Site history
The traditional occupants of the region were the Tharawal (Dharawal) Aboriginal people. The Tharawal people lived in the areas south of Botany Bay, around Port Hacking, to north of the Shoalhaven River and inland to Campbelltown and Camden.
In the 1950s, Thirlmere was one of the largest poultry producing regions in NSW. This was particularly influenced by the local Estonian community. The Thirlmere Farmers Co-operative building still stands on the site.
The railway
» Thirlmere Railway Station c.1908.
Source: Stephen Chalker
Thirlmere Station lies on a portion of rail network known as the 'Loop Line'. It was originally a part of the Great Southern Line which was built between Sydney and Albury.
A route from Sydney to Picton was found by European settlers in 1798 by a party following the Nepean River. A few years later, several bodies of water, known to local indigenous people as 'Caradgery', were discovered. These waters have since been named Bargo Lakes, Picton Lakes and Couridjah.
In 1863 the rail line to Picton from Sydney was complete. Under the direction of Chief Engineer John Whitton the next major portion, from Picton to Nattai (as Mittagong was then known), was completed in January 1867. With great celebration the new Picton – Mittagong link was opened on 28 February 1867 and handed over to the Government on 1 March the same year.
Over the next two decades several stations were constructed along the new section, including "Redbank", which was officially opened on 1 August 1883. Redbank Station was renamed "Thirlmere" on 1 August 1886.
The route through Thirlmere was steep and presented a significant challenge for locomotives. To resolve this problem the 'Bargo Deviation' – connecting Picton and Mittagong via Tahmoor, Bargo and Yerrinbool – was opened in 1919. The deviation isolated Thirlmere on what is known as a 'loop', and rail traffic decreased dramatically. On 19 October 1975 the last rail motor service ran through Thirlmere and the station was closed, to be reopened as part of the Rail Transport Museum.
Timeline
» Thirlmere Railway Station c1905.
Source: Stephen Chalker
Note the second platform prior to the
installation of the existing goods shed.
- 1863 Railway from Campbelltown to Picton completed
- 1867 Railway from Picton to Mittagong completed
- 1883 Redbank Station opens south of Picton
- 1886 Redbank Station renamed Thirlmere
- 1891 New platform, sidings and stationmaster's residence built
- 1919 A second line, the Bargo Deviation, connects Picton and Mittagong, sidelining Thirlmere
- 1960 Steam trains give way to rail motors
- 1975 Rail motor service ceases, to be replaced with buses, and the NSW Rail Transport Museum relocates from Enfield to Thirlmere
- 1976 Tourist railway opens
More information
- Find out more about the NSW Rail Transport Museum
- To contact Tharawal Local Aboriginal Land Council, phone (02) 4681 0059 or e-mail tharawallalc@bigpond.com.au
- Find out more about the area's Estonian heritage