Wondabyne railway station explained

Wondabyne
Style:NSW TrainLink
Address:Mullet Creek, Wondabyne
Country:Australia
Coordinates:-33.4922°N 151.2569°W
Elevation:5m (16feet)
Distance:65.15km (40.48miles) from Sydney Central
Line:Main Northern
Structure:Ground
Platform:2 side
Tracks:2
Parking:No
Accessible:No
Electrified:Yes
Code:WDB
Owned:Transport Asset Holding Entity
Operator:NSW TrainLink
Former:Mullet Creek Junction (1889-1890)
Hawkesbury Cabin (1890-1891)
Passengers:
  • 8,490 (year)
  • 23 (daily)[1]
Pass Year:2023[2]
Pass System:NSW TrainLink
Web:Transport for NSW

Wondabyne railway station is a heritage-listed railway station and request stop located on the Main Northern line in New South Wales, Australia. It serves the southern Central Coast area known as Wondabyne and opened on 1 May 1889.[3] It is the only station in Australia that does not have road access.[4]

Wondabyne station is mainly used by trail goers on the Great North Walk and the homeowners who live on the other side of Mullet Creek which is a tributary of the Hawkesbury River. It a favoured spot of trainspotters.[5] The area has a quarry that is used intermittently and several houses which can only be accessed by boat from a jetty next to the station.

History

Wondabyne station was constructed with the Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge.[6] Between 1888 and 1897, before the bridge opened, and after Woy Woy Tunnel was opened, railway traffic took a ferry from a temporary dead end at Mullet Creek, 400 metres north of Wondabyne station.

The station was originally opened as Mullet Creek Junction, after the nearby creek,[7] as the station was built for its development of the quarry. It was renamed Hawkesbury Cabin in 1890 and finally Wondabyne on 15 January 1891 after Mt. Wondabyne close to the railway station across the bay.

Wondabyne was also renowned for its maritime transport industry.[8] Along its creek are squatter houses which housed fishermen; the area is still used for recreational fishing. Wondabyne was once a busy area and had a pub called The Centennial, which closed in 1891 shortly after the Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge was opened. There were also steamboat services, which took passengers from Wondabyne station along the Hawkesbury River to Brooklyn.

In April 1939, Wondabyne station was relocated to the current site.[9]

Platforms and services

Wondabyne has two side platforms and despite the station's short length, less than one carriage long – it is fully equipped with an Opal card reader,[4] announcements of approaching trains, security cameras, printed timetables and other posters relevant to the railways. The platforms are classified as SP1r (Alight from last car's rear door).

This station is one example of train stations that uses selective door operation.

Wondabyne is serviced by NSW TrainLink Central Coast & Newcastle Line services travelling from Sydney Central to Newcastle. It is a request stop with passengers required to notify the guard if they wish to alight and wave at the driver if they want to board. In both cases the rear door of the rear carriage corresponds with the platform.

External links

Notes and References

  1. This figure is the number of entries and exits of a year combined averaged to a day.
  2. Web site: Train Station Monthly Usage . Open Data . 26 January 2024.
  3. http://www.nswrail.net/locations/show.php?name=NSW:Wondabyne Wondabyne Station
  4. News: Richard Noone . Wondabyne NSW: The only train station in Australia inaccessible by road . The Daily Telegraph. Sydney . 13 April 2015.
  5. Web site: Thorpe . Will . 2024-05-21 . Onlookers dazzled by newfangled iron horse . 2024-05-21 . . en-AU.
  6. News: Wondabyne NSW: The only train station in Australia inaccessible by road . 13 April 2015 . 14 July 2024 . Richard . Noone . The Daily Telegraph.
  7. Web site: Peninsula News - 10 Apr 2006 . 2024-07-14 . peninsula.news.
  8. Web site: HMS - ViewItem . 2024-07-14 . www.hms.heritage.nsw.gov.au.
  9. Web site: Wondabyne Station . 2024-07-14 . nswrail.net.