Historical information

\When the railway reached Wodonga from Melbourne on 19th November 1873 the first station building, which included a refreshment room and dining room, was a temporary structure. It was 300 ft. long and was removed and taken to Beechworth when the new station was built in 1874 by contractor J. Richardson. The Goods shed was 100 feet long and was built by Frew & Hill in 1873. One year later it was extended an additional 150 feet by James Nation.
The date of the construction of the Locomotive shed is not known but predates 1883. It was a galvanised iron clad building which housed 4 engines on 2 tracks; in 1910 it was extended to 250 feet in length to house six more engines.
The location of the railway tracks and station were a constant cause of congestion in the centre of Wodonga as the tracks crossed over Sydney Road (later named High Street). Lines of traffic were frequently banked up as the gates were closed to allow trains to cross.
The Wodonga Rail Bypass project moved Wodonga station from the original central location to a position on a new line on the northern edge of the town. Not only did this release land in the middle of the city for commercial and public use, but also eliminated 10 level crossings. The project actually commenced in 2008 with the last passenger train passing through Wodonga on 8 November 2008. On 23 July 2010, the new rail bypass was opened, the original line through Wodonga closed and the station fell quiet.
The area has now been redeveloped as Junction Place and the old buildings now house a restaurant, cafe and the Goods Shed Craft Beer Cafe.

Significance

These images are of local, state and national significance as the Wodonga Railway complex formed a vital link in the Victorian state, interstate and national railway system.

Physical description

A collection of colour photos of the buildings at the former Wodonga Railway Station