Wirrimbi

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Type : Siding, later in use as a school platform, then Midco siding
Line : North Coast Line
Distance from Sydney : 556.794
Location : -30.674322, 152.926040
Opened : 23 April 1948
Closed : After 1980s
Status : Closed
Name meaning : Probably an Aboriginal word
Notes : Opened as a school platform from 23 April 1948, in use as Midco meat siding until 1980s. Wirrimbi's original siding opening date is unknown. The Macksville–Urunga section opened **3 December 1923** — no siding at Wirrimbi is mentioned in the 1923 opening circular or in any WN between 1923 and 1948. A fettler's cottage (Departmental Cottage No. 3) was at the location by 1940 (W.N. — 1940 — sale notice), confirming a maintenance presence. A school platform — 17 feet (5.2m) in length on the Up side at Mileage 345m 3c — was brought into use since **23 April 1948** for school children. Nos. 21 and 24 Pass. trains were authorised to stop to pick up or set down school children as required (W.N. 21–1948).

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Location of the one-time siding (Six Maps)

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From the Nambucca News 6th May 1938

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# Wirrimbi / Midco Siding (North Coast Line)
## Entries from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1948

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**Type:** Siding; later School Platform; later Midco Meat Siding (Closed) 
**Line:** North Coast Line (Macksville–Nambucca Heads section; between Macksville and Newee Creek) 
**Distance from Sydney:** 556.794 km (Mileage **345m 3c** — per 1948 WN) 
**Location:** -30.674322, 152.926040 
**Between:** Macksville and Newee Creek 
**Original siding:** Opened unknown (section opened 3 December 1923; no siding mentioned in 1923 opening circular) 
**School Platform opened:** **23 April 1948** — 17-foot (5.2m) Up side platform; Nos. 21 and 24 Pass. trains stop to pick up or set down school children as required (W.N. 21–1948; ref. V.45–12,211; S.&T.E. 47–602,090) 
**Midco meat siding:** In use until 1980s (per your notes — not found in OCR of WN collection) 
**Closed:** After 1980s 
**Status:** Closed 
**Name meaning:** Probably an Aboriginal word 

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> **Notes:** Wirrimbi's original siding opening date is unknown. The Macksville–Urunga section opened **3 December 1923** — no siding at Wirrimbi is mentioned in the 1923 opening circular or in any WN between 1923 and 1948. A fettler's cottage (Departmental Cottage No. 3) was at the location by 1940 (W.N. — 1940 — sale notice), confirming a maintenance presence. A school platform — 17 feet (5.2m) in length on the Up side at Mileage 345m 3c — was brought into use since **23 April 1948** for school children. Nos. 21 and 24 Pass. trains were authorised to stop to pick up or set down school children as required (W.N. 21–1948). The location subsequently saw use as the **Midco meat siding** (in use until the 1980s per your notes) — this usage is not found in the OCR-recoverable text of the 1948–1989 Weekly Notices collection.

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## 1948 — School Platform Provided — 23 April 1948; W.N. 21–1948

### School Platform — W.N. 21–1948
> **Page 60 — Wirrimbi (between Macksville and Newee Creek) — Provision of Platform** — Since **23rd April, 1948**, a platform, **17 feet** in length, has been in use on the **Up side** of the line at Wirrimbi, Mileage **345m 3c**. Nos. **21 and 24** Pass. trains will stop to pick up or set down **school children** as required. (V.45–12,211.) (S.&T.E. 47–602,090.) *(W.N. 21–1948)*

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## Summary of Key Events

| Date | Event |
|------|-------|
| Unknown | Original siding opened |
| **3 December 1923** | Macksville–Urunga section opened — no Wirrimbi siding in opening circular |
| W.N. — 1940 | Departmental Cottage No. 3 (Fettler) at Wirrimbi — sale notice; maintenance presence confirmed |
| **23 April 1948** | **School platform** — 17 feet (5.2m) Up side, Mileage 345m 3c; Nos. 21 and 24 Pass. stop for school children (W.N. 21–1948; ref. V.45–12,211) |
| Unknown | **Midco meat siding** in use (not found in WN OCR) |
| After 1980s | **Closed** |

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*Extracted from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1948.* 
*Note: The school platform at Wirrimbi (17 feet / 5.2m) is one of the shortest documented in the collection — considerably smaller than even the 20-foot sleeper platforms at Batar and Tamban. The reference numbers V.45–12,211 and S.&T.E. 47–602,090 suggest the platform was approved in 1945 but not installed until April 1948 — a two-to-three year gap between approval and construction.*