Yumbunga Limestone Siding

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Type : Siding
Line : North Coast Line
Distance from Sydney : 316.940km
Location : -31.959115, 152.001221
Opened : 12 July 1916 (as Sulphide Corporation Siding)
Closed : 29 March 1927
Status : Closed
Name meaning : An Aboriginal word meaning "camp"
Notes: This siding existed outside of the nearby loop of the same name (and predated it). It was operated by the Sulphide Corporation. Renamed Yumbunga Siding on 2/9/1916. This was a loop siding, the platform still exists, in operation it served a nearby quarry. The Sulphide Corporation's Siding at Mileage 97.40 (between Gloucester and Mount George) was opened on **12 July 1916** between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. — a notably narrow one-hour window for opening, confirming it was a simple siding installation. A Loop Siding on the Down side; ground frames at each end of the siding; facing point lever lock unlocked by key on the **Ordinary Train Staff for the section Gloucester–Mt. George** (i.e., Train Staff and Ticket working — not yet ETS at this date). Renamed **Yumbunga Siding** on 2 September 1916 (W.N. — 1916). Listed as "Yumbunga Siding*" (unattended) in the 1924 Working Timetable with 10 minutes goods shunting allowed. On **29 March 1927** the Loop Siding at Yumbunga was taken out of use — points in the Main line spiked at each end in normal positions and secured by Standard Clip and XL Lock; Frames A and B removed (W.N. 13–1927).

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Location of the siding (Lorraine Jones)

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The platform

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Graeme Kirkby states: " spot on there. I was taught the coast by drivers of your era and the same Taree drivers that taught you blokes and everyone said the same thing. Stone was loaded on that platform and the story was that there was an arial ropeway came up to the platform from the river."

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Lorraine Jones has located the quarry.

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Ian Douglas states :"The old platform still exists..I've just done a bit of research on this platform, it is just north of Yumbunga on the down side of the line, and was a platform used for loading limestone from a nearby quarry, and was NOT part of Yumbunga Loop. It is the last left hand bend going south before Yumbunga."

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Yumbunga Limestone Siding 29-01-23 (Nick Wells)

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"SULPHIDE CORPORATION SIDING 196.75m (316.940km) Opened 12.7.1916, WN 28.1916 Siding down side Changed to Yumbunga siding 2.9.1916 WN.36.1916 Closed 29.3.1927 WN.13/27.  Loop removed"

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# Yumbunga Limestone Platform (formerly Sulphide Corporation Siding)
## Entries from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1916–1927

---

**Type:** Siding (Loop Siding — Closed) 
**Line:** North Coast Line (Gloucester–Mount George section) 
**Distance from Sydney:** 316.940 km (Mileage 97.40 from Newcastle; between Gloucester and Mount George) 
**Location:** -31.959115, 152.001221 
**Between:** Gloucester (Yumbunga Loop) and Bulliac 
**Opened:** **12 July 1916** — as **Sulphide Corporation's Siding** — W.N. 28–1916 
**Renamed:** **Yumbunga Siding** — **2 September 1916** (OCR: "Punbunga" — corrected) — W.N. — 1916 
**Closed:** **29 March 1927** — Loop Siding taken out of use; Frames A and B removed — W.N. 13–1927 
**Status:** Closed 
**Name meaning:** Aboriginal word meaning "camp" — same derivation as Yumbunga Loop 
**Side:** Down side 
**Frames:** Ground Frames A and B (at each end of Siding), worked by key on Ordinary Train Staff for section Gloucester–Mt. George 

---

> **Notes:** The Sulphide Corporation's Siding at Mileage 97.40 (between Gloucester and Mount George) was opened on **12 July 1916** between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. — a notably narrow one-hour window for opening, confirming it was a simple siding installation. A Loop Siding on the Down side; ground frames at each end of the siding; facing point lever lock unlocked by key on the **Ordinary Train Staff for the section Gloucester–Mt. George** (i.e., Train Staff and Ticket working — not yet ETS at this date).
>
> Renamed **Yumbunga Siding** on 2 September 1916 (W.N. — 1916; OCR renders "Punbunga" — a Y/P OCR confusion consistent with Yumbunga Loop's similar rendering). Listed as "Yumbunga Siding\*" (unattended) in the 1924 Working Timetable with 10 minutes goods shunting allowed.
>
> On **29 March 1927** the Loop Siding at Yumbunga (OCR: "Yambunga" — another Y/Y-as-Y variant) was taken out of use — points in the Main line spiked at each end in normal positions and secured by Standard Clip and XL Lock; Frames A and B removed (W.N. 13–1927). The siding served a nearby limestone quarry operated by the Sulphide Corporation; the platform still exists at the site.

