Wirragulla

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Type : Station
Station Number : NC8
Distance from Sydney : 237.972km
Location : -32.462907, 151.742531
Opened : 14 August 1911, closed 20 October 1975, re-opened 1985
Closed : n/a
Status : In use
Name meaning : Aboriginal word meaning "a place of little sticks"
Notes : Log gallows added 11 July 1925, Siding removed 23 August 1955, Original station building removed 18 April 1985.
A station first opened at Wirragulla on 14 August 1911 and this station featured a proper platform. On 20 October 1975, the station was demolished and replaced with a wooden platform to reduce the maintenance costs.In the late 1990s it was proposed that Wirragulla, along with Allandale and Belford would be closed, as all three stations had extremely low patronage, and there were some safety concerns at these stations. The proposal to close these stations was later withdrawn and a new platform built. The station is the smallest on the North Coast line. The siding was enlarged in 1954 as part of the Newcastle sewer expansion as the area was a major staging ground for water pipeline construction. Siding abolished between 22-23 August 1955. (W.N. 33 and 36–1955) Name was mispelt as "Wiragulla" by the railways (who use both names in the WNs) until corrected when the station was rebuilt. The station is isolated with no houses nearby in the sparsely populated area. The station closed formally on 20 October 1975 along with Oakhampton, Airdrie and Hilldale, but trains 735, 722 and 745 continued calling for school children and mail bags (W.N. 42–1975). On 20 October 1975 the station was demolished and replaced with a wooden platform. The original station building was formally removed on 18 April 1985. The Weekly Notices use "Wiragulla" consistently through to 1960. The 1955 entries (W.N. 33 and 36) show both "Wiragulla" and "Wirragulla" (double-r) in the same year.

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The small platform at Wirragulla

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Location of Wirragulla (Six Maps)

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Dungog Chronicle, 01/07/1941

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One of the smallest stations on the North Coast Line: Wirragulla (near Dungog). One seat on the platform and one for the car park. (Ken date)

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Wirragulla, 6/5/2019 (Rob Rouse)

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Today's historic photo of the day: The station at Wirragulla, NSW, snapped through an open window of a Newcastle to Dungog 620 class railcar, November 1 1984.
I wouldn't call it a town, but Wirragulla is a rural locality on the NSW lower North Coast just south of Dungog.  The railway station is exactly 238km from Sydney (as you can see from the km post in shot) on the North Coast line.
In addition to interstate express trains travelling between Sydney and Brisbane, this section of track is served by local passenger trains between Newcastle and Dungog.
There are at least four fascinating points about this station.
Firstly, the status of this station (and others nearby) was a bit ambiguous at the time this photo was taken.  Officially, it had been closed to passengers almost a decade beforehand in 1975.  Whilst the train from which I snapped this shot sailed straight through without stopping (hence the slight blur), the train did stop that day to drop off passengers at Hilldale, an adjacent similarly 'closed' station.  I suspect these closed stations may have been unofficially used by locals by arrangement with train crews despite them being officially closed.  These stations certainly did not appear in the public timetables of the time.
Secondly, this station has subsequently been re-opened and is now a request stop which means trains between Newcastle Interchange and Dungog will stop here if intending passengers signal oncoming trains.  This puts Wirragulla (together with neighbouring Wallarobba, Hilldale and Mindaribba) in rarified company as some of the very few request stops on Australian railways today.
Thirdly, whilst the platform, station shed and nameboard seen here have all been removed, they have been replaced by a modern but remarkably tiny station.  The current day platform is long enough to serve only one door on a train, and is barely long enough to fit a bench seat.
And finally, the name itself.  Today the station is named Wirragulla, but as you can see from this photo, the 1980s sign spelt the name as Wiragulla, with just a single r.  I believe that historically the station name was spelt with one r until the construction of the new (short length) station probably in the '90s when the spelling was changed to match the official  locality name which does have a double r.

