Local Government
Merredin
Region
Wheatbelt
Lot 1503 Todd St Merredin
inc Waiting Rms, Parcels Office, Refreshment Rms, Signal Cabin, Water Tower, Platform and Waterfall On south side of railway line, between French Ave and Allenby St
Merredin Railway Station Museum
Old Railway Station
Merredin
Wheatbelt
Constructed from 1905, Constructed from 1923
| Type | Status | Date | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Register | Registered | 26 Feb 1999 | HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument, HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument |
| Type | Status | Date | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| (no listings) |
| Type | Status | Date | Grading/Management | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | ||||
| Municipal Inventory | Adopted | 16 Apr 1999 | Category 1 | |
| Classified by the National Trust | Classified | 08 Jul 2002 | ||
| Statewide Lge Timber Str Survey | Completed | 11 Dec 1998 | ||
| Statewide Railway Heritage Surve | Completed | 01 Mar 1994 | ||
| Register of the National Estate | Registered | 30 Jun 1992 | ||
01577 Merredin Railway Station Group
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.
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.
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.
The station buildings were constructed over about a 20 year period just after the turn of the century and have a very high integrity.
Very Good
| Ref ID No | Ref Name | Ref Source | Ref Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| "The Old Station Museum" booklet | Merredin Museum & Historical Society | undated | |
| "Merredin Tourist" booklet | undated | ||
| "Merredin Peak Heritage Trail" booklet | WA Heritage Committee | 1988 | |
| Merredin Tourist & Information Centre (Inc) |
| Library Id | Title | Medium | Year Of Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5134 | Conservation plan : Merredin Railway Station Group. | Heritage Study {Cons'n Plan} | 2001 |
| 11358 | Cast iron pillar boxes of Western Australia: An early history of the J & E Ledger foundry | Book | 2015 |
| 3811 | Merredin Railway Water Tower and Tank : heritage assessment. | Heritage Study {Other} | 1995 |
Individual Building or Group
| Epoch | General | Specific |
|---|---|---|
| Original Use | Transport\Communications | Rail: Railway Station |
| Present Use | EDUCATIONAL | Museum |
| Style |
|---|
| Federation Arts and Crafts |
| Type | General | Specific |
|---|---|---|
| Wall | BRICK | Face Brick |
| Wall | BRICK | Rendered Brick |
| Wall | METAL | Steel |
| Roof | TILE | Terracotta Tile |
| Wall | TIMBER | Weatherboard |
| General | Specific |
|---|---|
| DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY | Land allocation & subdivision |
| SOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES | Cultural activities |
| TRANSPORT & COMMUNICATIONS | Rail & light rail transport |
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.