This was a enormously important event for our town giving people a chance to travel, unhindered by boggy roads during times of rain and flooding and brought fresh vegetables, much needed groceries, importantly the mail and parcels and freight.  This event was celebrated with the steam locomotive cutting the ribbon stretched across the line on arriving at the station and the Minister for Works, Mr Lee, congratulated the people of Walgett on finally  having their railway line completed.  There followed a street procession down the main street, horse and buggy style! No person in Walgett owned a motor car until 1909.

This novel way of transport for Walgett thrived and grew for many years.  We called the train the North West Mail, although correctly, a couple of carriages, broke off the Mail Train at Narrabri, with the larger part of the train travelling North to Moree and Walgett’s section, turning West through Narrabri West, Wee Waa, Burren Junction, Cryon, dropping mail, papers and groceries at the sidings of Inverness, Kootiney, Beanbri, Keil Keil, Waminda and Eurie Eurie on the way to Walgett.  The train driver always blew the loco whistle as he was coming over the 2 Mile Bridge (viaduct) near the Walgett Silo.  This was clearly heard by people waiting at the Station and they knew that the train was not far away.

It seemed to be imperative that when travelling on the train, one must be dressed in his / her best.  Gentlemen in suits, ties and hats and ladies also in suits, hats and gloves, children were also dressed in their best.  When we look back and think of the black smoke puffed out by the old locomotives and the soot and cinders distributed all over the carriages, it must have caused some problems and consternation for cleaning.

The railway thrived for many years, being an important centre for shipping out the wool, at one stage we held a record for the amount of wool sent to the selling centres of Newcastle and Sydney.  Walgett also had yards and loading facilities to load sheep and cattle being sent to Homebush Saleyards in Sydney.

Walgett had a station master’s residence, barracks for the staff, a water tank, a turntable, goods shed and weighbridge. 

In later years, as roads and motor cars became the norm, rail travel and freight, dropped off and for a few years before final closure of the rail to Walgett in 1987, we were serviced by a one or two carriage light diesel rail motor.  When this ceased running, Walgett Shire Council leased the building from the State Rail Authority in 1990 to 1994, when the building was donated to Walgett Shire Council, with an undertaking to find a community use for the building and carry out maintenance on the building, which unfortunately did not happen and the Railway Station left unattended was damaged by vandalism.

This prompted Walgett Shire Council to relocate the building to prevent further damage.   This was done in 1994 when it was moved to its present position sitting on 44 gallon drums in a paddock.  It has deteriorated considerably being exposed to the elements, birds and vermin. 

This building is the last remaining link of railway in Walgett.   The Walgett Historical Society has spoken the Australian Railway Historical Society and Railway Transport Museum who have advised that the type of railway station represented by the Walgett building is now very rare. 

As it is part of Walgett History, the Historical Society is really keen to save this building, find a use for it, have it relocated and restored, but does not have the resources.  Council was asked if it could assist, but it is a big ask of Council to expend public money for no certain return and the fact that the building was moved from its original site, no heritage assistance is available to the best of our knowledge.

So the word is HELP!  Is there anyone out there who would be interested in the old building, maybe finding a commercial or community use for it? That would be wonderful.

Council is proposing calling for expressions of interest in the old building, and proposes demolition if there are none.

Any interested persons or groups, please contact Walgett District Historical Society, Margaret Weber, phone 02 68 281 910, mobile 0428 281 910 or email margweber@bigpond.com, or Noreen Dunn, phone 02 68 281 252.