| Hobart | |
| Type: | Closed commuter rail station |
| Style: | Australian closed station |
| Platform: | 4 |
| Tracks: | 10 |
| Parking: | None |
| Bicycle: | None |
| Opened: | 1871 |
| Closed: | July 18, 1978 (Tasman Limited) June 22, 2014 (TasRail) |
| Status: | Closed |
Situated in the state capital of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, the former Hobart railway station was once the largest railway station on the Tasmanian Government Railways (TGR) network. Located on the Main Line, it provided passenger train services to Hobart's northern suburbs and served as the central terminus for the Tasman Limited, a limited express service linking Hobart, Launceston and Wynyard.[1]
Built in 1871 by the Tasmanian Main Line Company (TML), the station was significantly expanded in the early 1950s. Major upgrades included the addition of three 600feet long concrete cantilevered canopies, four platforms, a large concourse, and various amenities such as shopping stalls and food vendors.[2]
By the mid-1970s, the station handled over seventy commuter trains daily. However, with a decline in passenger numbers due to the growth of privately owned vehicles and the transfer of rail transport operations to Australian National Railways, the station's significance waned. The last Tasman Limited passenger service departed on July 18, 1978.
Following the announcement of the Sheraton Hotel masterplan, the station was sold and redeveloped into the headquarters of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in the mid-1980s. Sections of the track were removed to connect the Tasman Highway through Davey and Macquarie Streets.
On June 22, 2014, TasRail ended rail freight operations at the Hobart rail yard after 140 years of service as part of a strategy to consolidate and enhance intermodal container freight services. All freight operations were redirected to a new $79 million hub in Brighton.[3] [4]
In 2024, the Tasmanian Heritage Council added a 115m (377feet) rail shed constructed in 1915 at the former rail yard, known as the "Goods Shed," to the state's heritage register, recognising its significant role in Tasmanian rail history.[5]
Since the closure of the Tasmanian Government Railways, Hobart's public transport infrastructure has seen limited development, and a proposed light rail project (Riverline) has faced uncertainties due to political and financial challenges. Today, the redeveloped Hobart railway station site houses the studios of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, WIN Television and the Baháʼí Faith Centre of Learning, with the only remaining part of the rail terminal the original sandstone TML station building from 1871.[6]
See also: Rail transport in Tasmania. The Tasmanian Main Line Railway Company (TMLR) opened the line from Hobart to Evandale Road (later Western Junction) in 1876. This railway significantly reduced travel times between Hobart and Launceston, making transportation more efficient and accessible for Tasmanians.
During its peak in the 1930s and 1940s, the Tasmanian railway system was extensive, radiating from Launceston and Hobart to various regional destinations like Herrick, St Marys, and Marrawah. The railways were a major employer, offering a wide range of jobs and enabling widespread access to goods and passenger services.
In 1937, a proposed new railway station plan, outlined by Premier Albert Ogilvie, and submitted for consideration by the Public Works Committee, encountered mixed reactions. Designed with a 140feet frontage on Argyle Street and praised for its efficient layout by architect Colin Philp, the station aimed to boost suburban railway traffic. Estimated at £A225,600, including a 700yd tunnel under the Queens Domain to avoid public disruption, the project garnered technical approval despite objections from medical professionals at the Hobart General Hospital. They expressed concerns about space constraints, arguing that all available land near the proposed site was crucial for hospital expansion.[7] [8] Despite council intentions and proposals, the actual construction or establishment of a new railway station did not materialise. This delay can be attributed to competing political priorities, including the focus on Depression relief works such as the kunanyi/Mount Wellington summit road (1937) and other major civic projects such as the Royal Hobart Hospital (1939) and Hobart Bridge (1939). Additionally, the onset of World War II further diverted attention and resources away from infrastructure projects during that period.
