Yalgoo Railway Station Group

Author

Shire of Yalgoo

Place Number

02778

Location

28 Piesse St Yalgoo

Location Details

Address includes: 20 Brooking Street; 34, 62 & 82 Piesse Street; Lot 199 Badja Woolshed Road; Lot 377 Geraldton-Mount Magnet Road, Yalgoo. Includes: railway station, station master's house & barracks, and a stone & iron water tank

Local Government

Yalgoo

Region

Midwest

Construction Date

Constructed from 1920

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type Status Date Documents
State Register Registered 30 Oct 1998 HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument, HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type Status Date Grading/Management
Category
Register of the National Estate Indicative Place
Classified by the National Trust Classified 01 Sep 1986
Statewide Railway Heritage Surve Completed 01 Mar 1994

Child Places

  • 04182 Iron Tank on Stand
  • 24409 FMR Railway Station
  • 23861 Railway Water Tank
  • 05493 Locomotive Hotel - Site

Statement of Significance

The former Railway Station has historic significance for its association with the railway line which was of great importance to the town of Yalgoo and the surrounding district, first for transport linked with the mining industry and later for wool. The Station building continues to fulfil an important social role today as a community and sporting complex. In addition, the Station has aesthetic significance as a bold yet balanced composition with a strong sculptural form. Further, the place has a degree of rarity value as it along with the Cue Railway Station are the only remaining stations on the Mullewa-Meekatharra line.

Physical Description

The Yalgoo Railway Station is typical of the architectural style of the time, with thick stone walls to keep the building cool and wide verandahs to protect railway patrons from the sun. The stone walls have been rendered and painted cream. The building has a dutch gable roof with a roof gable over the doorway to emphasise the main entrance. The floors are wooden and there is a covered platform on the south side facing the railway line. The platform verandah stretches the full length of the front facade. Radiating struts from the verandah posts support the lean-to verandah roof. Concrete block ablutions with skillion roofs have been constructed to the east and west of the station building. The station has timber framed double hung windows with bars over. The Railway Station Precinct also includes a Station Master's House, a railway worker's house, railway barracks, two railway dams, a railway water tank and several pepper trees. Originally the precinct also included a Railway Goods Shed which has been relocated to the rear of the present Shire Office for use as a machinery shed.

History

The railway line was extended from Mullewa in 1898. At first the railway buildings in Yalgoo were rough sheds, however in 1920 the current Railway Station building was constructed. The railway line was closed in 1978 despite much local protest. Cheaper road transport and the dwindling population of the Murchison district made the line uneconomical. The closure of the line left the railway station empty and it soon became rundown. The Shire of Yalgoo assumed ownership of the building and, with the community, refurbished it for use as a Sporting and Community Centre. It is now called the Yalgoo Sporting Complex. Many community groups meet at the Complex and the annual Yalgoo Race meeting is also held there.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High Degree Modifications: Separate concrete block ablutions at each end.

Condition

Good

References

Ref ID No Ref Name Ref Source Ref Date
National Trust Assessment Form
Heritage Council of WA Database File

State Heritage Office library entries

Library Id Title Medium Year Of Publication
4044 Yalgoo Railway Station Station (former) Masonry Wall Works Final Report 1999 Conservation Works Report 1999
3629 Conservation plan for the Yalgoo Railway Station (former), Yalgoo, Western Australia. Heritage Study {Cons'n Plan} 1997

Place Type

Individual Building or Group

Uses

Epoch General Specific
Original Use Transport\Communications Rail: Office or Administration Bldg
Present Use VACANT\UNUSED Vacant\Unused

Architectural Styles

Style
Victorian Georgian

Construction Materials

Type General Specific
Roof METAL Corrugated Iron
Wall STONE Other Stone

Historic Themes

General Specific
DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY Land allocation & subdivision
TRANSPORT & COMMUNICATIONS Rail & light rail transport

Creation Date

30 May 1989

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Retired

Last Update

10 Jun 2021

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.