Menzies Railway Station Group

Child Places

• 23821 Station Master's House
• 23968 Residence
• 23888 Residence
• 23962 Residence

Statement of Significance

The place has aesthetic value, enhanced by the simple repetition of architectural elements and use of decorative timber joinery. The place is a representative example of railway station buildings in Western Australia built during the gold boom. The place is historically and socially significant as representative of the arrival of the railway in 1898. The railway provided a communication and transport link with other centres and allowed the town to develop rapidly.
The value of the place is enhanced as a component of an historic precinct comprising three identical cottages built to house trainsmen at the former Railway Station, the Station Master's Residence and the former Railway Station.

Physical Description

The long rectangular single-storey building is of local tuck-pointed brickwork. The building is covered by a timber framed hipped roof, with vented gablets, that is clad in cgi. A lean-to verandah roof stretches the full length of the passenger platform. The verandah roof is clad in cgi and is supported by radiating timber struts on stop-chamfered timber posts on timber bases. On the western elevation, the roof extends over a verandah that protects the central section of the facade. The verandah roof features two short gables, one at each end. The building exterior features a combination of single, recessed double-hung sash windows and large curve headed
openings that comprise a ticket window with decorative timber joinery divided into three lights. The opening has a timber sill ledge, five single-paned fan lights and a timber panelled door.
In 1903, refreshment rooms were created, and in 1949 were rearranged and renovated to accommodate trainmens' barracks. The lamp room was altered to provide toilet facilities, and the ladies' waiting room was converted to a liquor store until 1966, when the refreshment room liquor licence was discontinued.
Outbuildings including wood shed, latrine, engine shed, carriage shed, coal store, weighbridge, turntable and, sheep and cattle yards are no longer extant.

History

As the line snaked towards Menzies, there was agitation in the town over the site proposed for their railway station. Strong arguments were put that it was too far south of the town centre but public meetings, petitions and deputations to the Minister for Railways proved unsuccessful. The specifications in Smith & Timms' contract detailed a considerable building program within the Menzies station yard that included a station building, special design (stone); a passenger platform, 450ft long; a station master's house, second class (stone); a woodshed and latrine; a goods shed, 200ft long; an outside loading platform, 165ft long; a horse and carriage loading platform; a lamp room and latrines; an office and store; four platelayers' cottages (stone); four latrines; an engine shed with four stalls; two outside engine pits, 40ft long; a carriage shed, 100ft long; a coal store, 60ft long; a turntable; an engine water tank of 25,000 gallon capacity; a five ton crane; a weighbridge; sheep and cattle yards; 2,200ft of
picket fencing; and 12 wicket gates. [WAA - Acc 2620/2A/13] The earthworks of the Menzies line reached the town to ards the end of January 1898 followed in about seven weeks by the tracks. [MM 22/01/1898, p.21; Menzies Weekly Times 12/03/1898, p.7]
The erection of the stone station buildings at the northern terminus began early in March 1898, about a week before the last spike was riven in and the first locomotive steamed into town. At the time, most of Menzies' buildings were timber, iron and hessian, so the station was an addition on a grand scale. A contemporary description stated: "the station premises include a station similar to that at Kalgoorlie, goods shed, engine shed, carriage shed, station master's house, lamp room, store and fettler's cottages." [AW05/03/1898, p.2]
The new line was officially opened by the Governor, Sir Gerald Smith, on 22 March 1898. The buildings within the station yard would all have been completed soon after the opening ceremony. In August 1898, a Government weighbridge was erected [MM 13/08/1898, p. 16], and as the new head of the line, Menzies station became a hive of activity.
The year 1935, saw the establishment of a trainmen's barracks in Menzies stationyard. This was made up of a depot relocated from Kookynie to Menzies, and two permanent way camps brought from Gunga to provide two additional rooms. The completed complex comprised a block of six bedrooms with a detached building housing the kitchen, mess room and bathroom. The kitchen was severely damaged by fire in February 1942. Although repairs were made, by 1947 it was stated that the buildings had not been, in use for some years. Owing to acute shortages of accommodation back down the line that year, the kitchen block was moved to Salmon Gums, the accommodation block to Yellowdine. [WAA - Acc 1240 File R 2702/38]
Around 1938, the place was taken over by lessee Gordon Hack who introduced a refrigeration plant and installed electric light. Soon after he took over, the whole place was renovated and repainted.
Mrs Katherine Butcher, the last to lease the refreshment rooms, actually in part of the station building for a considerable period, and ran the place for over 27 years. She moved to live in the empty stationmaster's house in 1966, just after the refreshment room liquor license was discontinued.
The line through Menzies was replaced by a standard gauge line between Kalgoorlie and Leonora in 1974. [WAA - Acc 4774 Item CE 04232]
Julia Mines N.L. took over the building in 1987 for use as their headquarters. The building was restored and refurbished to provide modern office accommodation.

Integrity/Authenticity

INTEGRITY: High Degree
AUTHENTICITY: High Degree

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.