Despite its historical importance and widespread use during its heyday, the Tasmanian railways faced challenges during World War II, leading to overuse and under-maintenance. In the 1940s, Hobart railway station was described as being in a dilapidated state.[9] Observers noted the poor condition of the seating, litter such as apple cores and papers scattered around, and structural issues like a shingle precariously hanging from a large hole in the roof. Despite the station's rundown condition, trains were reported to be arriving on time.[10]
By 1946, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works recommended the construction of a new parcels office and toilet facilities at an estimated cost of £A7,625.[11] This was part of a broader plan to eventually rebuild the entire station. The planned modern station was to include cafeterias, a nursery kindergarten, and a clock tower, among other amenities.[12] Discussions also included the potential for integrating a bus terminal with the railway station to create a combined transport hub, which would improve efficiency and reduce traffic congestion.[13] [14] Ultimately, in a post-war state hindered by limited economic prospects, political conversations rooted in bounded rationality continued until the conclusion of the decade. In 1949, Hobart railway station installed a new, nearly fully automatic weighbridge, costing £A2,000. It could weigh loads up to 50lt and weigh two goods wagons simultaneously. Verified by the Department of Weights and Measures, it was part of a larger program to install 14 new weighbridges across Tasmania.[15] During 1950-1953, significant discussions and decisions were made regarding the Hobart railway station. The Hobart City Council determined that moving the station closer to the Domain was impracticable.[16] [17] Instead, a modified plan was approved, including the widening of Park St. and considering an under-pass or over-pass for Macquarie St.[18] A new two-storey building was planned on the Domain side to house staff facilities, with an eventual demolition of buildings on the Park Street side.[19] Additionally, discussions on creating a viaduct over the railway near the station to improve traffic flow were held.[20] The new station plans aimed to meet modern standards and support the increasing suburban and passenger traffic. The new platforms at the Hobart railway station opened on Wednesday, 22 October 1952. This marked the first use of three out of the five new platforms constructed as part of the station's redevelopment.[21]
By the 1970s, declining passenger patronage and financial difficulties prompted the closure of many passenger services, including the last train from Wynyard to Hobart in July 1978.[22]
The Hobart railway station provided passenger train services to Hobart's northern suburbs and served as the central terminus for the Tasman Limited, a limited express service linking Hobart, Launceston and Wynyard. It also offered weekday service trains for employees of Cadbury's Chocolate Factory and Risdon Zinc Works during peak hours and special event services, such as the Hobart Cup and Royal Hobart Show.
See also: Tasman Limited. The Tasman Limited was the only named train operated by TGR (The West Coaster was operated by the private Emu Bay Railway). Inaugurated in April 1954, the train originally began as an express railcar service; however, later became a first-class luxury passenger service, operated with special articulated coaching stock, buffet service and modern X class diesel locomotives. Seating was reserved, and the service ran from Hobart railway station to Wynyard with connections to Launceston, every day of the week except Sundays.
The Tasman, as it was colloquially known, outlasted all other TGR passenger services, and was officially the last regular scheduled government passenger train to operate on the Tasmanian rail network, the last train departed Hobart at 9.20am on Friday 28 July 1978.
In addition to its passenger services, the station served as the city's transport hub for freight operations, featuring a rail yard, a goods station with goods sheds, and a traction maintenance depot with a railway turntable and roundhouse.
Erected in 1915, the single-storey goods shed is a timber-framed, rectangular structure, mostly clad in painted corrugated steel sheeting, measuring about 115x. The roof consists of two gabled sections. The interior features timber framing and trusses, original openings for timber sliding goods doors, and narrow, textured glass panels in white-painted timber frames, all deemed highly significant for heritage.[23] The structure was heritage-listed in 2024.[5] Under a current development proposal by Cox Architects, the Goods Shed will be relocated about north, forming part of the Macquarie Point Stadium precinct entryway.[24]
See main article: Railway Roundabout, Hobart. The Railway Roundabout is a 1960s roundabout, featuring a distinctive fountain designed by workers at the Cadbury factory, which won an international competition. Originally celebrated as a space-age gateway to the city, the fountain and surrounding area fell into disrepair by the late 1990s. However, a $370,000 restoration in 2012 revived its significance. The fountain, characterised by its Googie architecture, is now protected by heritage listing and continues to serve as a prominent community space, highlighted during events such as Dark Mofo.[25]
The Hobart Roundhouse, with a diameter of 334feet, was a significant railway roundhouse capable of accommodating 22,000 people and featuring a 75feet, electrically driven turntable, the largest in Australia, which could turn 60 locomotives per hour.[26] It served 45 engine roads and housed modern facilities like hydraulic lifts for removing locomotive wheels, hot water circulation for boiler cleaning, and various staff amenities. At its completion in 1915, the roundhouse was well-equipped with the latest machinery and powered by electricity.[26] Demolished in stages, with the final part removed in 1984, the roundhouse has inspired recent development proposals at Macquarie Point, including an unrealised 2015 masterplan by John Wardle[27] and the 2024 Macquarie Point Stadium precinct plan by Cox Architects.