Railway Reserves Heritage Trail - History

History

It was created following the Western Australian Government Railways (the WAGR as it was commonly known) ceasing to operate on the Bellevue to Northam railway following the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway in 1966.

The first two attempts at the Eastern Railway from Bellevue to Chidlow, Western Australia both constructed before 1900 failed to have sufficiently low gradients for the increasing tonnages on the railway system. The Avon Valley route taken by the new Standard Gauge line, was the third and final attempt to take the railway system out of the metropolitan area across the Darling Scarp.

The first two Eastern Railway formations were closed by an Act of Parliament in the 1960s, and the lands were vested with the Mundaring Council. As a result most of the removable property of the WAGR - was removed from the reserve. Notably the Mundaring and Darlington concrete railway platforms remain, and approximately three telegraph poles remain along the original formation. Otherwise all rails, sleepers and buildings no longer remain. The Koongamia platform, although in use for only about five years, is currently being re-built.

Interesting exceptions to the removal of railway operations assets are the stationmaster's houses in Mundaring and Glen Forrest - these have been preserved and maintained. The Mundaring house is currently the location of the office of the Mundaring and Hills Historical Society.

Considerable alterations have been made to the original railway formations by telecommunication, power, road and other authorities. In parts, roads named 'Railway Terrace', and other old roads running parallel to the reserve remain unchanged.