Dornock Siding

Statement of Significance

The railway siding represents communication, transport and agricultural viability for the area. The site represents a way of life no longer practised

History

railhead. From 1913 Stileman was Chief Engineer of the WAGR, and his plan proposed the extension of the trunk line eastwards from Corrigin through to Forrestania which was planned for expansion under the Empire Immigration Scheme, sharing costs. In 1926 the Wagin line extended eastwards to a railhead at Lake Grace. Considerable lobbying from the Karlgarin community vied for an extension of the Corrigin line as outlined in the Stileman Plan. By 1927 fierce discussions were taking place. The motion to construct the trunk line east from Kondinin was put before Parliament in 1928. The Stileman Plan was subsequently defeated. As late as 1929 surveys were continuing for the Kondinin extension, and late in 1929 the Karlgarin town was surveyed, but in June 1930 the railway gangs commenced constructed at the Lake Grace end of the spur line to Karlgarin and Hyden, with Dornock a siding along that line.
The railway line did not come to Mordetta Siding until 1931, and the trains first ran between Lake Grace and Karlgarin in 1932. When the siding was opened in April 1933, it was named Dornock after a village in Scotland.
The train also catered for passengers in the early days of its service. The passenger train service ended in the early 1950s when the Railway bus took over. Local farmers carted their grain to the siding. The grain was in bags sewn at the top and loaded into closed wagons for cartage to Fremantle. In 1937, CBH built a bulk bin (capacity 1300 tons), at the siding. The siding consisted of the bin, weighbridge (where the bin attendant slept) stockyards for loading stock, and a goods shed where farmers collected their goods.
in 1956 a PRB bin was constructed, and there was also a pig pen for open storage. The bin was closed and demolished in 1973.
The railway line was closed on the 30 June 1957, however on the 15 January 1960, the line was re-instated for a trial between Hyden and Lake Grace. It has remained operation for the cartage of grain and superphosphate since that time.
A plaque was erected to mark the site in 1992, and trees have been planted.

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