Couridjah Railway Station

Item details


Name of item:	Couridjah Railway Station
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Transport - Rail
Category:	Railway Platform/ Station
Primary address:	Bargo River Road, Couridjah, NSW 2571
Local govt. area:	Wollondilly

Boundary:

North: 20m north of platformSouth: 20m north of platformEast: Property boundary as identified in Vesting Plan R30494.West: Property boundary as identified in Vesting Plan R30494.

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
Bargo River Road	Couridjah	Wollondilly			Primary Address

Owner/s

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

Statement of significance:


	Couridjah Railway Station is of significance at a state level for its rare non-standard timber station building dating from the opening of the original Great Southern Railway from Picton through to Mittagong in 1867. The extant structures provide tangible evidence of the pattern of early settlement and development in the area, with Couridjah having served as an important water fuelling point and an important transport link before the main line was deviated in 1919. The loop-line is now highly significant as a major centre for rail heritage preservation in NSW associated with the NSW Rail Transport Museum at Thirlmere and is an important centre for railway enthusiasts in NSW.
	Date significance updated: 27 Nov 09
	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


Physical description:	ITEMS Station Building - type 9 (1867) Platform and Sign Water Columns STATION BUILDING A small timber one-room waiting shed with gabled roof clad in corrugated metal extending to form platform awning with non-standard brackets. The building features a brick chimney to one side. Inside the building is a seat bench with the name 'Picton Lakes' painted on it. PLATFORM (1919) The platform face is brick with station sign on the platform. WATER COLUMNS Three nearby water columns (approx 100m north and south of the station) are also extant. They fall outside the curtilage but form part of the Couridjah Station locality.
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	Generally in good condition.
	Date condition updated:11 Nov 09
Modifications and dates:	1919: Deviation from Picton to Mittagong was opened to reduce grades and the original line became the “loop” line. Original 1867 platform likely replaced at this time. 1970s - Line closed for passenger services. 1975 – Opening of NSW Rail Transport Museum at Thirlmere 1987 – Section between Colo Vale and Braemar closed for traffic


Current use:	Tourist Platform
Former use:	Railway Station

History

Historical notes:

Following the first railway from Sydney to Parramatta Junction in 1855, proposals for the first railways to the rest of NSW were driven by improved transport for wool from the inland centres of Goulburn, Bathurst, Singleton and Muswellbrook. When John Whitton arrived in Sydney in December 1856 to take up his position as Engineer-in-Chief of the NSW Railways, “he understood his job was to plan the extensions which would take the infant railway into the interior of Australia. At that time only the railway from Sydney to Liverpool was open, just twenty-one miles (34km) in length” (Lee, 2000, p98).

The line from Liverpool to Campbelltown was one of the first sections of line completed by Whitton in 1862. The line was extended to Picton in 1863 and was extended on to Mittagong via a large loop line in 1867 as ‘the Great Southern Line’. Several small stations opened along the line between Picton and Mittagong, with small communities growing around them, they included Thirlmere (1885), Couridjah (1867), Buxton (1893), Balmoral (1878), Hilltop (1878), Colo Vale (1883) and Braemar (1867).

A small timber waiting room was constructed at Couridjah in 1867 as part of opening of the line. Originally named after the lakes nearby, the station opened as Picton Lagoons Tank (1867) and was changed to Picton Lagoons in 1891 then to Couridjah (1929) after the parish name. Making use of the abundance of a large supply of nearby freshwater, a pumphouse was built at the lakes and fed to water columns at the station for servicing steam locomotives and for water supply to the settlement of Couridjah (JRC, 1992).

Historic plans show a former signal box and lamp room along the platform, with a nearby rail residence and locomotive facilities such as sidings, water spouts, ash pit and a sand furnace (RailCorp Historic Plans).

The line from Picton to Mittagong, however, was considered a steep gradient too challenging for locomotives. Prior to 1919 a number of small deviations were made to ease grades and the old alignment cuttings and embankments are still visible.In 1919 a deviation from Picton to Mittagong was opened to reduce grades and the original line became the “loop” line. The new main line built on a shallower grade followed the line of the Great South Road through the towns of Tahmoor, Bargo and Yerrinbool. The loop line and stations still continued to be used for passenger services until the 1970s.

