The Railway Guide to New South Wales (part one)

The expansion of the New South Wales railway network led to the NSW Government publishing the The Railway Guide of New South Wales: for the use of Tourists, Excursionists, and Others in 1879. Further network expansion led to an updated illustrated edition in 1884. Below we read the first entry on the partially opened section of the Wallerawang to Mudgee branch line. At the time of writing the end of the line was at Capertee.

Original kerosene mine, Hartly Vale
from The Railway Guide to NSW (1884)

Extension, Wallerawang to Mudgee

There is now in progress an extension from Wallerawang to Mudgee, a distance of about 85 miles. In May, 1882, a section of this line from Wallerawang to Capertee, a distance of 22 miles, was opened for traffic. The line passes through very rough country, the scenery resembling that passed between Mt. Victoria and Emu Plains, and in the vicinity of Capertee are some views that are unsupassed by the most noted on the Blue Mountains. Of the views near Capertee may be mentioned the Crown Ridge, a lofty and rocky mountain, from which a magnificent view is obtained; the Gorge, the rocks here resembling the rocks at the entrance to Port Jackson; and the Capertee Caves, interesting on account of the many impressions, apparently made by human hands, on the sides and walls. A great deal of traffic now passes through Capertee, making it a busy place. The station lies on the border of the extensive mining area embracing Gulgong, Mudgee, Cudgegong, Windeyer, Hargraves, Sofala, &c., and goods are received for these places. In other parts agriculture is carried on, and there is also forwarded from Capertee a considerable amount of pastoral produce and live stock. The extension to Mudgee is being pushed forward with all speed, and the opening is to take place on the 30th June 1884. With the extension of the line beyond Capertee this station will lose much of its present importance. Between Wallerawang and Capertee are some extensive lime quarries, and in the district splendid seams of coal exist, which however are not at present worked. Capertee contains three hotels.

Turning of the First Sod

Prior to the arrival of the railway in 1882 the village of Capertee was an ‘insignificant place’ on the road between Lithgow and Mudgee. While there were a few houses, farms and inns in the area the arrival of the railway was, arguably, the foundation event in the settlements history. In the Town and Country Journal (25th September 1880) we read of the excitement in the district when construction works began on the first section of the branch railway from Wallerawang to Capertee Camp (as Capertee village was then known).

Capertee Railway Station - the end of the first section of the Wallerawang to Mudgee branch line

Turning of the First Sod of the Mudgee-Wallerawang Railway

The small and quiet town of Wallerawang situated just beyond the Blue Mountains, is to-day the scene of the turning of the first sod of the railway to Mudgee, whose inhabitants are evincing great interest in the ceremony, and for their conveyance Cobb's coaches and almost every other description of vehicle has been brought to use. A good number of people from Mudgee and the surrounding district arrived yesterday and during the night. Two special coaches, heavily laden with passengers from these places reached Wallerawang at 9 o'clock this morning, and other people, many on horseback, are pouring into the hamlet. The few who arrived from Sydney and stations along the line by the mail train at half-past 1 o'clock this morning, found it impossible to secure accommodation, and several who came just before by the Mudgee coach were compelled to go to Lithgow, some 10 miles down the line. The Royal, Commercial, and Railway Hotels, and most of the private residences were crowded to their utmost extent with visitors. The night was frosty, and piercingly cold - so cold that your representative is conscious of the fact that he, thanks to the good nature of one of the station officials, escaped from freezing by being allowed to remain bedless and beddingless in the ladies' waiting-room. He passed a miserable night, and in a half-hour's slumber dreamt that he was undergoing some approved though prolonged process of refrigeration, and contemplates for a reason, afterwards thinking he is in Wallerawang. Daylight broke magnificently fine, and so far the sky has continued cloudless. For the special indulgence of the navvies, the contractors have furnished several large casks of beer; it is somewhat significant that where it is placed there are no holes, but abundance of water; the navvy force has been considerably augmented from the surrounding neighbourhood.

