Meekatharra–Wiluna railway

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The Meekatharra to Wiluna railway was a 113 miles (182 km) branch line of the Western Australian Government Railways that extended the Mullewa – Meekatharra railway from Meekatharra to Wiluna. Wiluna was the furthest rail terminus from Perth on the Western Australian Government Railways system and Paroo the highest station at 1,916 feet (584 m) with the highest point on the Western Australian railway network at 2,134 feet (650 m).[1]

Overview[]

Construction began in the late 1920s,[2] and the line operated between 1932 and 1957, mainly serving the Wiluna gold mining area.[3]

However Wiluna was also at the end of the 1,900 kilometres (1,200 mi) Canning Stock Route from Halls Creek in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, and so the railway became a vital means of dispatching cattle intended for southern markets.[4]

The track was susceptible to washaways.[5][6]

Intermediate stopping points[]

  • Meekatharra - 600 miles (970 km)[7] from Perth
  • Gnaweeda - 615 miles (990 km)[7]
  • Richardson - 628 miles (1,011 km)[7]
  • Yaganoo - 628 miles (1,011 km)[7]
  • Paroo – 667 miles (1,073 km)[7]
  • Wiluna - ~709 miles (1,141 km)[7]

Closure[]

The two sections - Meekathara to Paroo (107.7 km) and Paroo to Wiluna (68.3 km) were closed on 5 August 1957.[8]

References[]

  1. ^ "HIGH SPOT". The Sunday Times. Perth: National Library of Australia. 8 September 1946. p. 7. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  2. ^ "The Wiluna Railway". Geraldton Guardian. 15 December 1927. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  3. ^ Montgomery, A. (1927) Report on the request of the Wiluna Gold Mines, Limited, for railway connection of Wiluna with the State railway system Perth : Govt. Printer.
  4. ^ "The Canning Stock Route". The Lyons Den. Morrie Lyons. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  5. ^ "WILUNA TRAIN STILL HELD UP BY TORRENT". The Mirror. Perth: National Library of Australia. 14 February 1942. p. 1. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  6. ^ "RAIL WASHAWAYS". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 1 March 1947. p. 13 Edition: SECOND EDITION. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Historic Australian Rail Maps". www.railmaps.com.au. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  8. ^ Quinlan, Howard; Newland, John R; New South Wales Division of the Australian Railway Historical Society (2000), Australian railway routes 1854 to 2000 (1st ed.), Australian Railway Historical Society - New South Wales Division, ISBN 978-0-909650-49-0


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