The Bombala railway line is a branch railway line in the south of New South Wales, Australia. The northern part of it forms part of the main line from Sydney to Canberra, but the southern part is closed. It branches off the Main South line at Joppa Junction, south of Goulburn. The line is used by NSW TrainLink Xplorer services running between Sydney Central and Canberra station.
The line was opened in stages to Tarago (January 1884), Bungendore (March 1885), Queanbeyan (September 1887), Michelago (December 1887), Cooma (May 1889), Nimmitabel (April 1912) and Bombala (November 1921). [1]
The section of the line between Bungendore and Queanbeyan was the most challenging to construct, with three tunnels, a major sideling embankment along the Molonglo River gorge (also known as 'Pine Valley'), and two major bridges, across the Molonglo and Queanbeyan Rivers. [2]
The construction contract for the line from Bungendore to Michelago was awarded to Johnstone and Co., on 27 May 1884. They used 1,700 men on this section, with another 100 working around Tomakin to cut and saw timber. [3]
Queanbeyan station opened on 8 September 1887, [4] with work already well advanced on the extension to Michelago.
Michelago station opened on Wednesday, 7 December 1887. On the previous day, The Sydney Morning Herald published a detailed description of the engineering works done between Queanbeyan and Michelago. [5]
The contract for the Michelago to Cooma section was awarded to Walker & Swan on 18 August 1885. Cooma station opened on 31 May 1889. [6]
During construction of the railway from Michelago to Cooma, much of the major works in this section—four bridges, a tunnel and some cuttings and high embankments—lay between Michelego station and the far side of the Bredbo River. There was also a major bridge over the Numeralla River, The construction contractor had 600 men working on the line and living in tents. [3] [7] [2]
During the process of determining the site of the new national capital, consideration was given to extending the line to Bombala, Dalgety, and Delegate—all proposed national capital sites—with potential further extensions to the port of Eden and to reach the Victorian border to link to complementary extensions of the Victorian Railways. [8] [9] The later extension to Bombala, was not related to the national capital selection.
After Canberra was selected as the capital, work began in 1913, on a short line to connect the new capital to then existing Cooma railway, at Queanbeyan. [10]
The Cooma railway line, as it was known at the time, is nominated in the description of the Australian Capital Territory in the Second Schedule of the Seat of Government Acceptance Act 1909 . Although the railway lies entirely within New South Wales, from Brooks Bank Tunnel north of Burbong to the locality known as 'The Angle' (just south of the small settlement of Williamsdale), the western boundary of its corridor forms the border with the Australian Capital Territory. [11]
The line between Cooma and Nimmitabel opened in April 1912. [12] Work on the line beyond Nimmitabel was suspended, due to lack of funds during the First World War. [13] The extension of the railway to Bombala opened in November 1921. [14]
On 26 March 1986, the line south of Cooma was closed. [15]
Passenger services south of Queanbeyan ceased in September 1988. [16] A bridge carrying the line over the Numeralla River at Chakola was declared unsafe so freight services south of Queanbeyan ceased in May 1989. [17] However a special steam train service did operate through to Cooma a few weeks later, albeit without passengers over the bridge in question. [18]
The line between Joppa Junction Goulburn and Queanbeyan remains open, and is served by three daily NSW TrainLink Xplorer services in each direction operating between Sydney and Canberra. [19] The majority of freight traffic on the line are refuse trains for the Woodlawn Bioreactor at Tarago. [20] Fuel trains ran to Canberra until January 2009. [21] From 6 March 2015, a joint venture between Espee Railroad Services (owned by the ACT division of the Australian Railway Historical Society) and local company Access Recycling began operating weekly freight trains loaded with scrap metal from Canberra to Port Botany via the Canberra branch and Bombala line. [22] This service with ended when Espee and the Canberra Railway Museum closed.
The 49 kilometre section between Queanbeyan and Michelago was also re-opened in April 1993 for heritage tourist operation by the ACT Division of the Australian Railway Historical Society. [23] The line available for traffic was truncated to Royalla as it deteriorated, until finally being suspended at the beginning of 2007 as a result of storm damage.