This section of the line to Mudgee is 22 miles 54 chains in extent, branching off the Great Western line at a point some quarter of a mile distant from the Wallerawang railway station, thence proceeding in a north-west direction, and ending at an insignificant place named Capertee Camp. The contractors are Messrs. Monie and Mathieson, who constructed the Dunolly and St. Arnaud line, and other large public works in Victoria. The amount of their tender for this section of the Mudgee railway was £180,600, and the time allowed for the completion of the contract is 19 months from the time of commencing. Operations were started on the 3rd of the present month. The work done up to the present consists principally of clearing the timber from the junction onwards. Already the timber has been cleared for some 11 miles, and cuttings scattered over the first eight miles are in progress. the timber for bridge piles has been hewn, and large quantities of bricks, stone, and earthenware pipes, for culverts and drains, are in readiness for use. Over 300 men are now employed, and in the course of a few months the contractors expect to have fully 1000 on the works, the number employed being increased every day. They have had no difficulty in procuring men, and none is anticipated, although good navvies are rather scarce so far. Bricks are brought from Lithgow, but the contractors propose to erect kilns and make their own bricks. The timber for piles can be obtained in abundance along the route, any kind, provided it is round, being used - except white gum, which is disallowed - and pile driving will commence next week. It is probable that, after the construction of the first few miles of railway from Wallerawang, various sub-contracts will be let by the contractor-in-chief. As is evident from the cost of this section, there are many cuttings to be made, more particularly towards the end of the section, in some places the ground being extremely hard and the cuttings deep. The deepest will be over 50ft, and the largest nearly 100,000 yards, including the only tunnel, which will be 187 yards in length. This cutting and tunnel will be made towards the end of the section, and others at different parts of the route. the line, in consequence of the roughness of the country over which it must pass, will be rather circuitous, and the curves almost continuous, though not near so great as those on the mountains. The deepest gradient will be one in 48, others varying from that downwards. The carrying out of this section will include the erection of seven timber bridges, all of one size, namely, 86 yards , crossing small creeks. No station will be required at any part, except at the end of the first section, for some time after the opening of the line, unless during its construction an impetus to settlement on some of the intermediate parts is given. The length of the line, when finished right through to Mudgee, will be 86 miles, to be made up of three sections. Whether or not the Government will await the completion of the first section before they invite tenders for the second or third is not known, and on this point the people of Mudgee, whom the railway will mostly benefit, evince some anxiety. Perhaps the want of railway communication with the town and district of Mudgee, and the inconvenience or rather distastefulness of travelling long distances by coach, as compared with travelling by rail, were never more demonstrated than at Wallerawang last evening when two Darlinghurst prisoners heavily ironed were brought from Sydney bound for Mudgee. They could not be seated on the box with their keeper, consequently two well-known and highly respected ladies, the only other passengers, had preference to sit nearly 12 hours in a small coach - with these gaol birds, who were attired in prison habiliments, and could not move withought the clanking of their irons being heard.

Old Buildings: Capertee Railway Station

This historic railway station was built in 1882. It is a typical type 4 ‘standard roadside station’, a design introduced from the late 1870s by the New South Wales Government Railway (NSWGR), Engineer-in-Chief, John Whitton (1820-98). 

Sign on station platform

The design drawings for Capertee station were signed by Whitton on 17th February 1882. The plans were exhibited in Sydney from 28th February to 14th March 1882.  John Briton and William Cameron won the tender to build the railway station, the nearby goods warehouse (since demolished), and the still extant Station Master’s House.

This station was the terminus for stage one of the Wallerawang to Gwabegar branch line. Stage one opened in May 1882, with a 23 mile section of track from Wallerawang (on the main western line) to Capertee Camp (as Capertee was then known). The 330 feet long railway station platform at Capertee Camp (and stage one of the railway) was opened on 15th May 1882. The line was opened prior to completion of construction of the railway station building. Capertee Camp was renamed Capertee one month after the line opened. The Capertee railway station building was completed on 26th June 1882.

The local community outside Capertee Railway Station
welcomes a wounded soldier returning from World War 1

From Station Street (the eastern access road) the central building consists of three principal rooms. From left to right the rooms were used as a ladies waiting room, general waiting room and the ticket office/station master’s office. The design of this station included two ancillary buildings on each end of the main building. The small building on the left was a toilet block while the small building on the right was used as a lamp room. The lamp room was later used as a crib room (staff room} for track engineering staff.

The steady improvement of the road system saw a steady decline in passenger numbers using the branch railway line which led to its closure in 1987 (the siding tracks had been removed in 1984). With the formal closure of the station there was a proposal in the 1990s to demolish the building, but a campaign led by local residents saved the century-old structure. In the late 1990s a job creation scheme restored the building to an acceptable state of repair and the building was leased for several years to the Capertee Social Club as a venue for village events. A low picket fence along the platform protects visitors from falling on the railway line which is now only used for goods traffic. Recently the station was painted in a ‘heritage’ colour scheme. The windows are currently bordered up and the property is now available for lease.

It should be noted that this station is not listed on the NSW State Heritage Register or the Lithgow Council Local Environment Plan.

