Beverley Railway Station 1886-1984
Beverley Railway Station represents the importance of the railway system in the development of the agricultural areas, and their supporting townships, in Western Australia.
The final section of the Eastern Railway from Perth via York, reached Beverley on 5 August 1886.
The importance of the railway was illustrated by the declaration of a public holiday throughout the “Colony” in honour of the Governor Sir Frederick Napier Broome turning the first sod of the Beverley to Albany section of the Great Southern Railway in Beverley on 20 October 1886.
The railway station was built by Edward Keane for the Western Australian Government. It is Victorian Arts and Craft architectural style with a shingle roof that has since been replaced with corrugated iron.
The station precinct included the 1890 licenced refreshment rooms, a large turntable, engine rooms, loading ramp and a large water tank opposite the station, across the line and gates across the street to stop traffic as trains approached.
In 1897 the Government purchased Edward Keane’s West Australian Land Company’s railway line from Beverley to Albany and Beverley lost its terminus function.
The 1930s depression and the war years saw a decline in the railway patronage and then competition from buses in the 1960s.
In 1968 the station buildings were damaged by the Meckering earthquake, and in 1974, Westrail proposed to demolish the station and refreshment rooms. The Beverley Station Preservation Society was formed and fought to prevent the demolition. They saved the station but lost the refreshment rooms. The last Perth to Albany passenger train ran in 1978 and the station closed in 1984, along with another 14 stations in the southwest.
The station buildings have been restored. Beverley Railway Station is the headquarters of Beverley Station Arts Inc. who manage a very successful Artist-in-Residence program, Awards program, Art Gallery and the innovative Platform Theatre.
Beverley Railway Station is recognised as a place of State significance on the Western Australian Heritage Council’s Register of Heritage Places.
The final section of the Eastern Railway from Perth via York, reached Beverley on 5 August 1886.
The importance of the railway was illustrated by the declaration of a public holiday throughout the “Colony” in honour of the Governor Sir Frederick Napier Broome turning the first sod of the Beverley to Albany section of the Great Southern Railway in Beverley on 20 October 1886.
The railway station was built by Edward Keane for the Western Australian Government. It is Victorian Arts and Craft architectural style with a shingle roof that has since been replaced with corrugated iron.
The station precinct included the 1890 licenced refreshment rooms, a large turntable, engine rooms, loading ramp and a large water tank opposite the station, across the line and gates across the street to stop traffic as trains approached.
In 1897 the Government purchased Edward Keane’s West Australian Land Company’s railway line from Beverley to Albany and Beverley lost its terminus function.
The 1930s depression and the war years saw a decline in the railway patronage and then competition from buses in the 1960s.
In 1968 the station buildings were damaged by the Meckering earthquake, and in 1974, Westrail proposed to demolish the station and refreshment rooms. The Beverley Station Preservation Society was formed and fought to prevent the demolition. They saved the station but lost the refreshment rooms. The last Perth to Albany passenger train ran in 1978 and the station closed in 1984, along with another 14 stations in the southwest.
The station buildings have been restored. Beverley Railway Station is the headquarters of Beverley Station Arts Inc. who manage a very successful Artist-in-Residence program, Awards program, Art Gallery and the innovative Platform Theatre.
Beverley Railway Station is recognised as a place of State significance on the Western Australian Heritage Council’s Register of Heritage Places.