tambellup
Route map

Legend
Great Southern Railway
0
 Tambellup
8
 Dartnall
19
 Toolbrunup
27
 Pallinup
Pallinup River
38
 Gnowangerup
46
 Formby
56
 Kebaringup
69
 Borden
76
 Laurier
86
 Toompup
95
 Ongerup
This diagram:

History

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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.[1][2] In 1928 there had been moves to request extension beyond Ongerup, however the proposal was not successful.[3][4]

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.[5][6][7] 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.[8]

The line went via Tambellup, Dartnall, Toolbrunup, Pallinup, Gnowangerup, Formby, Kebaringup, Borden, Laurier, Toompup and Ongerup.[8] Water supply for the trains was provided at Formby.[9]

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.[10]

In 1954, the state government of Western Australia had compiled a list of loss-making railway operations, of which the Tambellup to Ongerup line was one, having had a total expenditure of almost four times its earnings in the financial year to June 1953, £A 64,737 expenditure versus earnings of £A 17,731.[11] The Katanning to Pingrup and Gnowangerup to Ongerup line closures in mid-1957 did result in a protest meeting in Katanning, where a number of state politicians were present to support the protest motion.[12]

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.[13]

The Railways (Cue-Big Bell and other Railways) Discontinuance Act 1960, which officially closed the Gnowangerup to Ongerup line, was assented to on 12 December 1960. This act affected a number of Western Australian railways, officially closing multiple lines:[14]

The Tambellup to Gnowangerup section was closed in July 2007, with the railway line shown as "not in use" by its operator, Arc Infrastructure.[15]

Arc Infrastructure deems the railway line to be part of its Grain Freight Rail Network, which, in 2017, accounted for 50 percent of its network but only 10 percent of its freight. The line to Gnownagerup was classified as Tier 3.[16]

In 2021, it was estimated that it would cost A$55.93 million to upgrade the Tambellup to Gnowangerup section of the railway line to reopen it.[17]

Named locations on line

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  • Tambellup (252 miles)
  • Dartnall (257 miles)
  • Toolbrunup (264 miles)
  • Pallinup (269 miles)
  • Gnowangerup (276 miles)
  • Fornby (281 miles)
  • Kebaringup (287 miles)
  • Borden (295 miles)
  • Laurier (300 miles)
  • Toompup (306 miles)
  • Ongerup (311 miles)

Legacy

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Within the Shire of Broomehill–Tambellup, the entire line from Tambellup to Gnowangerup is on the shire's heritage list.[18] Additionally, the former Tambellup railway station and the station masters house as well as the railway sidings at Dartnall and Toolbrunup are on the list. The list also includes the sidings at Pootenup and Wansborough as well as the former Broomehill railway station, but these three are on the Great Southern Railway main line.[19]

In the Shire of Gnowangerup, the Gnowangerup railway station and crane, the Ongerup railway barracks and good shed and the Pallinup River railway bridge are on the shire's heritage list.[20]

References

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  1. ^ "Tambellup–Gnowangerup–Ongerup Railway". Tambellup Times. Vol. 1, no. 44. Western Australia. 26 July 1913. p. 2. Retrieved 19 April 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "Tambellup- Gnowangerup-Ongerup Railway". Gnowangerup Times. Vol. 1, no. 44. Western Australia. 26 July 1913. p. 2. Retrieved 19 April 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "ONGERUP RAILWAY EXTENSION". Gnowangerup Star and Tambellup-Ongerup Gazette. Vol. XIII, no. 49. Western Australia. 7 July 1928. p. 2. Retrieved 11 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "Ongerup Needlup". The Daily News. Vol. XLVIII, no. 16, 937. Western Australia. 15 August 1929. p. 7 (Home Final Edition). Retrieved 11 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "Tambellup-Ongerup Railway". Albany Advertiser. 30 July 1913. p. 4. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
  6. ^ Tambellup-Ongerup Railway Act 1911 (State Law Publisher) p91 Act was no 11 of 1911 and also has reference 1911-1 Geo V No 22
  7. ^ Gnowangerup-Ongerup - builder Vincent Brothers, contract let 19.9.1911, line opened 6.1.1913 - in table Construction of the W.A Government Railways network, 1879–1931 – p. 210 – in Gunzburg, Adrian and Austin, Jeff (2008) Rails through the Bush: Timber and Firewood Tramways and Railway Contractors of Western Australia Perth, W.A. Rail Heritage WA. ISBN 978-0-9803922-2-7
  8. ^ a b Western Australian Government Railways Timetables from 10 May 1937 Until Further Notice Australian Timetable Association (Previously Australian Association of Timetable Collectors) - June 2000 issue of The Times [1] page 9.
  9. ^ "Enquiries. Land for the Formby Water Supply Catchment Area for Tambellup - Ongerup Railway. BMA, WAWA". State Records Office of WA. Series S211 - Files - General, Item 1915/0669 v1. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  10. ^ "Ongerup-Needilup District Museum". Gnowangerup. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  11. ^ "Minister Says Many Railway Sections Show Big Losses", The Farmers' Weekly, 11 February 1954, retrieved 30 July 2024
  12. ^ "Katanning Meeting Carries No Confidence Vote In Government", Kojonup Courier, 5 June 1957, retrieved 30 July 2024
  13. ^ The Ongerup Branch Milne, Rod Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, May, 2002 pp163-170
  14. ^ "Railways (Cue-Big Bell and other Railways) Discontinuance Act 1960". www.legislation.wa.gov.au. Government of Western Australia. 12 December 1960. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  15. ^ "Arc Map Network" (PDF). Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  16. ^ "Issues Paper" (PDF). www.arcinfra.com. Arc Infrastructure. 17 November 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  17. ^ Bree Swift (22 May 2021). "Budget raises hope of Tier 3 upgrades". Farm Weekly. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  18. ^ "Railway line to Gnowangerup". inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  19. ^ "Shire of Broomehill-Tambellup Heritage Places". inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  20. ^ "Shire of Gnowangerup Heritage Listed Places". inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
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