Merredin Railway Station Group

Parent Place or Precinct

01577 Merredin Railway Station Group

Child Places

• 01577 Merredin Railway Station Group
• 03641 Merredin Railway Water Tank

Statement of Significance

The railway line determined the final location of Merredin in 1893 and the station, built in 1895, was one of the first on the eastern railway. The first resident officer, Mr H.J. Cooper, described it as "as open shed 12 x 18 feet on a platform about 200 feet long ... (with) no shelter of any description." .He and his family 'resided' in a canvas tent. Merredin's status as a rail and commercial centre was secured when the locomotive depot at Southern Cross was shifted to Merredin in 1904. With branch lines serving both northern and southern wheatbelt areas, Merredin opened as a booking station in 1905. The station expanded to include the cellar (1906), the signal box housing 95 levers (1913), waiting rooms with a Romanesque arch (1917) and parcels office and refreshment rooms (1923). The latter were built with salmon tinted Coolgardie bricks salvaged from the Golden Gate, Hannan Street and Kallaroo Stations after the heyday of the goldrush.
The railway station was converted into a museum by the Merredin Museum and Historical Society after a new station was built in 1968. The museum opened in 1978.
The building group is an important collection of early railway structures and also has a social value arising from the community effort to create and operate the museum.

Physical Description

The building group comprises four buildings, end to end, on an island platform. Entry to the museum is from the eastern end into what was originally the parcels office (1923), later the main station building. The next building is the elevated signal box (1913), followed by a building of toilets and waiting rooms (1917) and finally refreshment rooms (1923), built in the same style as the parcels office, with a cellar (1906) used for storage of perishables and
cool drinks.

History

There is a plaque by the museum entrance stating that renovation work carried out by the Merredin Historical Society was funded by the Department of Education Employment and Training, July 1993 - January 1994, under a local employment program.

Integrity/Authenticity

The station buildings were constructed over about a 20 year period just after the turn of the century and have a very high integrity.

Condition

Very Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.