Established in 1962, The New South Wales Rail Transport Museum opened the Thirlmere Rail Heritage Centre in 1975, with tourist trains using the historic loop line. Today the line is owned by RailCorp and is managed by RTM, with the section between Buxton and Picton being used by RTM for tourist operations on the weekend and other occasional tours from its base at Thirlmere.

The station building at Couridjah has been restored and is used as a stop for steam train excursions by RTM.

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
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-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Utilities-Activities associated with the provision of services, especially on a communal basis	Provision of railway water supplies-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Railway tourism-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	Couridjah Railway Station is significant as an important water fuelling point dating from the opening of the original line of the Great Southern Railway from Picton through to Mittagong in 1867. The extant structures provide tangible evidence of the pattern of early settlement and development in the area, having served as an important transport link before the main line was deviated in 1919.
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	The remnants of the Loop Line, namely the extant station buildings, platforms and signage are of aesthetic significance as examples of simple railway architecture provided for small regional locations, and are historic landmarks for the local towns within which they are located.
SHR Criteria d) [Social significance]	The loop-line is highly significant as a major centre for rail heritage preservation in NSW associated with the NSW Rail Transport Museum at Thirlmere and is an important centre for railway enthusiasts in NSW. The place has special associations with the staff and volunteers of the NSW Rail Transport Museum who continue to be instrumental in the on-going preservation and interpretation of the line.
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	Couridjah station building is a rare non-standard timber building from early in the development of the railway (1867), there being one other similar building at Raglan, and is of high significance, even though a modest building.
Integrity/Intactness:	The station building has a good 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:

1. Conservation principles: Conserve cultural heritage significance and minimise impacts on heritage values and fabric in accordance with the ‘Australia ICOMOS Charter for Places of Cultural Significance’. 2. Specialist advice: Seek advice from a qualified heritage specialist during all phases of a proposed project from feasibility, concept and option planning stage; detailed design; heritage approval and assessment; through to construction and finalisation. 3. Documentation: Prepare a Statement of Heritage Impact (SOHI) to assess, minimise and prevent heritage impacts as part of the assessment and approval phase of a project. Prepare a Conservation Management Plan (CMP) prior to proposing major works (such as new additions, change of use or proposed demolition) at all places of State significance and all complex sites of Local significance. 4. Maintenance and repair: Undertake annual inspections and proactive routine maintenance works to conserve heritage fabric in accordance with the ‘Minimum Standards of Maintenance & Repair’. 5. Movable heritage: Retain in situ and care for historic contents, fixtures, fittings, equipment and objects which contribute to cultural heritage significance. Return or reinstate missing features or relocated items where opportunities arise. 6. Aboriginal, archaeology and natural heritage: Consider all aspects of potential heritage significance as part of assessing and minimising potential impacts, including Aboriginal, archaeology and natural heritage. 7. Unidentified heritage items: Heritage inventory sheets do not describe or capture all contributory heritage items within an identified curtilage (such as minor buildings, structures, archaeology, landscape elements, movable heritage and significant interiors and finishes). Ensure heritage advice is sought on all proposed changes within a curtilage to conserve heritage significance. 8. Recording and register update: Record changes at heritage places through adequate project records and archival photography. Notify all changes to the Section 170 Heritage & Conservation Register administrator upon project completion.

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - s.170 NSW State agency heritage register

Study details

Title	Year	Number	Author	Guidelines used
State Rail Authority Heritage Register Study	1999	SRA310	State Rail Authority	No
S170 Heritage & Conservation Register Update	2009		ORH	Yes
Wollondilly Heritage Study	1993		JRC Planning Services	Yes
Heritage Platforms Conservation Management Strategy	2015		Australian Museum Consulting	Yes

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written	John H Forsyth	2009	NSW Railway Stations located within NP & Wildlife Reserve. Stone structure with renewed galvanised iron roof. Base for Tanga Street pump intact. Some water work remains. Pumpers residence across the road from Station - still in
Written	Robert Lee	2000	Colonial Engineer

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

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Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	State Government
Database number:	4801310

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