100 Years Midland Railway CompanyPrint Page

The plaque commemorates 100 years since the turning of the first sod for the commencement of the construction of the Midland Railway Company of Western Australia line from Guildford to Walkaway.

The plaque was originally unveiled in 1986 in Tuohy Gardens and was removed with a piece of rail track for restoration and relocation by the Midlands and District Historical Society and placed at its present location and unveiled with interprative signage on the 13th February 2022. 

A once forgotten piece of Midland history has been restored and relocated to take pride of place on the corner of Helena Street and Great Eastern Highway.

A 1986 plaque commemorating the history of the Midland Railway Company of Western Australia (MRWA) and a length of rail track, removed from the degraded former Tuohy Gardens site in October, were unveiled at a special ceremony last Sunday. 

The track and plaque have both been restored by the Midland and Districts Historical Society in collaboration with the City of Swan and Development WA.

Historical society chairperson Matthew Pavlinovich said the Guildford to Walkaway goods rail line originally ran across the Helena Street and Great Eastern Highway intersection and followed The Crescent before converging with the passenger rail line just north of Morrison Road on what is now Lloyd Street.

“The company gave Midland its name, its employees and families who assisted to open up the Midlands region and establish Midland as a major regional centre we have today,” he said.

“Most people don’t realise we had two separate railway workshops in Midland – the MRWA came to Midland before the Western Australian Government Railways.”

The plaque commemorating the 100th anniversary of the turning of the sod for the Guildford to Walkaway railway had sat mostly hidden from view since its 1986 unveiling.

“I’d like to thank the City of Swan staff, DevelopmentWA and the Midland and Districts Historical Society committee in particular Mark Richards, Don Butler and Jude Carr for all the contributions they made to the project,” Mr  Pavlinovich said.

City of Swan mayor David Lucas, East Metro MLC Donna Faragher, Judith Dowson – daughter of the late John Dowson, the last general manager of MRWA ¬ and other former railway company workers and their relatives joined the commemorations.

The plaque and rail track are joined by a new interpretive sign at the site adjoining the Centrepoint Midland Shopping Centre – the original home of MRWA, its administration, locomotive depot and workshops.
Posted by: The Editorial Team in General News February 17, 2022.

Location

Address:	Great Eastern Highway & Helena Street, Former MRWA Workshops Site, Midland, 6056
State:	WA
Area:	AUS
GPS Coordinates:	Lat: -31.891213 Long: 116.002705 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.

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Details

Monument Type:	Plaque
Monument Theme:	Technology
Sub-Theme:	Industry

Dedication

Approx. Monument Dedication Date:	1986

Source: MA