Last time I wrote about my visit to Tocumwal, mentioning the Pacific National freight service from Tocumwal to Appleton Dock, Melbourne. The railway reached Shepparton in 1880, then was extended to Numurkah in 1881, Strathmerton in 1905 and finally to Tocumwal in 1908. Passenger services ran until 1986 but carriage of grain and livestock was the main source of revenue. So let’s go up the line from Shepparton to Tocumwal with a quick stop at each intermediate station site. Figures in brackets are the distance from Shepparton and population.
Congupna (7.1km, 620)
A now-disused siding served what is now a fertiliser depot. A mound of earth is all that is left of the former station platform. Next to the fertiliser depot there’s a park, Pony Paddock Park, and next to the park a primary school. The school has 54 pupils and a teaching staff of 8 – very different to the average city school! A plaque explains the park’s name:
PONY PADDOCK PARK
In the early days children either walked or rode ponies to Congupna Primary School. In 1922 provision was made next to the school to house students’ ponies during school hours. By 1934 some of the larger families came to school by horse and gig. The ponies were left in the Pony Paddock with feed and water and harnessed up again after school.
In 1976 the use of the Pony Paddock ceased as the family car took over. In the year 2000 the Congupna/Tallygaroopna Landcare members cleared and cleaned this paddock of all noxious weeds and trees and set about transforming this derelict area into a native park… which opened in December 2004.
Tallygaroopna (14.2km, 600)
The Goulburn Valley Stock and Property Journal, 15 March 1933, reported that:
“after careful consideration and close examination of six schemes for the bulk handling of wheat within the last five months, the experts appointed by the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. J.Allan) submitted their scheme to the Cabinet last week. The scheme is estimated to cost £2,000,000, and will include the erection of 160 country silos at railway stations with terminals at Williamstown and Geelong. … It is proposed to build silos of the following capacity at stations in the northern district: — 50,000 bushels at Rochester, Tallygaroopna, Wunghnu, Numurkah …”. The Tallygaroopna silo went into service in 1941 and was in use until 1987. The station also had stockyards for sheep and cattle.
According to the RBA inflation calculator, £2m in 1933 would be about A$250m now,
Wunghnu (23.5km, 334)
The weighbridge can still be seen as well as the silo. The Goulburn Valley Stock and Property Journal, 26 March 1941, reported:
WUNGHNU SILO Nearing Completion
The silo at the Wunghnu railway station being built by the Government to replace the grain shed is beginning to tower up, and when completed, will hold a considerable quantity of grain. The silo can be seen for some considerable distance, as it is well above the tree tops and still going up. It ought to make a wonderful look-out as well if there is a way left to get to the top.
Numurkah (30.4km, 4768)
As can be inferred from the population, Numurkah is a larger settlement than the others listed here. Next to rail tracks site Graincorp have a huge facility for processing Canola and other oilseeds, though everything is now moved in and out by road.
The station platform and footbridge still exist, and what I presume was formerly the station building is now occupied by a funeral director.
Katunga (41.0km, 996)
Another c.1940 silo. Before this was built, a good harvest could see 100,000 sacks of grain being stacked up for shipment.
Strathmerton (53.1km, 1072)
Nothing much remains except for the platform. Back in May 1899 “A very enthusiastic and representative meeting of farmers and others was” held at Strathmerton on Saturday night for the purpose of forming a league to agitate for the extension of the railway line from Strathmerton to Tocumwal.” It took some time. The Corowa Free Press, 14 July 1908, reported:
STRATHMERTON – TOCUMWAL RAIILWAY
“The new railway line from Strathmerton to Tocumwal crossing the Murray was opened on Thursday last. A large crowd of residents and railway officials were present. The first train was a sheep special of 40 trucks. The new station is equipped with a good yard and facilities for loading sheep and cattle. The ordinary passenger train came in on Thursday afternoon. It is intended to have a banquet later to celebrate the event.“
And for more on Tocumwal, see last month’s post.
Perhaps in time the silo art brigade will get to these silos – we can hope!
