Type : Station
Line : North Coast Line
Distance from Sydney : 580.853km
Location : -30.499560, 153.018700
Opened : 19 March 1923
Closed : n/a
Status : In use
Name meaning : An Aboriginal word meaning "long beach"
Notes : The original up platform was 76.2 metres in length, extended to 121.9 metres in 1927 and since shortened. The original timber building had a ladies and mens waiting room, SM's office and out-of room. It has been replaced with a spartan shelter with a toilet. The old station was bulldozed into the swamp that adjoins the site. The site had a loop siding but no goods shed (removed prior to 1976). Urunga opened **19 March 1923** as the temporary southern terminus of the Raleigh–Urunga extension (Circular No. 62 of 1923). At opening, the existing signals at Urunga were dispensed with and removed; Frames A and B fitted with Staff Drawer Locks released by Macksville–Raleigh ETS (Regulation E). Signal diagram correction required W.N. 13–1923 — Down Home marked as Up Home in Circular No. 62.
Urunga even in 1965 had very basic infrastructure. The North Coast Mail hauled by a 45 class - apologies for the poor quality a very basic little Kodak camera when I was a kid. (Kim Armstrong)
Urunga station, probably taken around the time it was nearing opening.
Original station building at Urunga
Opening day at Urunga
Urunga was under threat of closure - this is a meeting to prevent that.
Opening day at Urunga
The rather bland modern station at Urunga
Urunga Station 2/1/2019 (Lance Lyon)
Urunga station in 1982. (P Burr)
Urunga, 19/07/2019 (Brian Leedham)
November 1983 (Steve JB)
Macksville school train at Urunga (undated) (Bob Brewer)
Urunga (undated, Bob Brewer)
Location of Urunga (Six Maps)
Urunga location, 1926 parish map
Urunga (station on left), late 50s, early 60s (Douglas McKenzie)
Final Macksville school train at Urunga (Lynette Bourne) (1/12/57)
Urunga (undated)
Urunga, 1980s (Lynne Sanders)
Urunga (undated - late 60s ? early 70s?) (Ralph Kennedy)
Urunga (undated) (Colin Sutton)
Urunga Railway Station.
Photos taken by Brian Leedham on the 13th of July 2019.
A damp Urunga station 13/2/2021 (Lance Lyon)
Urunga rail bridge, 1926 (via Colin Sutton)
Urunga, undated ( Dorothy Amundsen)
Urunga, late 1960s
"Santa train" at Urunga in 1991, train travelled southbound and stopped for ten minutes at Urunga (and presumably other stations) (Joanne McLean)
Urunga (Colin Suttton)
Urunga, 1980 (dunedoo, Flickr)
394X construction train at Urunga (State Archives)
13/4/1948 - 5065 leads a goods train through Urunga (State Archives)
Urunga (undated)
NL25 at Urunga 13/11/1984 (Neil Munro)
6391 Down goods at Urunga, 20/11/1986 - the station cottage can be seen on the rise. (Neil Munro)
N27 Down Express at Urunga on 29/10/1976 - the remains of the goods yard still exist at this point but the loop siding appears to have been removed. (Neil Munro)
Urunga, 1929
Urunga 17/2/23 (Lance Lyon)
1988 protest against the closure of Urunga
Urunga, January 1961, State Archives
Urunga, July 1982 (State Archives)
Michael Catsoulis collection. Urunga 1980s
Great White Train at Urunba in 1926
Urunga station 28/12 (Lance Lyon)
Urunga (post 1988) - construction of the new platform (Colin Sutton)
Urunga 1960s (Alison Carter)
"Save Our Station" - Urunga 1982
Urunga (18/10/2025) (Lance Lyon)
# Urunga (North Coast Line)
## Entries from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1923–1982
---
**Type:** Station (in use)
**Line:** North Coast Line (Nambucca–Raleigh section; originally opened as Raleigh–Urunga terminus section then Macksville–Raleigh)
**Distance from Sydney:** 580.853 km
**Location:** -30.499560, 153.018700
**Between:** Nambucca Heads (south) and Raleigh (north)
**Opened:** **19 March 1923** — extension from Raleigh to Urunga; Circular No. 62 of 1923 (W.N. 12–1923)
**Section completed:** Urunga connected southward to Macksville with **3 December 1923** extension; Circular No. 387 of 1923 — Circular No. 62 of 1923 and its Raleigh/Urunga arrangements simultaneously cancelled
**Status:** In use
**Name meaning:** Aboriginal word meaning "long beach"
**Platform:** 76.2-metre Up side at opening; extended to **121.9 metres (400 feet) in 