Bathurst Railway Station, yard group and movable relics

Item details


Name of item:	Bathurst Railway Station, yard group and movable relics
Type of item:	Complex / Group
Group/Collection:	Transport - Rail
Category:	Railway Platform/ Station
Location:	Lat: -33.4271579562 Long: 149.5831660740
Primary address:	Havannah Street, Bathurst, NSW 2795
Local govt. area:	Bathurst Regional
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Bathurst

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
LOT	1	DP	1006386
LOT	17	DP	1184045
LOT	301	DP	1194865

Boundary:

The listing boundary is formed by a line parrallel to the rear of the down platform crossing the line to the north of the end of the station , returning in a westerly direction to intersect the rear boundary of thr station master's residence then turning north along that boundary to Havannah Street then heading west along Havannah St to Piper St then following the SRA property Boundary south to the far side of the Rocket Street overbridge then across the tracks to meet the SRA property Boundary on the southern side of the tracks.

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
Havannah Street	Bathurst	Bathurst Regional			Primary Address
Main Western railway	Bathurst	Bathurst Regional			Alternate Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
TAHE - Sydney Trains	State Government	21 Oct 98

Statement of significance:


	Bathurst Railway Precinct is of state significance as a major country railway precinct in NSW that contains a substantial first-class station building, residence and important workshop group with a range of related railway structures. The 1876 station building is a unique Victorian Tudor style railway building and is a fine example of a first-class railway station building with original fabric and fine detailing typical of the period. The scale and detailing of the building reflects the importance of Bathurst as the largest city west of the Blue Mountains. The station is located at the end of Keppel St, one of the main streets of Bathurst and the buildings form a significant civic group in the town of Bathurst, particularly with the location of the residences and Engineer's Office in Havannah St and the orientation of the station building to the town. The station has rarity significance as the design of Bathurst station building is unique to any other building on the NSW rail system. The site is also significant for its association with Ben Chifley, former Prime Minister of Australia, whose early career and education at Bathurst Railway Precinct were instrumental in shaping his trade union and Labor politics.
	Date significance updated: 18 Jul 13
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Construction years:	1875-1876
Physical description:	Extant items within (and outside) the existing curtilage include: BUILDINGS- Managed by RailCorp Station Building - type 5, brick, first class passenger station (1876) BUILDINGS- Managed by ARTC Waiting Shed - type 11, timber duplication building (1914) Station Master's Residence - type 4, brick two-storey (1880) Residence on Havannah and Keppel Sts - timber (stores branch office) (c1902) OTHER ITEMS- Managed by ARTC Subway Forecourt and landscaped approach to station entrance Weighbridge Signal Box Goods shed Various additional structures OTHER ITEMS - Privately Owned Water Reservoir STATION BUILDING (1876) The main building is an outstanding example of a first class station building. The single storey rendered brick building is Victorian Tudor in style with two gabled wings projecting forward towards the forecourt with stuccoed quoins and a facetted bay window. The gabled bays feature curvilinear shaped parapets with the 1876 construction date prominently displayed on each of the gables, on top of which is a finial. The roof is clad in slate with gablet vents and octagonal coupled chimneys. The original building, now extended, was symmetrical with a verandah to the street side supported on paired decorative timber columns and prominent decorative brackets The central section of the building between the wings, has stuccoed window and door surrounds. The platform side has been altered with the addition of a new awning on cantilevered brackets, built at the time of the northern extension to the building for refreshment rooms and luggage. The main station building is on the axis of one of the major roads in Bathurst and is a key visual element in the city. WAITING SHED (1914) The waiting shed on the Down platform dates from 1916 and is a simple weatherboard shed, in juxtaposition to the grand building on the other platform. STATION MASTER'S RESIDENCE (1880) This is a grand two storey Gothic Revival style brick residence with a projecting gabled front bay with bay window to the ground floor surmounted with a false decorative plaster balustrade. The building is constructed from the typical red brick used throughout Bathurst. The building has rendered quoins, fretted barge boards and rendered detail around windows and doors. The verandah is supported on cast iron columns and brackets and has a bel cast roof. It is one of the best surviving station master's residences in the State. STORES BRANCH OFFICE - KEPPEL AND HAVANNAH STS This is a small building now used for offices with a central doorway and 4 rooms. The building is timber with a corrugated iron roof and a return verandah on the Havannah St side, with good joinery details. SUBWAY The brick subway linking platforms 1 and 2 is no longer in use. It features a disused stair leading to the brick vaulted subway which passes under the tracks and a portion of the platform. Possibly constructed/ extended with line duplication in 1915. MOVABLE ARTEFACTS Woodframed mirror, 0.6/1.1/1.3 (AM01) C west community college Bookcase glass/timber doors, 2.4,(BA06) C west community college
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	All structures appear generally to be in good condition apart from the subway which is in a poor condition and no longer in use.
	Date condition updated:18 Jul 13
Modifications and dates:	Many buildings and structures have been removed from the site at Bathurst railway precinct over time. 10./2017: New car park spaces opened 2/2020: Bathurst Rail Museum opened (in the former Railway Institute building) 6/2020: an electric vehicle charging station was added


Current use:	Operational station (RailCorp) and provisioning centre (ARTC), redundant buildings
Former use:	Aboriginal land, Railway Station and yard

History

Historical notes:

Aboriginal people and colonisation.
Aboriginal occupation of the Blue Mountains area dates back at least 12,000 years and appears to have intensified some 3000-4000 years ago. In pre-colonial times the area now known as Bathurst was inhabited by Aboriginal people of the Wiradjuri linguistic group. The clan associated with Bathurst occupied on a seasonal basis most of the Macquarie River area. They moved regularly in small groups but prefered the open land and used the waterways for a variety of food. There are numerous river flats where debris from recurrent camps accumulated over a long period. European settlement in this region after the first documented white expedition west of the Blue Mountains in 1813 was tentative because of apprehensions about resistance from Aboriginal people. There was some contact, witnessed by sporadic hostility and by the quantity of surviving artefacts manufactured by the Aborigines from European glass. By 1840 there was widespread dislocation of Aboriginal culture, aggravated after 1850 by the goldrush to the region (HO and DUAP, 1996, 88).

Prior to European settlement in Australia, the Wiradjuri Aboriginal group lived in the upper Macquarie Valley. Bathurst was proclaimed a town by Lachlan Macquarie on 7 May 1815, named after Lord Bathurst, Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies (Barker 1992:25). Bathurst is Australia's oldest inland township. It was proclaimed a town in 1815 with the discovery of gold.

Bathurst:
Governor Macquarie chose the site of the future town of Bathurst on 7 May 1815 during his tour over the Blue Mountains, on the road already completed by convict labour supervised by William Cox. Macquarie marked out the boundaries near the depot established by surveyor George Evans and reserved a site for a government house and domain. Reluctant to open the rich Bathurst Plains to a large settlement, Macquarie authorised few grants there initially, one of the first being 1000 acres to William Lawson, one of the three European explorers who crossed the mountains in 1813. The road-maker William Cox was another early grantee but later had to move his establishment to Kelso on the non-government side of the Macquarie River (GAO, 2005, 8).

A modest release of land in February 1818 occurred when ten men were chosen to take up 50 acre farms and 2 acre town allotments across the river from the government buildings. When corruption by government supervisor Richard Lewis and acting Commandant William Cox caused their dismissal, they were replaced by Lieutenant William Lawson who became Commandant of the settlement in 1818 (ibid, 8).

Macquarie continued to restrict Bathurst settlement and reserved all land on the south side of the Macquarie River for government buildings and stock, a situation that prevailed until 1826. In December 1819 Bathurst had a population of only 120 people in 30 houses, two thirds being in the township of Kelso on the eastern side of the river and the remainder scattered on rural landholdings nearby. The official report in 1820 numbered Bathurst settlers at 114, including only 14 women and 15 children. The government buildings comprised a brick house for the commandant, brick barracks for the military detachment and houses for the stock keeper, and log houses for the 50 convicts who worked the government farm. Never successful, the government farm was closed by Governor Darling in 1828 (ibid, 8).

Governor Darling, arriving in Sydney in 1825, promptly commenced a review of colonial administration and subsequently introduced vigorous reforms. On advice from Viscount Goderich, Darling divided colonial expenditure into two parts: one to cover civil administration, funded by New South Wales; the other for the convict system, funded by Britain (ibid, 10).

By this time, J.McBrien and Robert Hoddle had surveyed the existing grants in the vicinity. Surveyor James Bym Richards began work on the south side of the river in 1826. But the town was apparently designed by Thomas Mitchell in 1830 and did not open until late 1833 after Richards had completed the layout of the streets with their two-road allotments. The first sales were held in 1831 before the survey was complete (ibid, 10).

In 1832 the new Governor, Major General Sir Richard Bourke, visited Bathurst in October. He instructed the Surveyor General Major Thomas L. Mitchell to make arrangements for 'opening the town of Bathurst without delay' and he in turn instructed the Assistant Surveyor at Bathurst J.B. Richards to lay out the blocks and streets. This was done in September 1833. It is believed that Major Mitchell named the streets, with George Street being named after King George III.

The very architecture of the city (of Bathurst) is a gallery in itself,, Georgian Colonial, Victorian and Edwardian buildings feature in the panoply of architecture, that was classified by the National Trust (of Australia (NSW)) in the 1970s. Bathust can lay claim to some of the oldest buildings in the colony; first Church of England over the Blue Mountains, once part of the Bishopric of Calcutta, Holy Trinity...on the hill at Kelso, St. Steven's Presbyterian, while not the original church, is still one of the oldest Presbyterian churches in the colony, Old Government Cottage, near the Macquarie River is part of the original government enclave. Not only is it the first inland European settlement, but it has museum collections of national significance... (Friend, 2021).

Bathurst Railway Station:
Bathurst is located on the Main Western line. The single line railway from Kelso to Bathurst was opened on 4 April 1876 and continued the same year to Blayney. Bathurst had already been established as a major centre based on large pastoral holdings and the 1850s gold rush which boosted the population of the town. Much of the civic building in Bathurst took place following the gold rush. Proposals for the first railways in NSW were largely driven by the interests of large land holders seeking improved transport for their wool from the inland centres of Bathurst, Goulburn, Muswellbrook and Singleton. The town received a sustainable boost in activity and development from the arrival of the railway which allowed the town to communicate and trade quickly and cheaply with Sydney.

Bathurst station opened on 4 April 1876 with the station building, goods shed and Divisional Engineer's office all completed in 1876. The Station Master's residence (also completed in 1876) was a grand two-storey residence, befitting a prominent citizen of the town (Cottee, 2004).

Other early buildings included the Stores office (c1876), coal stage (relocated from Raglan in 1877), a new coal stage (1878), blacksmith's shop (1878-1879), turntable (relocated from Rydal in 1879), depot (1879), engine shed (1881) and the West signal box (1885) (SRA, 1993; Simpson Dawbin, 2002; Cottee, 2004; Forsyth, 2008).

The workshops, established during the 1880s, started a large railway workers' community and a rail institute to educate the hundreds of workers at Bathurst. Ben Chifley, later Prime Minister of Australia, was born in Bathurst and joined the railways when he was 17, becoming the youngest First Class locomotive driver at the age of 24. In the early years of the 20th century, Chifley attended night school and extension classes at the Institute. The union meetings Chifley attended at the Institute helped to shape his trade union and Labour politics. Chifley was also one of the founders of the AFULE (the Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Enginemen) (Dickson, 2009; AFULE, 2009).

Numerous changes and additions were made to the site in the late 19th century and 20th century, examples of which include the original stockyards (c1900), a wagon repair shed (1891), a new turntable (1897), platform lengthened (1897), waiting shed erected on the Down platform (1902), Down platform extended and widened (1911), line duplicated (1915) elevated coal storage (1916), refreshment room (1917), new T6 trucking yards (1927), and an additional signal box in 1944 (Simpson Dawbin, 2002; Cottee, 2004; Forsyth, 2008).

The post-war period (between 1945 and 1960) saw as many as 500 staff working at Bathurst station and yard at its peak. However, by the 1970s, changes in freight transportation and the move to diesel services resulted in the redundancy of many buildings and former functions on site and the rationalisation of many structures (Simpson Dawbin, 2002).

The refreshment room closed in 1968 and The Railway Institute in 1975. While many former buildings remain unoccupied, the former District Engineer's office is now used by the Bathurst Community College and the Station Master's residence is occupied by a private tenant (Simpson Dawbin, 2002).

In November 2018 the Bathurst Mayor, Calare and Bathurst MPs announced the start of construction of $4.8m museum, incorporating the Railway Institute building on the site (Western Advocate, 17/11/18).

In 2021 sandstone from the Southern Highlands is being used in an upgrade of the station. The building is getting an almost $800,000 investment from the state government, to improve the longevity of the facade. 'Crews will (soon) begin working on the roof and chimneys' said Sydney Trains acting chief executive, Pete Church. The upgrade is due for completion by mid-2021. Nearby in the precinct, the Bathurst Rail Museum recently celebrated a year since it opened. Bathurst Regional Council said just over 32,000 people had visited the museum in 12 months. New car parking spaces opened in October 2017, a second Bathurst Bullet daily return train service to Sydney started in September 2019 and an electric vehicle charging station was added in June 2020 (Western Advocate, 19/4/2021).

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Gardens-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Other open space-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Modification of terrain-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Introduce cultural planting-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Changing the environment-
2. Peopling-Peopling the continent	Aboriginal cultures and interactions with other cultures-Activities associated with maintaining, developing, experiencing and remembering Aboriginal cultural identities and practices, past and present.	Wiradjuri Nation - living in towns-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings	Landscapes of institutions - productive and ornamental-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Industry-Activities associated with the manufacture, production and distribution of goods	(none)-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Transport-Activities associated with the moving of people and goods from one place to another, and systems for the provision of such movements	Rail transport-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Transport-Activities associated with the moving of people and goods from one place to another, and systems for the provision of such movements	Building the railway network-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Transport-Activities associated with the moving of people and goods from one place to another, and systems for the provision of such movements	Public tramline system-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Transport-Activities associated with the moving of people and goods from one place to another, and systems for the provision of such movements	Development in response to railway lines-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	(none)-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Early land grants-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Resuming private lands for public purposes-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Towns, suburbs and villages-Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages	19th Century Infrastructure-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Towns, suburbs and villages-Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages	(none)-
6. Educating-Educating	Education-Activities associated with teaching and learning by children and adults, formally and informally.	(none)-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	State government-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	Developing roles for government - building and administering rail networks-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	(none)-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life	Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups	(none)-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	The site has historic significance to demonstrate the late 19th and early 20th Century development of the NSW railways. The station building dates from the opening of the line at Bathurst in 1876, and along with other related structures has the ability to provide evidence of a late 19th Century working railway precinct. The scale and detailing of the station buildings reflect the importance and size of Bathurst as the largest city west of the Blue Mountains.
SHR Criteria b) [Associative significance]	The site is significant for its associations with Ben Chifley, Prime Minister of Australia, whose early career and education at Bathurst Railway Precinct were instrumental in shaping his trade union and Labor politics.
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	The site has aesthetic significance as a first class railway station that demonstrates railway design in the 1870s. The 1876 station building is a unique Victorian Tudor style railway building and is a fine example of a first class railway station building with original fabric and fine detailing typical of the period. The station is located at the end of Keppel St, one of the main streets of Bathurst and the buildings form a significant civic group in the town of Bathurst, particularly with the location of the residence in Havannah St and the orientation of the station building to the town.
SHR Criteria d) [Social significance]	The site is of social significance to the local community on account of its lengthy association for providing an important source of employment, trade and social interaction for the local area. The site is significant for its ability to contribute to the local community’s sense of place, is a distinctive feature of the daily life of many community members, and provides a connection to the local community’s past.
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	The station has rarity significance as the design of Bathurst station building is unique when compared to other buildings on the NSW Railway system.
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	The site has representative significance for its collection of railway structures, including the SM’s residence, waiting shed, signal box, and other related items that collectively demonstrate widespread 19th and early 20th Century railway customs, activities and design in NSW, and are representative of similar items that are found in many other railway sites across the state.
Integrity/Intactness:	The station group including the station buildings, platforms, SM’s residence, signal box, and other structures have a high level of integrity.
Assessment criteria:	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Recommended management:

Recommendations

Management Category	Description	Date Updated
Recommended Management	Review a Conservation Management Plan (CMP)
Recommended Management	Prepare a maintenance schedule or guidelines
Recommended Management	Carry out interpretation, promotion and/or education

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of act	Description	Title	Comments	Action date
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Standard Exemptions	ORDER UNDER SECTION 57(2) OF THE HERITAGE ACT 1977 Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977. I, the Hon James Griffin MP, Minister for Environment and Heritage, pursuant to subsection 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales do by this Order, effective at the time of publication in the New South Wales Government Gazette: 1. revoke the order made on 9 November 2020 and published in the Government Gazette Number 318 of 13 November 2020; and 2. grant the exemptions from subsection 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977 that are described in the attached Schedule. The Hon James Griffin MP Minister for Environment and Heritage Signed this 2nd day of June 2022. To view the standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977 click on the link below.	Jun 17 2022

Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register		01078	02 Apr 99	27	1546
Heritage Act - s.170 NSW State agency heritage register

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written	Friend, Samantha	2021	Bathurst: City of Museums	View detail
Written	Nicholls, Murray	2018	'On track for rail museum'
Written	Office of Rail Heritage	2012	Railway garden and landscape conservation guide
Written	Sheedy, David		Bathurst Railway Station: Conservation and Management Plan
Written	The Architecture Company	2002	Archival Recording - Gasworks Building, Bathurst NSW

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

(Click on thumbnail for full size image and image details)

Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Heritage NSW
Database number:	5011945

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