Taralga Line | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Overview | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other name(s) | Taralga Branch | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Status | Closed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Termini |
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Stations | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Service | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Operator(s) | Department of Railways | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
History | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Opened | 23 February 1926 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Closed | 1 May 1957 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Technical | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Line length | 25.30 km (15.72 mi) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number of tracks | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Taralga railway line is a disused branch railway line in the south of New South Wales, Australia. The line commenced at Roslyn and split off the Crookwell railway line to then run to the small town of Taralga. The line operated between 1926 and 1957 and is one of few lines in New South Wales that has been formally closed by an Act of Parliament. [1] Today all track has been lifted and little trace remains of the infrastructure associated with the line.
Demand for a railway line to Taralga existed from the mid-19th century. The town grew significantly in the 1860s, however remained isolated particularly during wet weather, when the poor quality roads in the region could become impassable. [2] A railway connection was seen as highly desirable if the town was to continue to prosper. In 1884, a delegation met with the Minister for Public Works requesting a survey be conducted of a potential route between Roslyn and Taralga, branching off the already surveyed Goulburn to Crookwell route, offering that any private land that would need to be resumed would be given to the Government to facilitate construction. [3] It was not until 1915 that construction of the line by the Department of Public Works was authorised through the passing of the Roslyn to Taralga Railway Act (1915) No 49, at an estimated cost of £87,353. [4]
The Premier of New South Wales, Sir George Fuller turned the first sod on 8 January 1923, following delays due to World War I, which led to the estimated cost of construction rising to £139,700, part of which would be subsidised by charging higher rates for transporting goods on the line compared to the rest of the New South Wales Government Railways. [5] and construction of the branch commenced, opening on 23 February 1926.
Initial services consisted of a mixed train running three days per week between Roslyn and Taralga, a journey taking an hour and fifteen minutes that was timetabled to allow connections onward to Goulburn and Sydney. [6] This soon became a daily service, however by 1930 it was cut back to twice a week due to a lack of traffic, with additional services operating only when demand required. The line was never profitable as traffic fell further and was formally closed on 1 May 1957, however the last train ran on the line in 1954. Typical goods carried on the line prior to its closure included livestock, wool and potatoes. [7] The tracks were lifted and removed by 1959, and very little infrastructure remains except for the former station building and platforms at Strathaird. [1]
Goulburn is a regional city in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia, approximately 195 kilometres (121 mi) south-west of Sydney and 90 kilometres (56 mi) north-east of Canberra. It was proclaimed as Australia's first inland city through letters patent by Queen Victoria in 1863. Goulburn had a population of 24,565 as of the 2021 census. Goulburn is the seat of Goulburn Mulwaree Council.
The Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line is a commuter railway line on the Sydney Trains network in the eastern and southern suburbs of Sydney. The line was constructed in the 1880s to Wollongong to take advantage of agricultural and mining potentials in the Illawarra area. In March 1926, it became the first railway in New South Wales to run electric train services.
Upper Lachlan Shire is a local government area in the Southern Tablelands region of New South Wales, Australia. The Shire was formed in February 2004 from Crookwell Shire and parts of Mulwaree, Gunning and Yass Shires.
The Australian state of New South Wales has an extensive network of railways, which were integral to the growth and development of the state. The vast majority of railway lines were government built and operated, but there were also several private railways, some of which operate to this day.
Taralga is a small village in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia, in Upper Lachlan Shire. It is located at the intersection of the Goulburn-Oberon Road and the Laggan-Taralga Road. It is accessible from Oberon to the north, Mittagong to the east, Goulburn to the south, and Crookwell to the west. At the 2016 census, Taralga had a population of 467. Taralga is located relatively close to the famous Wombeyan Caves. The town experiences a volatile climate and is sometimes affected by snow in the winter months.
Crookwell is a small town located in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia, in the Upper Lachlan Shire. At the 2016 census, Crookwell had a population of 2,641. The town is at a relatively high altitude of 887 metres and there are several snowfalls during the cooler months. The nearest major centre is the city of Goulburn which is about a half-hour drive to the south-east of the town. Crookwell is easily accessible to the state capital of Sydney and also the federal capital of Canberra.
