State Government heritage lists historic railway settlement

13/9/02
The first and largest railway township to be settled on the Western Australian section of Trans Australian Railway line has been interim listed by the State Government in Western Australia's Register of Heritage Places.
Environment and Heritage Minister Dr Judy Edwards said the significance of the Rawlinna Townsite had been recognised through the Heritage Council of WA's assessment program.
"Located in an isolated landscape approximately 400km east of Kalgoorlie on the Nullarbor Plain, Rawlinna remains a significant landmark in a sparsely populated area," Dr Edwards said.
"The town is significant for its historic links with Federation and the inter-State railway line, the occupation of pastoral areas in the Nullarbor hinterland and the provision of communication and transport services to these areas."
Dr Edwards said the establishment of the Trans Australian Railway line had been integral to Western Australia's inclusion in the Federation of Australia in 1901.
Today, Rawlinna was the most complete settlement to still exist on the Western Australian section of the line.
"The historic townsite comprises a collection of buildings including a railway house, post and telegraph office, railway station, provisions store, railway barracks and school," she said.
"While Rawlinna closed as a railway town in 1996, some of the structures owned by the Australian Rail Track Corporation have been retained for railway operations."
Dr Edwards said Rawlinna's historical significance was beyond question when considering a number of unique features, including:

• the railway house built in 1921 is the oldest Commonwealth Railways house in Western Australia, and the oldest surviving building at Rawlinna;

• Rawlinna was the first settlement on the railway line to open a school in 1920;

• as the only WA repeater station on the 1929 East-West telegraph route, Rawlinna provided a vital telecommunications link for more than 60 years;

• the provisions store is the only remaining Commonwealth Railways store in WA, and demonstrates how supplies were provided to isolated communities along the railway; and

• the concrete water tower is the only elevated water tank remaining on the Trans Australian Railway.

"Rawlinna represents a way of life for railway employees and their families who worked on the Trans Australian Railway," the Minister said.
"The town is also remarkable for its many technical achievements, given it developed as a railway depot in an area where all resources, including water, had to be provided."
Dr Edwards said some of the barracks and houses at the settlement were still being used for accommodation by a mining operator, who now owned most of the site.
Minister's office: 9220 5050