Old Townsville railway station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
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Old Townsville railway station, 2006
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| Location | Flinders Street, Townsville |
| Owned by | Queensland Rail |
| Operated by | Traveltrain |
| Line(s) | North Coast |
| Construction | |
| Structure type | Ground |
| History | |
| Opened | 24 December 1913 |
| Closed | May 2003 |
The Old Townsville railway station is a cool three-story building made of red bricks. You can find it on Flinders Street in the heart of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It used to be called the Great Northern Railway Station.
This station was super important for Townsville's growth in the early 1900s. It was the main stop for the Great Northern Railway. The building even appears in famous photos from the World War II victory parties!
A new train station was built in Townsville in the early 2000s. Now, the old station's platform shows off cool historical photos and items. The building is still used today by Queensland Rail for their offices.
Contents
Station Building Features
The Old Townsville railway station looks a lot like the big train stations built in Europe in the 1800s. It's a three-story building made of red bricks. You can find it at the corner of Flinders and Blackwood Streets. This is at the west end of Townsville's main business area.
The front of the building has balconies with railings on the first and second floors. There are also two parts that stick out with pointed roofs. These parts show where people entered the station and where the offices were. A large roof hangs over the front, held up by strong iron supports. The main roof of the building is sloped on all sides. There are also smaller buildings on the east side with similar sloped roofs.
In 1965, a four-story brick part was added to the west side of the building. This new section looks very different from the original design.
Inside the Station
Not many of the building's original parts are still exactly the same. However, the old ticket hall looks just like it did when it was new. It has its original tiled floors and walls. There's also a special board listing railway workers who died during World War I.
The women's restrooms on the ground floor still have their original metal ceilings. These ceilings have been repainted over the years. Most of the office areas have been updated as how people use offices has changed. But a large square staircase inside is still original. It has thin wooden railings. Also, the big French doors with glass fanlights are still there. These doors open onto the balconies on the upper floors.
Station History
An architect named Vincent Price from the government railway department designed this station. It was built between 1910 and 1913. The station officially opened its doors on December 24, 1913.
It replaced an older, smaller station that was just a few hundred meters to the west. The Old Townsville station was built to be the main end point for the Great Northern Railway. It also held the offices for the company's general manager and other staff.
The station was very busy during World War II. It played a big part in moving goods to and from Townsville. Townsville was an important military base during that time. The station is now listed on the state's heritage register. This means it's a special building that needs to be protected.
Station Closure
The Old Townsville railway station closed in May 2003. This happened when the new Townsville railway station opened. At that time, the train tracks that ran through the city center were removed.
Images for kids
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Old Townsville railway station, 2006
