Australian Railway Monument

ARM Management Inc PO Box 43 Werris Creek NSW 2341 Tel: (02) 6768 7464

5 April 2005 03/2005

Media Release For Immediate Release

Breath of fresh air for Australian Railway Monument

Key NSW rail related organisations have pledged their ongoing commitment to the development of the Australian Railway Monument at Werris Creek.


Due for official opening on Saturday 1 October 2005, the monument will commemorate the lives of almost 10,000 railway workers killed whilst working on the railways throughout Australia.

At Werris Creek last Friday, representatives of key NSW railway organisations gave an indication of their support for the monument to a packed meeting of volunteer members of the Australian Railway Monument management group. At the meeting were state and federal politicians as well as local government officials and councillors.

Chairman of the group, Chris Holley, said the representatives and their organisations had been challenged to match a grant currently being organised by Liverpool Plains Shire Council.

The organisations included Australian Rail Track Corporation, RailCorp, and State Rail.

“Before the Railway Journeys Museum opens in October, the upstairs area of the old Railway Refreshment Rooms at Werris Creek Railway Station needs to be completely refurbished,” he said.

“In recent times work has slowed considerably and we can now expect to have the landscaping of the 300 seat amphitheatre in place for the opening ceremony.

“The commitment by the rail organisations has breathed a breath of fresh air into Werris Creek.”

“Overtures are now being made seeking Countrylink consideration towards running a special
charter service from Sydney to Werris Creek and return on Saturday 1st October utilising a completely refurbished XPT unit and conveying paying passengers wishing to be at the official opening of the Australian Railway Monument.

XPTs have not been used on the Tamworth –Armidale line since the introduction of the Xplorer passenger train in the early 1990s.


“The Government will also be requested to give favourable consideration towards unveiling the new ultra-modern Hunter Valley CityRail units currently under construction. Together with the arrival of the Rail Motor Society’s magnificent wooden rail motor, this will provide a wonderful comparison of the 'old' against the 'new'.

Also on the occasion, State Rail plan to unveil the new Hunter Valley Millennium train.

Former ABC Television newsreader, Bruce Webster, has offered to provide public address commentary for the occasion.

No comments: