Marrangaroo railway viaduct

Item details


Name of item:	Marrangaroo railway viaduct
Other name/s:	Middle River Railway Viaduct; Stone Viaduct Marrangaroo Creek, Brick Viaduct Marrangaroo Creek
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Transport - Rail
Category:	Railway Bridge/ Viaduct
Location:	Lat: -33.43810186371 Long: 150.112280103644
Primary address:	Main Western railway, Marrangaroo, NSW 2790
Local govt. area:	Lithgow
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Bathurst

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Section Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
PART LOT	1		DP	1125986
PART LOT	1120		DP	1204797

Boundary:

The listing boundary is a line at a distance of 20 metres from the viaduct in all directions, including both viaducts, embankments, abutments, supports and track formations.

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
Main Western railway	Marrangaroo	Lithgow			Primary Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
TAHE - Sydney Trains	State Government	05 Nov 98

Statement of significance:


	Marrangaroo railway viaduct has state significance as one of the oldest railway viaducts in NSW and for its former role in facilitating the economic and social growth of the state through the extension of the Main Western Railway. Built in 1870, the single line eight arched viaduct has historical and associative values as one of a small series of sandstone arch viaducts designed by John Whitton, Engineer-in-Chief of the NSW Government Railways, to meet the technical challenge of crossing the Blue Mountains by rail. The disused stone viaduct is located immediately parallel to a second double track four large arched brick viaduct, built in 1923 to replace it when the track was duplicated. Viewed together, they have aesthetic values as a visually striking pair of viaducts that demonstrate changes in the technical and engineering approaches of railway construction, use of materials and stylistic differences between the periods. The adjacent 1870 and 1923 viaducts are evidence of two major rail building phases in NSW and visually demonstrate the historical changes and expansion of railway infrastructure west of the Blue Mountains.
	Date significance updated: 17 Feb 26
	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


Designer/Maker:	John Whitton, Engineer-in-Chief, NSW Government Railways (1856-1890)
Builder/Maker:	Constructed under the supervision of George McGarvie Donald using day labour/convict labour
Construction years:	1870-1923
Physical description:	Stone railway viaduct 1870 The stone viaduct is a single-track sandstone mid-Victorian railway bridge that forms part of the Main Western railway line near Lithgow built in 1870. It comprises eight 9.1m semi-circular masonry sandstone arches that are laid out in a continuous line and supported by stone voussoirs (wedge-shaped blocks used to create an arch), tapered piers that widen towards the foundations and abutments constructed of locally quarried solid sandstone. The viaduct’s overall length is approximately 73.2m. The internal “v” formed by the adjoining arches is filled by stone rubble to about 4.5m to form a solid mass and dished to form a drain, typical of mid-19th century masonry railway construction. There is a low stone parapet wall on each side of the viaduct. The sandstone masonry is laid in stretcher bond, has a coarse surface and was originally light grey in colour, although its tone has changed with weathering (SMH, 7 December 1868, 2). The structure crosses Marrangaroo Creek (formerly known as Middle River) and features a curved alignment. Depending on the water level, often only three of the piers are slightly submerged in water while the rest straddle the embankment either side of the creek. Soil and rock excavated from the site prior to construction were used to form long, low embankments that slope up steeply on the south-eastern side and more gently on the north-western side, to reach the abutments. Brick viaduct 1923 Adjacent to the original sandstone structure is a double-track viaduct, completed in 1923 as part of the Main Western line duplication works. This brick and masonry viaduct has four large arches with 12.2m clear spans on brick piers. The bricks are a mixture of red and brown tones. There is a low brick parapet on both sides of the viaduct with rendered capping. During the construction of this brick viaduct, a dark brown brick chimney for a steam operated water pump was constructed on the north-western abutment of the stone viaduct. This served to supply water in a pipeline to Wallerawang (and possible nearby Lidsdale) (Chamberlain, 2010, 215; Jack, 1991, 2). The two viaducts are set further apart on the northern end where the chimney is located. On the southern end, the viaducts are located closer together. Only one to two of the bases of the piers of the new viaduct reach the water, with the rest of the abutments and piers located on the embankments either side of the creek.
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	The stone viaduct is in good condition and largely in its original configuration as a single-track bridge spanning the Marrangaroo Creek (formerly Middle River). The rails were removed and the viaduct remained unused as a bridge since the duplication of the railway and construction of the 1923 brick viaduct. The 1923 viaduct is in good condition and has remained in use as a railway bridge for over 100 years. The chimney and water pump are no longer in use but have been retained in good condition.
	Date condition updated:16 Feb 26
Modifications and dates:	1919-1923 – Construction begins alongside the three stone viaducts at Wallerawang, Farmer’s Creek and Marrangaroo to duplicate the railway on new double track viaducts. 12 January 1920 – the brick viaduct becomes operational with a single track slew onto the structure as an interim measure. c.1921-23 – Construction of chimney and water pump on the western end of the now disused stone viaduct to pump water down to Wallerawang via a pipeline. October 1923 – Full signalling commences and the brick viaduct is formally completed for use.
Further information:	Both viaducts retain their original fabric and materials. As the 1923 brick viaduct replaced the original 1870, little modification was required and consequently both viaducts are largely intact.


Current use:	current railway viaduct; former railway viaduct carrying Great Western Railway.
Former use:	Aboriginal land, railway viaduct

History

Historical notes:

STATEMENT OF COUNTRY

Marrangaroo railway viaduct is located near Lithgow within Wiradjuri country, immediately adjacent to Dharug country (AIATSIS, 2016). The Wiradjuri are the people of the three rivers – the Wambuul (Macquarie), the Kalari (Lachlan) and the Murumbidjeri (Murrumbidgee). The Country of the Wiradjuri covers a significant part of regional NSW, being the largest Nation geographically in NSW and connected through a shared language and beliefs.

NSW RAILWAYS EXPANSION

The New South Wales railway was opened in 1855 with the first section of railway commencing between Sydney and Parramatta. This line led into what became known as the Great Western Railway which was extended incrementally westward, reaching Penrith in 1863, Marrangaroo (the subject site) in 1870 and Bathurst in 1876. The extension of the Great Western Railway allowed for the creation of new settlements, easier transportation of materials to expand pastoralism and subdivide land. For Aboriginal people, the extension of the railway also intensified the impacts of colonial settlement including frontier violence, disease and the forced removal from their traditional lands.

The expansion of the western railway was led by John Whitton, the first appointed Engineer in Chief of NSW Government Railways (1856-1890). Whitton was the chief architect of the development of the colony’s railway network and his vision and technical leadership laid the foundations for a coherent, robust rail system that had a lasting influence on NSW’s economic and regional development (Prescott, 1986, 3). Under Whitton’s supervision, the rail system expanded from 37kms in 1856 to 3,495kms in 1899 (Railway Guide of New South Wales, 1879; Lee, 1988, 175).
There were numerous challenges facing Whitton as the railway was extended. The Blue Mountains was a formidable natural barrier for the next stage of construction and required the innovative engineering solution of the Zig Zag Railway (1867-69) to enable the rail crossing and reach the western areas of the state. Whitton also faced financial and political pressure to minimise cost, curtailing the construction of his preferred iron-lattice bridges (McKillop, 2009, 22). Although government recommendations favoured the use of locally sourced timber, the Lithgow region’s abundant sandstone made stone construction a practical and cost-effective solution. Under Whitton’s design, the stone viaducts became one of the great technical and aesthetic achievements of the nation’s railway. The viaducts, from which passengers could view the landscape (as opposed to tunnels) also inadvertently positioned travel west across the Blue Mountains as a scenic tourist journey. The picturesque stone viaducts, of which Marrangaroo is one, are emblematic of this railway line and rail travel west in New South Wales.

MARRANGAROO RAILWAY VIADUCT

The Marrangaroo railway viaduct is located approximately 163 kilometres west from Sydney and spans Marrangaroo Creek (formerly known as Middle River). The viaduct is one of a small number of stone arch railway bridges constructed during the extension of the Great Western Railway from Emu Plains to Bathurst (Rowland, 1954, 262; Lithgow Thematic Study, 2000). The Marrangaroo railway viaduct was designed by John Whitton and constructed under contractor Patrick Higgins and the supervision of George McGarvie Donald using day labour (Lee, 1988, 56; Chamberlain, 2010, 215).
Construction began on the stone viaduct in 1868 and it was formally opened on 1 March 1870. The original viaduct was a single-track sandstone structure comprising eight semi-circular arches, each spanning 9.1 metres (30 feet), with a total length of about 73.2 metres (SMH, 7 December,1868, 2). The viaduct was constructed of locally quarried stone and the arches were infilled with rubble stone, typical of mid-19th century masonry railway construction. The viaduct was supported by substantial sandstone piers and abutments with low stone parapet walls.

MARRANGAROO VIADUCT DUPLICATION

By 1900, sections of Whitton’s single-track railway network were operating at capacity and by 1919 many were in need of repairs prompting a major program of duplication and deviation works between 1910 and 1922 (Prescott, 1986, 9). At and around Marrangaroo, steep inclines and tight curves of the original alignment present operational challenges. A new double-track viaduct comprising four 12.2 metre semicircular arches was constructed adjacent to the original stone viaduct. The new viaduct was brought into use progressively from 12 January 1920 and full signalling commenced in October 1923.

During the construction of the new brick viaduct, a brick chimney and water pump station were constructed at the western end of the original 1870 sandstone viaduct. This was used to pump water from the creek via a pipeline along the original disused viaduct to nearby communities of Lidsdale and Wallerawang (Chamberlain, 2010, 217; Jack 1991, 2; Lithgow Thematic Study, 2000).

The 1870 stone viaduct and the 1923 brick viaduct both reflect changes in bridge technology and in the use of materials, historical changes (namely duplication and expansion of railway infrastructure west of the Blue Mountains) and remain a prominent grouping of early railway bridges.

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
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	Developing local, regional and national economies-National Theme 3
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	Engineering the public railway system-
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.	Building settlements, towns and cities-National Theme 4
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	Changing land uses - from rural to tourist-
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	Beautifying towns and villages-
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	Creating landmark structures and places in regional settings-
5. Working-Working	Labour-Activities associated with work practises and organised and unorganised labour	Railway work culture-
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-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	Marrangaroo railway viaduct holds historical significance as a highly intact railway viaduct in NSW that forms part of the early infrastructure of the Main Western Line. The 1870 sandstone viaduct has historical values as an early railway bridge constructed in NSW. It was part of the first expansive phase of the development of the rail network in NSW and the original Main Western Line that extended the railway beyond the Blue Mountains into western NSW. The western extension of the railway, of which the Marrangaroo railway viaduct was part, was critical in the expansion of pastoralism and settlement in NSW. It facilitated the transportation of materials, goods and people, and its establishment contributed significantly to the economic and social growth of the state. The adjacent 1923 brick viaduct has historical significance as part of a second major phase of railway expansion in NSW through the duplication and deviation works of the Main Western Line from 1900s-1920s. This program of works contributed significantly to the capacity of the railway and facilitated continued development of western NSW.
SHR Criteria b) [Associative significance]	Marrangaroo railway viaduct is of state significance for its association with former Engineer-in-Chief and ‘father’ of the NSW Government Railways, John Whitton. As Engineer-in-Chief (1856-1890), John Whitton was a key contributor to the transformative period of railway building in NSW. Whitton was internationally renowned for overseeing the engineering feat of crossing the Blue Mountains through zig zag approaches and stone railway viaducts. The sandstone viaduct at Marrangaroo is one of nine stone arch viaducts built as part of the Sydney to Bathurst railway. Whitton’s use of sandstone viaducts is a distinctive departure from the more common timber railway bridge and instantly recognizable as his work.
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	Marrangaroo railway viaduct has state significance as a demonstration of aesthetic and technical changes between two major rail constructions periods in NSW. The 1870 sandstone viaduct over Marrangaroo Creek, with its distinctive curved alignment is an impressive and highly visible structure. The viaduct is an important example of mid 19th century railway engineering, representative of the period of rapid railway expansion under economic constraint in colonial NSW. It demonstrates John Whitton’s innovative design principles and use of locally available materials as a response to both the then government’s cost-efficiency measures and the challenging natural environment of the Blue Mountains region and Lithgow valley. The sandstone viaduct is comprised of eight 9.1m semi-circular arches constructed of locally quarried sandstone. In this way, it demonstrates the adaptation of European engineering traditions to local Australian conditions. Its significance is enhanced by its location adjacent to the 1923 brick double-track viaduct. This viaduct was constructed as part of the Main Western Line duplication works. It is an intact example of brick arch construction in the 1920s, the last period in which these materials and technical design had widespread use by the NSW Government Railways. As part of this work, the 1870 sandstone viaduct was modified with a water pump and chimney, which is a very rare intact example of early 20th century water pump and chimney infrastructure on the NSW railway. Together, this pair of viaducts demonstrate the evolution of railway bridge design between two key periods of rail expansion in NSW, where the influence of 19th century British engineering approaches gave way to 20th century brick construction.
Integrity/Intactness:	Good integrity; Intact. Both viaducts retain their original fabric and materials. As the 1923 brick viaduct replaced the original 1870, little modification was required and consequently both viaducts are largely intact.
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.

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of act	Description	Title	Comments	Action date
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Standard Exemptions	HERITAGE ACT 1977 ORDER UNDER SECTION 57(2) TO GRANT STANDARD EXEMPTIONS FROM APPROVAL I, Penny Sharpe, the Minister for Heritage, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales and under section 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977: revoke the order made on 2 June 2022 and published in the Government Gazette Number 262 of 17 June 2022; and grant an exemption from section 57(1) of the Act in respect of the engaging in or carrying out the class of activities described in clause 2 Schedule A in such circumstances specified by the relevant standards in clause 2 Schedule A and General Conditions in clause 3 Schedule A. This Order takes effect on the date it is published in the NSW Government Gazette. Dated this 29th day of October 2025 The Hon Penny Sharpe MLC Minister for Heritage For more information on standard exemptions click on the link below.	Nov 7 2025

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		01046	02 Apr 99	27	1546
Heritage Act - s.170 NSW State agency heritage register

Study details

Title	Year	Number	Author	Inspected by	Guidelines used
Lithgow City Heritage Study	1999		University of Sydney		Yes

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written	Australia ICOMOS Railway Heritage Conference Pappers	1991	Guide to the special train tour from Sydney to the Great Zig Zag, Lithgow
Written	Christison, Ray	2014	'The church that helped the Chinese revolution'	View detail
Written	Denis Chamerlain	2010	Railway West Chronicles: Penrith to Orange,
Written	Fraser, Don	1995	Bridges Down Under; The history of Railway underbreidges in New South Wales,
Written	Gunn, John	1989	Along Parallel lines: A history of the railways of New South Wales
Written	Jack Ian	1991	Railways: An Archaeological Perspective,'
Written	Office of Rail Heritage NSW Railway Conservation	2012	Conservation Guide: Railway Bridges
Other	Prescott, A. M.	1986	Railway Structures of Heritage Signficance in New South Wales: A Preliminary Register
Written	R. F. Wylie and C. C. Singleton,	1959	The Railway Crossing of the Blur Mountains, Bowenfels to Wallerawang
Written	Robert Lee	1988	The greatest public works" The New South Wales Railways, 1848 to 1889,
Written	Rolwand R.C.C	1954	The Story of the New South Wales Railways,
Written	Sharp, Stuart	1984	A Survey of Railway Structures Summary Report
Written	Sharp, Stuart	1982	The Railway Stations of New South Wales 1855-1980 (Thesis)
Written	Thomas Richards	1879	The Railway Guide of New South Wales: For the use of tourists, excurisionists and others

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:	5012095
File number:	EF14/4888

Every effort has been made to ensure that information contained in the State Heritage Inventory is correct. If you find any errors or omissions please send your comments to the Database Manager.

All information and pictures on this page are the copyright of Heritage NSW or respective copyright owners.