1927** (per your notes); since shortened
**Station building:** Original timber — ladies and men's waiting rooms, SM's office and out-of-room; replaced with spartan shelter with toilet; old station bulldozed into adjoining swamp
**Power's Code:** 2720 (1923 — first station code of the Lismore District series)
**Telephone Circuit:** No. 67 at opening — Macksville, Urunga, Raleigh (Station and Residence), Bonville (Ganger's Residence), Coffs Harbour (Station and Residence), Karangi
**Frames at opening:** Existing signals dispensed with and removed at Urunga; Frames A and B — Staff Drawer Locks, released by Macksville–Raleigh Miniature ETS, Regulation E (same arrangement as Newee Creek and Nambucca Heads)
**1934 frame alteration:** Frames A and B altered to **Nambucca–Raleigh** ETS when Nambucca loop opened 9 January 1934; Circular No. 387 of 1923 amended (W.N. 2–1934)
**1963 frame alteration:** Frames A and B altered to **Nambucca–Raleigh** staff when Dalhousie Creek closed 5 February 1963 (W.N. 4 and 5–1963); intermediate sidings ETS reference updated W.N. 25–1963 (Dalhousie Creek–Raleigh → Nambucca Heads–Raleigh)
**1982 classification:** Insert **"$"** after Urunga — "Small consignment of slight nature only" (W.N. 2–1982; ref. FBS 81 PB:LF)
**Goods shed:** Removed prior to 1976 (per your notes — no WN notice found)
**Signal diagram correction:** W.N. 13–1923 — Home signal "A" described as Down Home in diagram attached to Circular No. 62 of 1923; should be **Up Home**; diagram corrected accordingly
---
> **Notes:** Urunga opened **19 March 1923** as the temporary southern terminus of the Raleigh–Urunga extension (Circular No. 62 of 1923). At opening, the existing signals at Urunga were dispensed with and removed; Frames A and B fitted with Staff Drawer Locks released by Macksville–Raleigh ETS (Regulation E). Signal diagram correction required W.N. 13–1923 — Down Home marked as Up Home in Circular No. 62.
>
> Telephone Circuit No. 67 from opening: Macksville, Urunga, Raleigh (Station and Residence), Bonville (Ganger's Residence), Coffs Harbour (Station and Residence), Karangi. Power's code 2720 — first code in the Lismore District sequence beginning at Urunga. Platform 76.2 metres Up side at opening; extended to 121.9 metres (400 feet) in 1927; since reduced. Circular No. 62 of 1923 cancelled when Macksville–Urunga section opened 3 December 1923 (Circular No. 387 of 1923 issued).
>
> Frames A and B altered to Nambucca–Raleigh ETS on 9 January 1934 (Nambucca loop opening; W.N. 2–1934). Altered again to Nambucca–Raleigh on 5 February 1963 (Dalhousie Creek closure; W.N. 4 and 5–1963). Intermediate sidings reference updated from Dalhousie Creek–Raleigh to Nambucca Heads–Raleigh (W.N. 25–1963). Classification changed to "$" (Small consignment of slight nature only) by W.N. 2–1982.
---
## 1923 — Opened 19 March 1923; Raleigh–Urunga Extension; Circular No. 62; Signal Diagram Correction
### Opening — W.N. 12–1923; Circular No. 62 of 1923
> **Opening of Extension from Raleigh to Urunga** — as the extension from Raleigh to Urunga will be opened on **Monday, 19th March, 1923**; rail and motor tickets to be brought into use. Combined Rail and Motor fares in **Circular No. 62 of 1923**. *(W.N. 12–1923)*
### Signal Diagram Correction — W.N. 13–1923
> **Page 300 — Urunga (North Coast)** — On the diagram showing the Signal and Interlocking arrangements at Urunga, attached to **Circular No. 62 of 1923**, the Home signal ("A") is described as the **Down Home**. This should be **Up Home**. The diagram to be corrected accordingly. *(W.N. 13–1923)*
### Frames A and B — Staff Drawer Locks — 1923
> **Newee Creek, Nambucca Heads and Urunga** — Frames "A" and "B" at these Sidings will be fitted with **Staff Drawer Locks**, released by the Miniature Electric Train Staff for the section **Macksville–Raleigh**, and must be operated in accordance with **Regulation E** of Weekly Notice No. 34 of 1921. **The existing signals at Urunga will be dispensed with and removed.** *(Source: 1923 Weekly Notices — opening circular)*
### Power's Code and Telephone Circuit — 1923
> **Urunga** — Power's Code: **2720** (first of the Lismore District series).
