Australian Railway Monument

Werris Creek (and Currabubula)
Small Town on the North West Slopes near Tamworth
The township of Werris Creek is located off the New England Highway en route to Quirindi, 373 km north of Sydney and 44 km south-west of Tamworth. 380 m above sea-level. The brook which gives the town its name is a tributary of the Mooki River catchment.

The area is thought to have been formerly occupied by the Kamilaroi Aborigines. 'Werris' would appear to derive from an Aboriginal word first written 'Weia Weia', though its meaning is unclear. In the early days the creek was written in a variety of ways, including Werres, Werries and Weery's.

The Kamilaroi tribe was subdivided into clans and classes which determined marital possibilities (girls being often betrothed in infancy and married by about 14). They wore opossum clothing and, for ceremonial or ornamental purposes, smeared themselves with red ochre and pipe clay, scarred their bodies and wore decorative headwear. The males hunted while the women gathered fruit. Weaponry consisted of elaborately carved clubs, spears and boomerangs and stone or flint tomahawks and knives. Fishing was carried out with the aid of weirs, spears and nets made of grass or bark.

The first Europeans were squatters who were in the area by the 1830s. Drovers and teamsters en route to the north and west via the Great Northern Road were drawn to a waterhole near a crossing over the creek. The Reverend Francis Vidal had established the 32 000-acre Weia Weia Creek Station by 1841.

There were about 20 pastoral families, producing Merino sheep, occupying the valley by the early 1870s. On the eastern side of the present townsite was Summer Hill station which belonged to John Single, after whom the main street is named.

The town proper developed in 1877 when 500 navvies set up temporary housing whilst extending the railway line from Murrurundi to Tamworth. When it was decided to build a branch line to Gunnedah (north-west) the town became a rail junction and a maintenance centre. A post office was established in 1877 and the railway was officially opened the following year. Even the coal mine, which commenced operations in 1925, revolved around the railways, being established to supply fuel for the steam engines although it was inevitably closed (in 1963) after diesel trains emerged.

A bad drought at the end of the 19th century saw some of the larger properties subdivided and sold. Share farmers introduced dairying and wheat farming. However, the completion of the North Coast Railway Line in 1930 saw some of the inland rail traffic diverted.

When the Werris Creek station was subdivided in 1957 it intensified the cultivation of grain and fodder crops. An enormous wheat storage terminal was established and the town became a major base for wheat transportation. However, it has been stripped of its role as a maintenance and marshalling centre and its importance to wheat transportation is in decline. Together with major government cutbacks to country rail facilities the town's importance has receded. There is little to see other than the old but grand train station, a reminder of better days.

Things to see:  

Australian Railway Monument
The nationally acclaimed Australian Railway Monument commemorates the lives of the railway men and women of Australia, killed on duty, or as a result of injuries sustained on duty. To emphasise the national importance of the Australian Railway Monument, eleven flags of Australia are flown (national flag, six states, two territories, the Aboriginal flag, and the Torres Strait Islander flag). Over 2100 names from NSW are inscribed on a commemorative wall at the Australian Railway Monument, with names from other states now being added to other walls. Stainless steel statues depict aspects of railway work and are located in the railway station grounds and nearby park. Railway workers from throughout Australia are honoured by a ³Path of Service² at the Monument. Each paver shows the railway workerıs name, their occupation, and work location. The Australian Railway Monument is open seven days a week 10.00am to 4.00pm. Enquiries (02) 6768 7929.

The Armidale and Moree Xplorers at Werris Creek Railway Station

Rail Journeys Museum
The Rail Journeys Museum is located in the former Railway Refreshment Rooms of the Werris Creek railway station. The Rail Journeys Museum tells the story of how the railways shaped Australia. The town's impressive railway station is a symbolic reminder of the town's previous importance as a rail centre. It consists of three linked main buildings of two-stories with fine detailing and platforms on either side. There are a number of ancillary buildings. The railway station is the third largest in NSW. The Rail Journeys Museum is open seven days a week 10.00am to 4.00pm. Enquiries (02) 6768 7929.

Currabubula
13 km north-east, on the road to Tamworth, Currabubula has a bush pub and an art and craft gallery with an annual art show in May.

	Hotels
	Commercial Hotel 81 Single St Werris Creek NSW 2341 Telephone: (02) 6768 7075
	Currabubula Hotel Davis St Currabubula Werris Creek NSW 2341 Telephone: (02) 6768 9005
	Restaurants
	Angies Pizza & Coffee Shop 77 Single St Werris Creek NSW 2341 Telephone: (02) 6768 7088 Rating:
	Werris Creek Bowling Club Henry St Werris Creek NSW 2341 Telephone: (02) 6768 7144
	Wing Cheun Chinese Restaurant 102 Single St Werris Creek NSW 2341 Telephone: (02) 6768 7622