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An old timber overbridge at km. 238.800, between Dungog and Wirragulla as viewed from NT-4, the Up "Murwillumbah XPT" as it rounds the 20 chain radius curve. On the morning of 7-1-1997. (Graeme Kirkby)

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A view from the Northbound "Grafton XPT" at km.238.600, between Wirragulla and Dungog, on 25-3-1994. Note the four single-deck suburban cars, recently set up for a holiday stay place. (Graeme Kirkby)

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Wirragulla, 1982 - note the spelling. (State Archives)

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# Wiragulla (North Coast Line)
## Entries from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1911–1989

---

**Type:** Station (Unattended Platform; later School Platform) 
**Line:** North Coast Line (Wallarobba–Dungog section) 
**Station Number:** NC8 
**Distance from Sydney:** 237.972 km 
**Location:** -32.462907, 151.742531 
**Between:** Wallarobba and Dungog 
**Opened:** 14 August 1911 (with opening of Maitland–Dungog line) 
**Closed:** 20 October 1975 (W.N. 41–1975); re-opened 1985 
**Status:** In use 
**Name meaning:** Aboriginal word meaning "a place of little sticks" (OCR variant: "Wirragulla") 
**Station Brand:** WRG (at opening) 
**Original platform:** Down side; proper platform at opening 
**Log Gallows added:** 11 July 1925 (W.N. — 1925; not found in OCR text) 
**Siding enlarged:** 1954 (Newcastle sewer expansion — major staging ground for water pipeline construction) 
**Siding abolished:** **22–23 August 1955** — Frames A and B and connections removed (W.N. 33 and 36–1955) 
**Original station building removed:** 18 April 1985 
**Station Number:** NC8 

---

> **Notes:** Wiragulla opened on 14 August 1911 as an unattended platform with a Down side loop siding secured by Lever and Bracket Lock arrangements (keyed to the Paterson–Dungog staff). No person was in charge; green disc required for passenger pick-up. Station brand WRG allotted. Goods shunting time: 8 minutes.
>
> A log gallows (crane for timber loading) was added on 11 July 1925 — not found in OCR search of the 1925 volume, but confirmed by your notes. The siding was enlarged in 1954 as part of the Newcastle sewerage expansion — the area served as a major staging ground for water pipeline construction. The siding was abolished on 22–23 August 1955 — Frames A and B and connections removed; "all references to Wiragulla are to be deleted" with the exception of the passenger platform and station number (W.N. 33 and 36–1955). The goods siding abolition notice appears in two consecutive Weekly Notices (W.N. 33 published 18 August 1955; W.N. 36 published following week confirming completion and inserting "(P)" after station name).
>
> The station closed formally on 20 October 1975 along with Oakhampton, Airdrie and Hilldale, but trains 735, 722 and 745 continued calling for school children and mail bags (W.N. 42–1975). On 20 October 1975 the station was demolished and replaced with a wooden platform. The original station building was formally removed on 18 April 1985. The station re-opened in 1985 with the new platform, which is noted as the smallest on the North Coast Line. In the late 1990s Wiragulla, Allandale and Belford were proposed for closure due to low patronage and safety concerns — the proposal was later withdrawn and a new platform built.
>
> **Note on spelling:** The Weekly Notices use "Wiragulla" consistently through to 1960. The 1955 entries (W.N. 33 and 36) show both "Wiragulla" and "Wirragulla" (double-r) in the same year — both appear to be the same station, with "Wirragulla" being a variant or OCR error.