Wallerawang to Mudgee - 1870s style

In June 1874 the Australian Town and Country Journal published an account of a journey between Wallerawang and Mudgee. The article was written by the paper's 'Special Correspondent' who undertook the leisurely-paced horseback tour long before the construction of the Wallerawang to Mudgee section of the Gwabegar railway line. While the article offers little description of the landscape, apart from gushy comment on the awe-inspiring beauty of the vista over the Capertee Valley, the writer certainly does mentions the many small settlements along the Mudgee Road, including the multitude of pubs.

Crown Ridge Inn, 1874 pencil sketch by Conrad Martens
(Mitchell Library collection)
Coincidently, both the anonymous writer of this article and 
Martens stayed at the Crown Ridge Inn around the same time 

A Tour to the North-Western Interior

(BY OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT)

WALLERAWANG TO MUDGEE

TRAVELLERS by rail to the West are tolerably well acquainted with Wallerawang. If one happens to be there when the children are trooping out of school, he will see some of the fattest and ruddiest-cheeked urchins in the colony. As a recruiting station, Wallerawang should be well patronised by invalids and families, if it were understood that good accommodation might be obtained there. With good horses, one might then take drives or rides along capital roads for 18 or 20 miles, and see some of the finest scenery in the world, including Capertee, and its magnificent valley, which I shall shortly describe.

Though the buildings in Wallerawang are not numerous, they have a substantial appearance, thanks, in a measure, to the Government, who built an excellent railway station of freestone, and have added thereto a number of workshops, &c. The inhabitants then did their share by erecting three hotels, two stores, two churches, and many other places - for business and residence.  The main street faces  the railway station, opposite which there is the principal hotel, called, of course, “The Royal." A little further down, the visitor will come to the post-office, which is in a portion of a good general store called the Commercial, by J. Wilson and Co. A few hundred yards beyond, may be seen the Roman Catholic Church, a weather-boarded building, zinc-roofed. Father Phelan is the clergyman. The Church of England is seen in the midst of trees on the boundary of the town. It is a nicely designed building, constructed of freestone. I should mention that this fine church was built at the sole expense of Mr. James Walker, of Wallerawang, for the use of members of the Anglican and Presbyterian Churches. The Rev. W. McKenzie attends to the latter, and the Rev. R.H. Mayne to the former congregation. A school is also held in the church. The teacher is Mr. C. H. Thompson, and he has 70 children in attendance. There is also an infant school in the town well conducted by Mrs. Driver.

Leaving Wallerawang for Mudgee I rode along a well macadamised road for many miles. "Evidences of civilization" were abundant, in the shape of inns and blacksmith's shops, to say nothing of the many horse waggons and bullock teams driven by unquestionable Australians. Then there were passed many comfortable farms and homesteads, some of them embosomed in orchards.  Five and a half miles from Wallerawang I arrived at the Dividing Range toll-bar. From thence, continuing along over somewhat mountainous and well diversified country for four and a-half miles I reached Cullen Bullen. This was many years ago a crown grant to Mr. R. Dulhunty. There is a very old cottage and stable, and a little further, higher up, on the road-side, a stone house; the post-office is at one end of this building, and there is also an accommodation house. The then resident, Wm. Hart, aged 83, died a few days after I called. Nearly half a century ago Hart first came up to Capertee. The next stage of four miles brought me to Ben Bullen, called, I believe, after some bold mountains near. Here there are two public houses; the mail coach changes horses at Walsh's - one stage from Wallerawang. Another four miles and I arrived at the Crown Ridge Hotel; at this excellent road-side hostelrie I rested for the evening.

I enjoyed tho fresh bracing air at the Crown, and then next morning was up at sunrise. A little over a mile from the hotel the road winds round the Crown Ridge, and as I ascended there opened to view a truly marvellous picture. To those who love the glories of light and shade, of boundless extent, magnificence of scenery, beauty and sublimity, I would recommend a view at sunrise or sunset over the valley of Capertee. Along the lowest range or tiers of hills, a thousand feet below there is a sombre shade; higher up a lighter tinge almost approaching green; and then above the great peaks the natural towers of rocks and battlement stretching miles away are gloriously bathed in golden sheen." See Capertee and die" might well be the motto of the enthusiastic woer of magnificent scenery.

The view of the Capertee Valley from the Crown is
as awe-inspiring today as it was in 1874

Leaving this awe-inspiring scene, with some regret I proceeded on my journey and passed in due course Capertee Camp Inn, by James Shervey, 3 1/2 miles; Kangaroo Flat, Cobb's Hotel, by D. Freestone, 4 miles; Round Swamp, a nice valley in which there are cultivated paddocks and the Coach and Horses Inn, 1 3/4miles. The Running Stream is four miles beyond; the hotel on the hill top is well-known as bearing the sign “Rest and be Thankful.” Another four miles ride you get to Cherry Tree Hill where there is a toll-bar; and three-quarters of a mile beyond is the "Golden Fleece." From all these it will be seen that the weary and parched traveller need not want long for "refreshment for man and horse" on the Mudgee road. I have already noticed thirteen public-houses since leaving Wallerawang. Some of these are very old stands, and the inhabitants recall incidents of over 30 years past. At the Round Swamp for instance there is Mrs. Mansfield's "Coach and Horses." Thirty years ago she came here, and for the past 22 1/2 years has lived in the present hotel.

The town of Ilford, long known as Kean's Swamp, is two and a half miles from Cherry Tree Hill. Ilford is a very old place, situated in a most picturesque situation, at the foot of a mountain. The rocks are curiously and fantastically shaped. They rise to the height of 500 or 600 feet. There are a few nice stone buildings in the village, including a Wesleyan Church. Ilford is likely to become a more pleasing-looking place when some of the old huts and habitations are burnt to the ground, and a number of nice stone buildings now in course of completion amidst light forest scenery are opened to view. The town contains four stores : Mrs. Phelps, (post office), Messrs. G. Harris, Cordoroy's, and E. Turley's, and the inn is called "The Plough." There is a miserable slab building used as a public school: no other place of worship but the Wesleyan, and no court-house, though there is a police station. The branch roads turn off here for Sofala and Rylstone, 16 miles distant either way.

From Ilford I rode to Cunningham's Creek, a few miles beyond the town, and put up at Sid. Brown's hotel, where the accommodation is good. The following morning I had an early start. The distance to Mudgee is 33 miles. The road winds over hilly country the greater part of the way. Shortly after leaving Cunningham's Creek I ascended a hill tolerably steep, bearing the strange name of Aaron's Pass, a place which has since become very familiar to your readers, as the spot where the Mudgee mail was robbed on the 29th of May. It is just such a place as would be chosen by bushrangers, being in a wild uninhabited part of the country. Twelve miles from Cunningham's Creek, Cudgegong was reached. Cudgegong is a small township, possessing a few good buildings in freestone, two good hotels and stores, a church, and a court house. The oldest inhabitant, Mr. William Wilkins, is the host of the principal hotel. He informed me that he built the first public-house, did the first bit of blacksmithing, and killed the first bullock in the town. He is a jovial sort of fellow, one's idea of mine host; but I understand that he is about to retire to a nice free-stone private house that he has built for himself nearer the creek.

Two miles from Cudgegong I passed a place called Tarnabutta, Masters's comfortable homestead and farm. Four miles beyond, I arrived at Stony Pinch, where Baylis's farms are situated in a romantic position, and nearly surrounded by high mountains. |  

Half-a-mile beyond Baylis's, is the Stony Pinch toll-bar, kept by Masters. This is the third toll-bar that I passed through since I left Wallerawang. A few other farms were passed, and I reached Pauling's Apple Tree Flat Inn, 10 miles from Mudgee. After resting here a short time, I pushed on and reached Mudgee at sun-set, and put up at the Belmore, where I remained for a few days.

The distance from Wallerawang is variously estimated at from 70 to 75 miles. There are 21 public-houses on the way-side, but as the road is now far different to what it was in the good old days, when, for the whole distance it was boggy, and next to unpassable. I suppose that the publicans find their profits somewhat diminished.

It is not my intention to say much about Mudgee this time, as it has been so often and well-described pictorially and otherwise in these columns. I might state, however, that the town has not gone back of late years, and that there seems to be more substantial prosperity in it than ever. Notwithstanding private jealousies, party feelings, &c., the Municipal Council has done much to improve the streets, and make the town attractive. What I should regard as a drawback is the want of concentration. Mudgee is too much scattered to be comfortable for business men; and there are numerous gaps that might be well filled up with respectable buildings, or else fenced and planted with trees. And a good fire is wanted to clear off some unsightly buildings standing insultingly close to other buildings that would do credit to any city in the world. Mudgee from her position will always be enabled to hold her own. In the district there is as wealthy and enterprising a class of pastoral princes as any in the Australian colonies; and in the town there are good colonists, men whose progressive views, and belief in the destinies of Mudgee, will cause them never to allow the interests of the place to suffer for want of attention.

This article was first printed on page 28 of the 27th June 1874 issue of the Australian Town and Country Journal, a paper published in Sydney between 1870-1907.