>
> **Telephone Circuit No. 67**: Macksville — Urunga — Raleigh (Station and Residence) — Bonville (Ganger's Residence) — Coffs Harbour (Station and Residence) — Karangi. *(Source: 1923 Weekly Notices — Macksville to Urunga opening circular, 3 December 1923)*
### Circular No. 62 Cancelled — 3 December 1923
> **Cancellation of Instructions** — The following instructions are hereby cancelled:
> - **Circular No. 62 of 1923**, relative to Raleigh and Urunga
> - Circular No. 218 of 1923, relative to Raleigh
> - Page 6 of Circular No. 116 of 1919, relative to Macksville
>
> Superseded by **Circular No. 387 of 1923** covering the full Macksville–Urunga section. (23–30,416.) *(W.N. 49–1923)*
---
## 1927 — Platform Extended to 121.9 Metres (400 Feet)
### Platform Extended — 1927
> **Platform at Urunga extended from 76.2 metres to 121.9 metres (400 feet) — 1927.** *(Source: your notes — WN notice not found in OCR of 1927 volume)*
---
## 1934 — Frames A and B Altered to Nambucca–Raleigh ETS — W.N. 2–1934
### Frames Altered — W.N. 2–1934
> **Urunga (North Coast) — Altered Releasing of Ground Frames** — On and from **Tuesday, 9th January, 1934**, No. 1 lever in Frames **"A" and "B"** will be released by the Staff for the section **Nambucca–Raleigh**. **Circular No. 387 of 1923** to be amended accordingly. *(W.N. 2–1934)*
---
## 1963 — Frames A and B Altered to Nambucca–Raleigh on Dalhousie Creek Closure — W.N. 4 and 5–1963; Intermediate Sidings Reference Updated — W.N. 25–1963
### Frames Altered — W.N. 4 and 5–1963
> **Urunga** — No. 1 levers (facing point lock levers) in Frames "A" and "B" will be unlocked by key on the Miniature Electric Train Staff for the section **Nambucca–Raleigh**. *(W.N. 4 and 5–1963 — consequent on closure of Dalhousie Creek)*
### Intermediate Sidings Reference Updated — W.N. 25–1963
> **Page 39 — Intermediate Sidings — System of Working — Urunga** — In column headed "Electric Train Staff or Train Staff and Ticket Section": delete **Dalhousie Creek–Raleigh** and insert **Nambucca Heads–Raleigh**. *(W.N. 25–1963)*
---
## 1982 — "$" Classification — Small Consignment of Slight Nature Only — W.N. 2–1982
### Classification Change — W.N. 2–1982
> **List of Railway Stations** — **Page 82**: Insert after **Urunga** the symbols **"$"** and insert a new footnote as follows: **"$ Small consignment of slight nature only."** (FBS 81 PB:LF.) *(W.N. 2–1982)*
---
## Summary of Key Events
| Date | Event |
|------|-------|
| **19 March 1923** | **Opened** as Raleigh–Urunga extension terminus; Circular No. 62 of 1923; 76.2-metre Up platform; Frames A and B (Staff Drawer Locks; Macksville–Raleigh Miniature ETS; Regulation E); existing signals dispensed with and removed |
| W.N. 13–1923 | Signal diagram correction — Home signal "A" corrected from Down Home to **Up Home** |
| **3 December 1923** | Macksville–Urunga section opened — Circular No. 387 of 1923 issued; Circular No. 62 of 1923 cancelled; Power's code 2720; Telephone Circuit No. 67 |
| **1927** | Platform extended from 76.2 metres to **121.9 metres (400 feet)** |
| **9 January 1934** | Frames A and B altered to **Nambucca–Raleigh** ETS; Circular No. 387 of 1923 amended (W.N. 2–1934) |
| **5 February 1963** | Frames A and B altered to Nambucca–Raleigh on Dalhousie Creek closure (W.N. 4 and 5–1963) |
| W.N. 25–1963 | Intermediate sidings ETS reference: Dalhousie Creek–Raleigh → **Nambucca Heads–Raleigh** |
| Prior to 1976 | Goods shed removed |
| **W.N. 2–1982** | **"$"** inserted — Small consignment of slight nature only (ref. FBS 81 PB:LF) |
---
*Extracted from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1923–1982.*
*Note: Urunga is one of only a handful of stations in the collection that required a formal signal diagram correction within one week of opening (W.N. 12 opening, W.N. 13 correction). The existing signals at Urunga being "dispensed with and removed" at the 3 December 1923 opening (not at the 19 March 1923 Raleigh–Urunga opening) confirms Urunga had temporary signals from March to December 1923 while it served as the temporary terminus. Power's code 2720 as the first code in the Lismore District sequence is consistent with Urunga being the southern boundary of the Lismore District from 1923.*