---

## 1911 — Opened; Station Brand WRG; Green Disc Required; Lever and Bracket Lock

### Maitland–Dungog Line Opened — 14 August 1911
> **Wiragulla** — station brand **WRG** allotted. All consignments prepaid under platform conditions. Passengers must **exhibit a green disc by day and light the lamp at night**. Guards must ascertain if passengers wish to alight at intermediate platforms. *(Source: 1911 Weekly Notices)*

### Lever and Bracket Lock Arrangements — 1911
> The Lever and Bracket Lock arrangements at Martin's Creek, Hilldale, **Wallarobba and Wiragulla** must be worked in accordance with Regulation "E," unlocked by key on the Ordinary Train Staff for the section **Paterson–Dungog**. *(Source: 1911 Weekly Notices)*

### Fares — Wiragulla to West Maitland — 1911
> **Wiragulla to W. Maitland** — fares listed (two entries in 1911). *(Source: 1911 Weekly Notices)*

---

## 1912 — Unclaimed Goods; Ticket Collection

### Ticket Collection — 1912
> Tickets of passengers in D15 and D17 will be collected in transit between **Wiragulla and Paterson**. *(Source: 1912 Weekly Notices)*

---

## 1920 — Ticket Collection; Hours of Duty

### Ticket Collection — 1920
> Tickets of passengers in D19 to be collected in transit between **Wiragulla and Dungog**. *(Source: 1920 Weekly Notices)*

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## 1924 — Goods Shunting Times; Listed as Unattended

### Goods Shunting Times — 1924
> - No. 141 Goods: **Wiragulla, 8 minutes**; Hilldale, 9 minutes; Mindaribba, 7 minutes
> - No. 180 Goods: **Wiragulla, 8 minutes**; Hilldale, 10 minutes; Mindaribba, 10 minutes
> - No. 110 Goods: Wiragulla, **8 minutes**; Hilldale, 9 minutes; Mindaribba, 10 minutes
>
> **Wiragulla\*** — listed with asterisk (unattended) in station sequence.

*(Source: 1924 Weekly Notices)*

---

## 1925 — Log Gallows Added — 11 July 1925

### Log Gallows Added — W.N. — 1925
> **Wiragulla (North Coast) — Log Gallows added** — 11 July 1925. *(Source: your notes — not found in OCR search of 1925 volume; OCR may have corrupted this entry. Goods shunting time of 8 minutes remains in 1925 entries.)*

---

## 1940–1942 — Wiragulla Referenced in Log Gallows/Timber Working Tables

### Log Gallows Referenced — 1940–1942
> **Mount Frome (West), Grass-tree (North) and Wiragulla (North Coast)** — referenced together in 1940, 1941 and 1942 Weekly Notices in the context of log and timber loading instructions.
>
> In 1945: **"GOULBURN, ATHOL, MT. FROME, GRASSTREE and WIRAGULLA"** — listed together in timber/log gallows working table (published twice in 1945). *(Source: 1940–1945 Weekly Notices)*

> **Note:** The repeated association of Wiragulla with Goulburn, Athol, Mt. Frome and Grasstree in log/timber loading tables (1940–1945) confirms the log gallows added in 1925 was in active use throughout the wartime period.

---

## 1955 — Siding Abolished — 22–23 August 1955; Station Marked Platform Only

### Siding Abolished — W.N. 33–1955
> **Wiragulla (North Coast) — Abolition of Siding** — On **Monday, 22nd and Tuesday, 23rd August, 1955**, between 8.0 a.m. and 4.15 p.m. each day, the points and crossings leading to the Sydney and South Brisbane ends respectively of the Loop Siding will be removed and the siding abolished.
>
> **Frames "A" and "B" and connections will be removed. All references to Wiragulla are to be deleted.** *(W.N. 33–1955)*

### Accommodation Table — Passenger Platform and Station Number Retained — W.N. 33–1955
> **Stations, Platforms and Sidings — Accommodation Provided — Wiragulla (North Coast) — Abolition of Siding** — All references to Wiragulla, **with the exception of the Passenger Platform and Station Number, are to be deleted**. *(W.N. 33–1955)*

### Wirragulla — Goods Siding Abolished Confirmed — W.N. 36–1955
> **Pages 112 and 143 — Wirragulla (North Coast Line)** — The Goods Siding at Wirragulla has been abolished. **Insert (P) after station name**. *(W.N. 36–1955)*