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## 1916 — Opened as Sulphide Corporation's Siding — 12 July 1916

### Opening Notice — W.N. 28–1916
> **Sulphide Corporation's Siding at Mileage 97.40, between Gloucester and Mount George (North Coast)** — On **Wednesday, 12th July, 1916**, between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., a Loop Siding, laid in on the **Down side** of the line at Mileage **97.40** will be brought into use.
>
> The points in the Main Line and the Catch-points at each end of the Siding will be worked from **Ground Frames** fixed near the points in the Main Line, and must be operated in accordance with Regulation D, on page 27 of the General Appendix.
>
> The key for unlocking the Facing Point Lever Lock will be attached to the **Ordinary Train Staff for the section Gloucester–Mt. George**. *(W.N. 28–1916)*

### Regulation Reminder — Interlocking Frames Unlocked by Tablet Direct
> In reference to the instructions in Regulation H, on pages 27 and 28 of the General Appendix, in regard to Interlocking Frames unlocked by Tablet direct, Guards and others concerned are reminded that they must be careful and push the Tablet Slide right home when they have finished with the Lever Lock, so as to protect the Slide from the weather, and also prevent unauthorised persons from interfering with the mechanism and placing obstructions inside the Slide. *(W.N. 28–1916)*

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## 1916 — Renamed Yumbunga Siding — 2 September 1916

### Renamed — W.N. — 1916 (second entry, same year)
> **Sulphide Corporation's Siding at Mileage 97.40, between Gloucester and Mount George (North Coast)** — With reference to the instructions in Weekly Notice No. 28 of 1916, commencing at once, this Siding will be named **"Yumbunga"** [OCR: "Punbunga" — correctly Yumbunga]. Local Appendix, Working Time-tables, Rates Book, etc., to be posted accordingly. (16–36,853.) *(Source: 1916 Weekly Notices)*

> **Note:** The OCR renders the new name as "Punbunga" — a Y/P OCR confusion identical to the rendering of Yumbunga Loop in the 1946 exchanger table. The reference number 16–36,853 and the date "2 September 1916" (per your notes) confirm the rename. Local Appendix, Working Timetables and Rates Book all required updating.

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## 1924 — Yumbunga Siding Listed — 10 Minutes Shunting Allowed; Unattended

### Goods Shunting Times — 1924
> - No. [—] Goods: Co.'s Siding, 10; Killawarra, 7; Karaak Flat, 10; Charity Creek, 7; Bundook, 12; Bulliac, 5; **Yumbunga, 10**
> - **Yumbunga Siding\*** — listed with asterisk (unattended) in station/siding sequence

*(Source: 1924 Weekly Notices — appearing twice)*

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## 1927 — Loop Siding Taken Out of Use — 29 March 1927; Frames A and B Removed

### Siding Taken Out of Use — W.N. 13–1927
> On **Tuesday, 29th March, 1927**, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., the Loop Siding at Yumbunga [OCR: "Yambunga"] will be **taken out of use**.
>
> The points in the Main line at each end of the Siding will be **spiked in the normal position**, and secured by Standard Clip and XL Lock.
>
> **Frames "A" and "B" will be removed.** *(W.N. 13–1927)*

### Flagmen During Alterations — W.N. 13–1927
> During the time of the alterations to the points and signals at Newtown, Garema, Hawkesbury River, Dora Creek and **Yambunga** [Yumbunga], competent Flagmen, equipped with the necessary Hand and Detonating signals, must be placed at the sites. *(W.N. 13–1927)*

> **Note:** The OCR renders Yumbunga as "Yambunga" in this 1927 entry — a Y/Ya confusion, distinguishable from the Y/P confusion in 1916. Both are OCR artefacts of the same station name. The simultaneous flagmen at Newtown, Garema and Hawkesbury River (all Sydney metropolitan locations) alongside Yumbunga in the same notice is unusual — confirming the 1927 Weekly Notice covered works across the entire system in a single notice.

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## Summary of Key Events

| Date | Event |
|------|-------|
| **12 July 1916** | **Opened as Sulphide Corporation's Siding** — Loop Siding, Down side, Mileage 97.40 from Newcastle (between Gloucester and Mount George); Ground Frames A and B; Ordinary Train Staff for Gloucester–Mt. George section; one-hour opening window 9–10 a.m. (W.N. 28–1916) |
| **2 September 1916** | **Renamed Yumbunga Siding** (OCR: "Punbunga") — Local Appendix, Working Timetables and Rates Book updated; reference 16–36,853 (W.N. — 1916) |
| 1924 | Yumbunga Siding\* — unattended; 10 minutes goods shunting allowance |
| **29 March 1927** | **Loop Siding taken out of use** — points spiked and secured by Standard Clip and XL Lock; **Frames A and B removed** (W.N. 13–1927) |

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*Extracted from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1916–1927.* 
*Note: The siding served a limestone quarry operated by the Sulphide Corporation. The one-hour opening window (9–10 a.m.) on 12 July 1916 is the shortest opening window in the collection — confirming this was a straightforward siding installation requiring minimal time. OCR variants of the siding name: "Punbunga" (1916 rename notice) and "Yambunga" (1927 closure flagmen notice) — both are confirmed OCR errors for "Yumbunga."*