Bourke railway station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bourke
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| Former railway station | |||||||||||
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| Location | Anson St, Bourke, New South Wales, Australia | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 30°05′41″S 145°56′07″E / 30.0948°S 145.9354°E | ||||||||||
| Owned by | Transport for NSW | ||||||||||
| Operated by | NSW TrainLink | ||||||||||
| Line(s) | Main Western | ||||||||||
| Distance | 824.83 kilometres (513 mi) from Central | ||||||||||
| Platforms | 1 | ||||||||||
| Tracks | 2 | ||||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||||
| Structure type | Ground | ||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||
| Status |
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| History | |||||||||||
| Opened | 3 August 1885 | ||||||||||
| Closed | 20 September 1975 | ||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||
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Invalid designation
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| Official name: Bourke Railway Precinct | |||||||||||
| Type: | State heritage (built) | ||||||||||
| Designated: | n.d. | ||||||||||
| Reference #: | s.170 NSW State agency heritage register | ||||||||||
| Type: | Railway Platform / Station | ||||||||||
| Category: | Transport - Rail | ||||||||||
| Builders: | NSW Government Railways | ||||||||||
The Bourke railway station is a special old train station in Bourke. This town is in the Far West part of New South Wales. The station first opened in 1885. It was the very end of the Main Western train line.
Passenger trains stopped coming to Bourke in 1975. After that, buses took over the train service from Dubbo. Today, NSW TrainLink still uses the station area for its bus services. The railway property is owned by Transport for NSW. It is managed by John Holland Rail.
History of Bourke Railway
The railway line was built to help connect western New South Wales with the rest of the state. Before the railway, many goods were moved by riverboats. By 1877, people wanted to make sure trade stayed within New South Wales.
Bourke became a very important town for farmers and ranchers after it was formed in 1861. So, plans were made to extend the train line to Bourke. The line reached Wellington in 1880. It got to Dubbo in 1881. Dubbo was a key town for moving livestock.
The railway helped new towns grow beyond Dubbo. The line reached Narromine in 1883. The train station was the first building in this new settlement. It got to Nevertire in 1882, serving the nearby town of Warren. A branch line to Warren opened later in 1898.
Construction reached Nyngan in 1883. The nearby village of Canonbar even moved completely to become the town of Nyngan. Beyond Nyngan, the railway line was very straight for 116 miles (187 km). This was the longest straight railway line in the world at that time! It reached Byrock in 1884. Finally, it arrived at Bourke in 1885. The Station Master's house was also finished that year.
A loading area for goods was built in 1890. A small coal stage, a depot, and rooms for train drivers were added in 1891. Sadly, the station building was destroyed by a fire in 1965. A new station was built in 1968. This new building was special because it was the first train station in New South Wales to have air-conditioning.
The last freight train to Bourke ran in 1989.
Train and Coach Services
In the past, Bourke was served by a train called the Far West Express. This train connected with another train, the Western Mail, from Sydney Central at Dubbo.
The Far West Express train service stopped on 20 September 1975. After that, buses took over the route. Today, a NSW TrainLink coach service runs from Bourke to Dubbo. From Dubbo, you can catch the Central West Express train to Sydney Central.
In 2018, NSW TrainLink started trying out a new bus service. This service allows people to travel from Bourke to Dubbo and back on the same day. There is also a similar service from Brewarrina to Dubbo. These services run on Wednesdays and Thursdays. They travel to Dubbo in the morning and return in the evening.
Why is Bourke Station Special?
The Bourke station building, built in 1968, is important for a few reasons. It was the first railway station building in New South Wales to have air conditioning. This made it very modern for its time!
The station area is also special because it's one of the most distant railway places in New South Wales. It shows how far the railway network reached.
The Bourke Railway Precinct is listed on the NSW State agency heritage register. This means it's recognized as an important historical site. It meets certain rules to be listed.
- The place is important in showing special artistic or technical achievements in New South Wales.*
The station building is important for its technical achievement. It was the first train station in New South Wales to have air conditioning.
