Woodstock RAILWAY STATION..

The heritage listed Woodstock Railway Station is an elegant, restrained weatherboard building which includes a notable veranda awning.

“The opening of the railway through the district in 1888 contributed significantly to Woodstock's development into a prosperous and vibrant village. It became a lifeline, tethering the town to markets and connecting it to civilisation beyond its rural environs.
The original station master, Henry Alt, was appointed both railway Officer-in-charge and postmaster on 13 February 1888 on a salary of £130 per annum, plus 10 shillings per week in lieu of a residence. His postmaster's salary was initially f10 per annum, increasing to f50 by the end of the year. Telegraph facilities were made available to the public from 1889, with messages sent and received from the stationary railway carriage that initially served as the rail and post office.

As the years passed, a night porter, two night officers and five of six 'fettlers' responsible for maintenance were employed. Two dally passenger trains, one daily goods train and a night train with a sleeper kept everyone busy. So important to the town were the comings and goings at Woodstock Railway Station that general activity was regularly reported in the local newspapers.
Dray loads of large wool bales, transported from local properties, were loaded directly on to waiting rail trucks. Tightly stitched bags of wheat, each weighing a full three bushels, were stored in large piles, sometimes for months, before finally being trucked out by rail. After the Woodstock grain silo was built about 1932, wheat was transferred from harvesters to the silo, in both bags and trucks, until well into the 1960s.

During construction of Wyangala Dam between 1928 and 1935, equipment and parts were railed to Woodstock, then loaded on to bullock carts for the final 12 mile journey to the dam. A young Margaret Sinclair, holidaying with her grandmother Matron Kerr, watched on as the last of the heavy turbine engines was transferred by crane on to a bullock dray, harnessed with 12 giant bullocks”

From Waugoola to Woodstock by Amanda Jane Mackevicus

Address: Parkes Street, Woodstock NSW 2793