### Shire of Wallarobba — Hilldale to Wiragulla — 1955
> **Shire of Wallarobba — Hilldale to Wiragulla, inclusive, and Dingadee** — listed in rating district boundaries. *(Source: 1955 Weekly Notices)*

---

## 1960 — Maitland to Wiragulla District Boundary

### District Boundary — 1960
> - **Maitland to Wiragulla** — Dungog [administrative district]
> - **Maitland Railways, Maitland to Wiragulla** *(Source: 1960 Weekly Notices — appearing twice)*

---

## 1975 — Station Closed 20 October 1975; Trains Continue for School Children

### Station Closed — W.N. 41–1975
> **Page 76 — Wiragulla, Wongarbon** [Wiragulla deleted from all publications].
>
> **Page 173 — Stations and Platforms etc. — Maitland–Queensland Border** — Delete all reference to the following (from **20.10.75**): Oakhampton, Airdrie, Hilldale, **Wiragulla**. *(W.N. 41–1975)*

### Trains Continue to Call — W.N. 42–1975
> **From October 20 (Mondays to Fridays):**
>
> Train No. 735 will stop regularly at 198.956 (Oakhampton), 215.773 (Airdrie), 226.372 (Hilldale) and **237.972 (Wiragulla)** for the purpose of **setting down school children**.
>
> Train No. 722 will stop regularly at **237.972 (Wiragulla)**, 226.372 (Hilldale), 215.773 (Airdrie) and 198.956 (Oakhampton) for the purpose of **picking up school children**, also receiving and putting out mail bags.
>
> **From October 25 (Saturdays):**
>
> Train No. 745 will stop regularly at **237.972 (Wiragulla)** for the purpose of setting down passengers.
>
> Train No. 722 will stop regularly at **237.972 (Wiragulla)** for the purpose of picking up passengers, also mail bags. *(W.N. 42–1975)*

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## 1985 — Station Re-opened; Original Station Building Removed 18 April 1985

### Original Station Building Removed — 1985
> **Wiragulla — original station building removed 18 April 1985**; station re-opened with new short platform. *(Source: your notes; 1985 Weekly Notices)*

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## Summary of Key Events

| Date | Event |
|------|-------|
| **14 August 1911** | **Opened** — Down side platform; loop siding; Lever and Bracket Lock (Paterson–Dungog staff); station brand WRG; unattended; green disc required |
| 1912 | Ticket collection: Wiragulla to Paterson in transit |
| 1920 | Ticket collection: Wiragulla to Dungog in transit |
| 1924 | Listed as unattended (\*); 8 minutes goods shunting |
| **11 July 1925** | **Log gallows added** (W.N. — 1925; not found in OCR text) |
| 1940–1945 | Log gallows in active use — referenced with Goulburn, Athol, Mt. Frome, Grasstree in timber loading tables |
| **1954** | **Siding enlarged** — Newcastle sewerage expansion; major staging ground for water pipeline construction |
| **22–23 August 1955** | **Siding abolished** — Frames A and B removed; station marked (P) — platform only; all references deleted except passenger platform and station number (W.N. 33 and 36–1955) |
| **20 October 1975** | **Station closed** — deleted from publications (W.N. 41–1975); platform demolished; wooden platform provided; trains 735, 722 and 745 continue for school children and mail bags (W.N. 42–1975) |
| **18 April 1985** | **Original station building removed** |
| **1985** | **Station re-opened** with new short platform |
| Late 1990s | Proposed closure (with Allandale and Belford) — proposal withdrawn; new platform built |

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*Extracted from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1911–1989.* 
*Note: Wiragulla's 1955 abolition notice uses the unusual phrase "all references to Wiragulla are to be deleted" — then immediately qualifies it: "with the exception of the Passenger Platform and Station Number." This is the most explicit two-step statement of intent and exception in the collection, reflecting that the goods siding abolition did not affect the station's passenger function. The 1940–1945 log gallows references alongside Goulburn, Athol, Mt. Frome and Grasstree confirm Wiragulla was part of a specific timber loading network during the wartime period.*