To reopen the line, substantial sleeper replacement will be required, approximately 16,000 pieces. In addition, one major timber bridge, at Jerrabomberra Creek, will need to be replaced, and some other minor bridgework and other works undertaken. The ARHS was investigating a large pile of steel sleepers that would probably have been sufficient that were lying unused along the northern line. However recovery work plan was never completed by the ARHS. The ARHS formally relinquished its lease on the Queanbeyan to Michelago section of track in 2011, and has subsequently concentrated its activities to boutique novelty trips for Canberra's population on the Canberra to Bungendore section of the line. [24]
In October 1999 Freight Australia commenced operating log trains a couple of kilometres south of Queanbeyan to Hume. [25] This freight though has now ceased also, with a stop block being placed at Queanbeyan, at 321.72 km (199.91 mi), clear of Frame F crossover, signifying the current operational end of the Bombala line. [26]
At the Cooma end of the line, there is another heritage railway, the Cooma Monaro Railway, that was formed in 1992, when a group of local Cooma people decided to restore Cooma Railway Station. [27] After the group had restored the station, efforts were then made by the group to acquire some rolling stock and re-open a section of track. This came to fruition starting in 1998, with over 17 kilometres (11 mi) of railway track reopened and restored CPH railmotors operated between Cooma and Chakola. [28] [29] [30] Since January 2014, train movements though are suspended on this section of track while the CMR works towards compliance with the requirements of Rail Safety National Law. [31]
At the Bombala terminus, a railway museum has been created, with a view to increasing local tourism. It is highly unlikely that a tourist train service will be instituted though, with vast tracts of rail missing between Bombala and the preceding station at Bukalong siding. [32]
The section of track between Michelago and Chakola remains an obstacle for the reopening of the line between Queanbeyan and Cooma. Realignment of the Monaro Highway has in a few cases encroached on the rail line reservation [33] and there is also the rail bridge over the Numeralla River which would need to be replaced to meet modern standards. Hope has been raised a number of times for the full reopening of the section of rail between Queanbeyan and Cooma. In recent times, mining operations have commenced near Cooma.
There have also been calls for the line to be used for local services from Canberra through Queanbeyan to Bungendore. [34]
The future of the far section of line from Cooma to Bombala seems less certain. Originally designed for the area's farmers to move their cattle, sheep and produce, this section seems to have fallen victim to the modern age. [35] Early last century, the builders of the Cooma to Bombala line hoped that some continuity would eventually follow, with future rail construction and services from Bombala continuing down south across the Victorian border. This is evidenced by the main line and perway at Bombala continuing some distance past the station. This joining up with the Victorian Railways network never eventuated, despite Victoria having a rail line 100 km (62 mi) away at Orbost until 1987.
In August 2018 the NSW government announced a $1m feasibility study to examine re-opening the Canberra to Bombala rail line, as well as the extension of the line to the Port of Eden. [36] [37] The feasibility study (May 2020) concluded that a Canberra to Eden rail line was not viable, due to high costs and low returns, with a benefit-cost ratio of 0.1. [38]
Further damage was done to the line during the bushfire season of 2019-2020, with some wooden sleepers being burned out along the line between Colinton and Bredbo. There is now a road through a break created in the embankment just north of Michelago station. [39] There are a number of large timber bridges, as well as smaller timber culverts, on the line between Michelago and Cooma. Local residents saved the bridge across Michelago Creek from a planned demolition, in late 2016. [40] However, after over three decades, without significant maintenance work, the bridges are inevitably deteriorating in condition, as time passes. Photographs from April 2024 showed the Bombala Railway Precinct to be in reasonable condition including the station buildings. [41]
A rail trail has been proposed for the line, between Queanbeyan and Bombala, as a means to preserve and make use of the rail corridor and its remaining heritage features, [42] although that could conflict with any plans to reopen the tourist railway near Cooma. In August 2022, the NSW Parliament passed, Transport Administration Amendment (Rail Trails) Bill 2022, which has the objective of facilitating the use of disused railway lines as rail trails, and specifically allows the removal of railway tracks and other works for that purpose. [43] [44] In December 2022, $273,000 was provided, by the NSW Government, to complete the Development Plan for the rail trail between Queanbeyan and Cooma. [42]
The disused line south of Cooma is extensively featured within a 30-minute piece of digital art entitled "En Route" by Sue Healey. [45] The disused station at Jincumbilly is the most clearly identifiable section used. This is currently[ when? ] viewable on Wynscreen, a 23 m (75 ft)-long video screen constructed as part of the Wynyard Walk project. [45] [46]
Monaro Highway is a 285-kilometre-long (177 mi) highway in Victoria, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory, in Australia, linking Cann River in Victoria to Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) via the Monaro region. From its southern terminus, it follows the nearby Cann River upstream towards the New South Wales border through heavily forested terrain. Within New South Wales (NSW), it makes its way through further forest before reaching the pastures typical of the Monaro. There are multiple towns and villages along the highway, including Bombala, Nimmitabel and Cooma. The terrain within the Monaro is largely hilly, and there are numerous crossings. The road also parallels the former Bombala railway line in several locations. Within the ACT, the road becomes a high volume roadway and serves the southern suburbs of Canberra. The highway has more recently had a grade-separated dual carriageway extension constructed within Canberra, as part of the Eastern Parkway construction project. It is designated part of route M23, and route A23 within Canberra, and route B23 within Victoria and New South Wales, with a concurrency where it also carries route B72 between the two sections of Snowy Mountains Highway.
Cooma is a town in the south of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 114 kilometres (71 mi) south of the national capital, Canberra, via the Monaro Highway. It is also on the Snowy Mountains Highway, connecting Bega with the Riverina.
