Stuart Town Railway Station

Item details


Name of item:	Stuart Town Railway Station
Other name/s:	Ironbarks
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Transport - Rail
Category:	Railway Platform/ Station
Primary address:	Railway Street, Stuart Town, NSW 2820
Local govt. area:	Dubbo Regional

Boundary:

The curtilage for the railway station group is formed by the property boundary to the rear of the station building, the far side of the tracks opposite the platform and a line crossing the tracks fifty meters past each end of the platform. The boundary for the residence is the lot on which it stands. The site is legally defined by both Lot 7005 DP 1209933 and Lot 1 DP 770448. Please note this site is listed on the State Heritage Register (SHR) for which the curtilage may differ – see image gallery for more information. Any proposed development within the vicinity of the listed site should also consider the historic relationship between the listing and its surrounding area.

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
Railway Street	Stuart Town	Dubbo Regional			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:


	Stuart Town Railway Station is of state significance as one of the best examples of a third-class country station building on the NSW railway system. The station building dates from the opening of the line to Stuart Town in 1880 and is a fine Victorian railway station building with original fabric and fine detailing typical of the period. The substantial quality of the station building at Stuart Town shows the confidence and pride in railway construction of the period. The platform sign and brick platform all contribute to the historic setting of the station group.
	Date significance updated: 25 Sep 17
	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:	BUILDINGS Station Building - type 4, brick third class (1880) OTHER ITEMS Platform - brick Dock platform Foundation of former out-of-shed Timber picket fence along platform Signs STATION BUILDING (1880) The face brick station building is a small third class structure with awning to the platform supported on timber posts and brackets. The roof is gabled and clad in corrugated iron with corbelled brick chimneys with decorative barge boards and timber finials to gable ends. The rear entry to the building features a small timber entry porch with gabled roof, timber finial and arched window. The building features a central waiting room opening to the platform, a station masters office and a ladies waiting room. The toilets, once separate have been removed. Fenestration comprises timber double hung sash windows. Timber four-panelled doors feature fanlights and brick flat arch heads. PLATFORM (c1897?) Platform 1 is a convex side platform made of brick with asphalt, gravel surface and straight brick coping. Has been extended. There is also a terminal brick platform of brick construction. Early platform bench present. SITE FEATURES - Early cast iron fireplaces - Unusual timber door frames with geometric motif - Original timber ticketing window - Original ticketing cabinetry - Early Style Station Name Signage - Various potted plants along platform and well-maintained garden bed next to station building. MOVABLE NSW Railway heritage listed sites contain significant collections of stored movable railway heritage, including furniture, signs, operational objects, ex-booking office and ticketing objects, paper records, clocks, memorabilia, indicator boards and artwork. Individually, these objects are important components of the history of each site. Together, they form a large and diverse collection of movable objects across the NSW rail network. Sydney Trains maintains a database of movable heritage. For up-to-date information on all movable heritage items at this site, contact the Sydney Trains heritage team. Key items at this station include but are not limited to: Timber Framed Noticeboard 1/2 Timber Framed Noticeboard 2/2 Platform Waiting Bench
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	The station building and platform are in good condition.
	Date condition updated:22 Jun 09
Modifications and dates:	1909: Platform extended. 2016: Out-of-shed (c. 1888) demolished. Small corrugated iron shed with arched roof. 2017: HAZMAT removal
Further information:	The extant Station Master's residence is not RailCorp owned.

History

Historical notes:

Stuart Town is located on the Main Western Line. The single line railway from Orange to Wellington on 1 June 1880. The station was opened as Ironbarks on 1 June 1880 and renamed Stuart Town on 1 May 1889. The station opened with a brick platform and station building, a goods shed, Gate Keeper’s Cottage and Station Master’s residence. Historic plans of the building show a separate toilet block adjacent to the station building which is now demolished.

Further changes to the railway station at Stuart Town since opening include the crossing loop laid in (1896), a new platform and shed erected (1897), platform extended (1909), and electric power provided to station (1950). The station was closed on 10 April 1976 and the stock siding removed (1982) (Forsyth, 2008).

The SM’s residence still exists but is now privately owned.

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-
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.	Evolution of design in railway engineering and architecture-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	The site has historic significance to demonstrate the late 19th Century development of the NSW railways. The station building dates from the opening of the line at Stuart Town in 1880, and along with other related structures has the ability to provide evidence of a late 19th Century working railway precinct.
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	The station building dates from the opening of the line to Stuart Town in 1880 and is one of the best third class country stations on the NSW railway system. The building is a fine Victorian railway station building with original fabric and fine detailing typical of the period.
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 g) [Representativeness]	The site has representative significance for its collection of railway structures, including the station building, platform sign and brick platform that collectively demonstrate widespread late 19th 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 building and platform 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:

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	SRA s.170 Register	4801354

Study details

Title	Year	Number	Author	Guidelines used
State Rail Authority Heritage Register Study	1999	SRA354	State Rail Authority	No
Heritage and Conservation Register State Rail Authority of NSW	1993	304	Paul Davies for SRA	No
S170 Heritage & Conservation Register Update	2009		ORH	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	2008	NSW Railway Stations - An Alphabetical Arrangement of Railway Station and Place Names

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:	State Government
Database number:	4801354

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.

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