Avoca

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Type : Station
Line : Fingal Line
Distance from Conara Junction : 026.900km
Location : -41.779229, 147.720926
Opened : Unknown
Closed : 29 June 1886
Status : Closed
Name meaning : John Helder Wedge wrote in his diary that in 1833 he planned and
named the township of Avoca.
Notes : Location had a crossing loop, carriage dock, goods shed and cattle yard. Station master residence. First station building was washed away in floods in April 1929.

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Station site, September 2023 (Google)

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Location (Google)

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Avoca Station: the first station was lost in the 1929 floods as per this article----The station building, goods shed, and a ganger's cottage were swept away by the raging flood water of the South Esk River, which rose 56 feet above the summer level. foundations are all that remain of the railway station.
Mercury 8-4-1929 Station Swept Away
The water by this time had half covered the railway station, and shortly afterwards it crumbled and was swept away In its entirety. The goods shed in the station yard was filled with water, and swirled away in the torrent shortly after 3.30 a.m. Three railway trucks had been placed in the goods shed on the previous night, and when the building collapsed, they were swept headlong towards the mouth of the St. Paul's River. One of the trucks was loaded with bark, another was empty, and the third was loaded with over four tons of fencing wire and iron material. Two of the trucks were hurled for a distance of about 100 yards, and the third, carrying the fencing material, was carried even farther, and lost completely.
Bidencope advert on the Station wall:
Joseph Bidencope (1837–1915), tailor, was born in Poland, the son of a tailor, and lived in England before emigrating to Tasmania in 1857. He was employed as a tailor in Hobart, and soon opened his own business. Bidencope's became well-known for general fashions, and was patronised by Hobart's elite. The firm also made military and other uniforms for the Tasmanian government. Hats were made at a factory in Battery Point from felt imported from England, and later from rabbit skins. They were sold throughout Tasmania and in Sydney.
Joseph Bidencope had nine children from two marriages, and the garden of the family home, Barton Vale at Knocklofty, was considered a showpiece. Bidencope passed the business on to his sons, and it remained in the family for several generations.
Irene Schaffer

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Avoca in 1921/22 - the station is at the right of the photo (Libraries Tas)

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Entrance to the Avoca Railway Station - November 1969 (John Stanley)

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PLAN 997279 F/11P/39Sling - pallet lifting [Avoca crane] (1956) (Libraries Tas)

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TGR - Fingal Line - Avoca and Fingal Station Platform drawing [Ink drawing] (between 1885 and 1892) (Tas Libraries)

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Plan 7812297 (225) TGR - Fingal Line - Corners and Fingal Branch - Plan of Avoca Station Yard [Ink, pencil and watercolour drawing] (between 1890 and 1892) (TAS Libraries)

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Avoca - "Holden Tour of Tasmania" 2/10/1968

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Avoca diagram (1930/2) (NAA)