The South Coast Railway is a commuter and goods railway line from Sydney to Wollongong and Bomaderry in New South Wales, Australia. Beginning at the Illawarra Junction, the line services the Illawarra and South Coast regions of New South Wales.
Minto railway station is located on the Main Southern line, serving the Sydney suburb of Minto. It is served by Sydney Trains T8 Airport & South line services.
Goulburn railway station is a heritage-listed railway station on the Main Southern line in New South Wales, Australia. Opened on 19 May 1869, it serves the city of Goulburn. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
The Main Southern Railway is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs from Sydney to Albury, near the Victorian border. The line passes through the Southern Highlands, Southern Tablelands, South West Slopes and Riverina regions.
The Crookwell railway line is a disused branch railway line in the south of New South Wales, Australia. Although it has never officially been closed, the line has not seen services since the late 1980s. It branched from the Main South line at North Goulburn and passed north through the localities of Kenmore and Roslyn to the town of Crookwell. As of 2020, there were proposals to convert the line into a rail trail.
The Lake Cargelligo railway line is a railway line in Central Western New South Wales, Australia. The first sod was turned commencing construction on 8 June 1913 with the line opening on 13 November 1917. The line branches from the Main South line at Cootamundra and travels in a north-westerly direction to the small town of Lake Cargelligo. The line is used primarily for grain haulage, although passenger service was provided until 1983.
The Tumut and Kunama railway lines are disused railway lines in the south of New South Wales, Australia. The Tumut line was a 104 kilometres (65 mi) long branch of the Main South line, branching southwards from it at Cootamundra and heading to the town of Tumut. The line served the towns of Tumut and Gundagai, where the line crosses the Murrumbidgee River with a large iron girder bridge and wooden viaduct. Villages on the line included Brawlin, Muttama, Coolac and Tumblong.
Breadalbane was a railway station on the Main South railway line in New South Wales, Australia at Breadalbane, New South Wales. It opened in 1875 and closed to passenger services in 1974. It was later completely demolished and little trace of the station now survives.
Roslyn railway station was a railway station on the Crookwell railway line, New South Wales, Australia. The station opened in 1902 with the opening of the line, and consisted of a 100 ft platform on the down side of the line with a loop siding on the up side. Cattle loading facilities and goods sheds were also provided. It was named after the estate of a local resident Dr Mitchell. In 1925, the station became the location of the branch line to Taralga, with the new branch extending off the loop line. The platform was shortened to 30 ft in 1969, and closed in 1974 with the cessation of passenger services. In 1975, the station and goods facilities were demolished. The line through Roslyn closed to goods traffic in 1984, and little remains at the site apart from the mainline track, the goods loading bank and the station master's residence.
The Crookwell railway station is a heritage-listed former railway station and now museum on the Goulburn-Crookwell branch line, Crookwell, Upper Lachlan Shire, New South Wales, Australia. The property is owned by the 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. It is under the care of the Goulburn Crookwell Heritage Railway Inc.
The Argyle Liberal and District Recorder was an English language newspaper published two times per week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, in Crookwell, New South Wales, Australia.
The Taralga Echo was a weekly English-language newspaper published in Crookwell, New South Wales from 1924 to 1927.
The Crookwell Gazette is an English language newspaper published in Crookwell, New South Wales, Australia. It was first published in 1885 and was also known as "The Crookwell Gazette and Binda, Golspie, Cullen, Laggan, Peelwool, Taralga, Tuena and Wheeo Advertiser", and as "The Crookwell Gazette and Settlers' Advocate". Some issues of the paper have been digitised as part of the Australian Newspapers Digitisation Program of the National Library of Australia.
Roslyn is a locality in the Upper Lachlan Shire, New South Wales, Australia. It lies about 20 km east of Crookwell and 37 km north of Goulburn. At the 2016 census, it had a population of 92. Roslyn railway station was a junction station on the now disused Crookwell railway line from 1902 to 1974 and the disused Taralga railway line from 1926 to 1957.