Maryborough Railway Station Complex and Air Raid Shelter

The Maryborough Railway Station in Lennox Street is a rare, substantially intact, rail station, established in 1878 as the terminus of the line south to Gympie. The 1867 Gympie gold discoveries, saw gold seekers travelling by ship to Maryborough, and then overland to the gold fields. The railway was completed in 1881. Maryborough station is the oldest station building in a major Queensland town. The complex includes the Station Master’s residence (1878), the 1880 station building (extended 1892 and 1912) and main platform (1880), the administration offices (1884), refreshment room (1890s), guard’s room (1917), porter store (1937), and WWII air raid shelter (1941). During the 1880s as the railway construction proceeded north to Bundaberg, Maryborough station was no longer on the main line and became a dead end spur. Nevertheless it was the centre of a busy network of local branch lines. Of particular importance was the line through the Botanic Gardens to Walker’s foundry which built rolling stock. Maryborough remained a busy station until the 1980s and is now used as a freight stop. The 1878 Engineers Office was damaged by fire in 2010 and later demolished. A small museum operates from the station complex, opening weekly.