WANGARATTA RAILWAY STATION ARCHAEOLOGICAL COMPLEX

37 NORTON STREET, WANGARATTA VIC 3677

Heritage Inventory Site

The Wangaratta Railway Station is historically significant for its associations with the steam era, the water tower

serving as an important reminder of this. The large four-storey brick water supply system is significant as a

substantially intact example of the large railway water towers constructed during the late 19th century to

facilitate the operation of the steam engines. It is also significant for its associations with the 'light lines' era

(c.1869 - c.1884).

Archaeological remains of the former extensive steam era facilities are an important record of the predominant

period of the station’s operations and potentially give insight into the technology, historical development and

social significance of the station and North East Railway generally.

Nineteenth century remains relating to the steam era of locomotive haulage rarely survives in Victoria, apart from

an occasional water tower. The coaling, watering and ash removal functions of steam main line railway activities

are poorly understand. Similarly the safe-working systems are now obsolete, and apart from reconstructed

heritage tourist railways such as Puffing Billy, or fragments such as along the Upfield Rail line, little is known of

the actual fabric of steam era safe-working systems. Wangaratta station and goods yard, having been a

particularly complex facility, which while having had much of the original above ground infrastructure removed,

has not been subject to the level of disturbance of most other similar Melbourne or regional stations, and

therefore has a high potential for such archaeological remains to be present.

Transport - Rail