Wahroonga railway station is a heritage-listed suburban railway station located on the North Shore line, serving the Sydney suburb of Wahroonga. It is served by Sydney Trains T1 North Shore Line services. It was built from 1890 to 1910 by E. Pritchard & Co., contractor (first 1890 line). It is also known as Wahroonga Railway Station group and Pearce's Corner; Noonan's Platform. The property was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

History

Railway and tramway plans for the area were discussed by the authorities in the 1880s.

With the building of the North Shore Line from Hornsby to St Leonards, a station was constructed under the name Noonan's Platform due to the close proximity of a property belonging to Patrick Noonan within the new railway's boundary. The station officially opened on 1 January 1890 as Pearce's Corner. It was renamed Wahroonga only eight months later, on 30 August 1890.

At this time, Wahroonga was a short brick faced platform and small timber building located on the south side of the single line. The entire station lay south of a level crossing with then Noonan's Road, later renamed Coonanbarra Road. These trees were California fan palms (Washingtonia filifera) & Mexican fan palms (Washingtonia filifera var. robusta).

The present station building at Wahroonga, together with the road bridge over the line and pedestrian steps at Redleaf Avenue was provided about 1906 in anticipation of the double line. A duplicated line was completed in May 1909 and the 12 mile section between Hornsby and Milson's Point was opened in early 1910. Island platforms were part of the duplication arrangements. The booking/station master's office is located in the platform building at the Sydney end adjacent to two ticket issuing windows. The pedestrian footbridge at Coonanbarra Road was built at this time when the level crossing was closed.

The 1926 Wahroonga Progress Association's Annual Report stated the railway station garden "for 9 years in succession, with one exception, has gained first prize in the competition for privately maintained railway station gardens". In 2009 the Hill's fig trees on the platform were replaced with blue berry ash (Elaeocarpus reticulatus) as the figs' roots were lifting pavement and causing trip and risk hazards. The new trees have a more upright, narrow habit which should suit the constricted corridor between the railway overhead power lines. The platform upgrade include relocation of seats and re-paving of the platform surface.

In May 2022, an upgrade to the station was completed and opened including a new lift and accessible toilet, while the Illoura Avenue bridge was also refurbished.

Description

Landscape

Wahroonga station is the highest on the North Shore railway line at . What is significant about the route is the fact that the topography is steep, rising from near sea level at Kirribilli and Lavender Bay.

Buildings

station building – type 11, initial island/side building brick, 1906

Condition

As at 14 January 2009, until the time of the listing, the whole of the station platform, building, steps and overhead bridge were virtually unchanged from the time each unit was built. In early years, Old Milson's Point, Bay Road, St. Leonards, Chatswood, Lindfield, Gordon, Pymble, Turramurra, Wahroonga and Hornsby Stations had goods yards. All but St. Leonards, Chatswood and Hornsby yards had disappeared by the mid-twentieth century, and the latter three did not survive into the late twentieth century.

|p2linename = T1

|p2stop = services to Hornsby & Berowra

|p2notes =

Wahroonga station is served by one NightRide route:

  • N90: Hornsby station to Town Hall station

Trackplan

<gallery widths="140" heights="110">

File:Wahroonga_Railway_Station_Northbound.jpg|Looking north from the island platform

File:Wahroonga_Railway_Station_Exit.jpg|Platform view towards the exit

File:Wahroonga_Railway_Station_Entrance.jpg|Entrance on Illoura Avenue

</gallery>

Heritage listing

As at 29 May 2008, Wahroonga station is one of the best island platform buildings on the north shore line. As a group they provide a consistent style of high significance as all are in excellent condition, and display a unity of development rarely seen on the railway system. They are also of interest as they are all island platform structures except for the terminus points such as Lindfield and Gordon where and additional platform is provided. This station contributes an important part as a major transport outlet for residents. It is sited in a garden setting which was typical of many stations throughout the State and many of which now have largely been removed. This gives the site added significance.