Michelago is a village in the Monaro region of New South Wales, Australia. The village is in the Snowy Monaro Regional Council local government area, 54 kilometres (34 mi) south of Canberra on the Monaro Highway. It was founded in the 1820s, on the main route from Sydney to the Snowy Mountains. Its name is also applied to the surrounding area, for postal and statistical purposes. At the 2016 census, Michelago had a population of 642.
Monaro, also known as Maneroo (1856–1858), Monara (1858–1879) and Manaro (1894–1904) is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is currently represented by Steve Whan of the Labor party since the 2023 New South Wales state election.
Queanbeyan railway station is a heritage-listed railway station located on the Bombala line in New South Wales, Australia. It serves the town of Queanbeyan.
The Great White Train was an effort in the 1920s by Sydney based industrialists to convince Australians to Buy Australian Made.
The Captains Flat railway line was a country branch line in the Southern Tablelands region of New South Wales. The line branched off the Bombala line at Bungendore Junction, 5 km south of Bungendore and terminated 34 km further south at Captain's Flat.
Williamsdale is a locality situated immediately on the south-east side of the New South Wales border abutting the locality of Williamsdale in south-eastern Australian Capital Territory, Australia. The Monaro Highway and the former Bombala railway pass through the village. A railway station saw service from 1891 until 1975. The postcode is 2620.
Tarago railway station is a heritage-listed railway station located on the Bombala line in New South Wales, Australia. It serves the town of Tarago. It was built in 1884 by G. & C. Horn. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
Bungendore railway station is a heritage-listed railway station located on the Bombala line in New South Wales, Australia. It serves the town of Bungendore. The design of the station has been attributed to John Whitton. It was built in 1884-85 by contractor J. Jordan. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
The Cooma Monaro Railway (CMR) is a heritage railway museum in Cooma, New South Wales, Australia. It is based at Cooma railway station on the Bombala line. It previously operated services on a 18 kilometre section of the line.
The Snowy Monaro Regional Council is a local government area located in the Snowy Mountains and Monaro regions of New South Wales, Australia. The council was formed on 12 May 2016 through a forced merger of the Bombala, Cooma-Monaro and Snowy River shires.
Colinton is a locality in the Snowy Monaro Region, New South Wales, Australia. At the 2021 census, it had a population of 115. There was once a village and railway station of the same name.
Chakola is a locality in the Snowy Monaro Region, New South Wales, Australia. It lies on both sides of the Murrumbidgee River and both sides of the Numeralla River. It also lies on both sides of the Monaro Highway about 100 km south of Canberra and about 25 km north of Cooma. At the 2016 census, it had a population of 47.
Bunyan is a locality in the Snowy Monaro Region, New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the eastern side of the Murrumbidgee River and on both sides of the Monaro Highway about 110 km south of Canberra and about 10 km north of Cooma. At the 2016 census, it had a population of 152.
The Ingalara Creek railway bridge is a heritage-listed former railway bridge that carried the Bombala railway line across Ingalara Creek at Michelago in the Snowy Monaro Regional Council local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by John Whitton in his capacity as Engineer-in-Chief for Railways and built in 1889. It is also known as the Michelago Rail Bridge over Ingalara Creek and the Ingalara Creek Railway Viaduct. The property is owned by Transport Asset Holding Entity, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. On 1 December 2020, changes were made to exemptions relating to the bridge's heritage status.
The Bredbo River railway bridge is a heritage-listed former railway bridge carrying the Bombala railway line over the Bredbo River at Bredbo in the Monaro region of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by John Whitton in his capacity as Engineer-in-Chief for Railways and built from 1881 to 1889. It is also known as the Bredbo Rail Bridge and the Bredbo River Railway Viaduct. The property is owned by Transport Asset Holding Entity, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. On 1 December 2020, changes were made to exemptions relating to the bridge's heritage status.
The Queanbeyan railway bridges over Queanbeyan and Molonglo Rivers are two heritage-listed railway bridges that carry the Bombala railway line in the Queanbeyan-Palerang Region local government area of New South Wales, Australia. Both bridges were built between 1926 and 1927. The westernmost bridge crosses the Queanbeyan River from Queanbeyan to Queanbeyan East at 35.3424°S 149.2317°E, while the easternmost bridge crosses the Molonglo River at Burbong at 35.3371°S 149.3191°E. The two railway bridges are owned by Transport Asset Holding Entity, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. Together, the two bridges were added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
Arnott Street Railway Bridge was a small, isolated railway bridge in Canberra, most famously used by soviet agent Vladimir Petrov in 1954 as a dead drop location for the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO). The bridge was used as part of the Bombala railway line before it was demolished in 2018.
Tuggeranong is a former railway station, sometimes referred to as Tuggeranong Siding or Tuggeranong Platform, that was located on a now-disused portion of the Bombala railway line.
Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence .
{{cite magazine}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
| |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
