136-year-old southside train station to be bulldozed

It has welcomed passengers for more than a century, but this charming suburban train station will be demolished as part of Cross River Rail.

Yeerongpilly residents are furious at State Government plans to raze a historic train station building, which has stood since 1884, as part of Cross River Rail upgrades.

But Cross River Rail insists the building could not be saved and Queensland Rail would be given items such as bench seating for re-use.

It comes after residents at nearby Fairfield station successfully lobbied to stop the Government from demolishing the old station and instead renovate the building.

Work is due to begin in June next year on a new station which will improve accessibility for disabled people, the elderly, parents with children and those with mobility issues.

The Yeerongpilly train station building is to be demolished to make way for a Cross River Rail upgrade.

But a Government leaflet showing the new design, letterboxed just before the school holidays, has alarmed neighbours.

Features of the Yeerongpilly station include: extra third platform; an upgrade to the platform finish; accessible car parking within the existing car park; Kiss ‘n’ Ride car parking; new canopy on the platform to improve weather protection; improved access to the platforms.

Geotechnical investigations, surveying, environmental monitoring and detailed designs have already begun.

Councillor Nicole Johnston (Tennyson) said she shared residents’ concerns about the demolition.

“Upgrading Yeerongpilly station is a great initiative by the State Government but it’s also important that parking is retained and existing station buildings with cultural and heritage significance are retained where possible,” Cr Johnston said.

The train station building as it looks these days. Cross River Rail says it is not practical to save it without major damage.

Resident Frankie O’Leary said the Government had not been serious about consulting locals, with the only drop-in session in the middle of the day, on a weekday, in the CBD.

An online survey had to be returned just 19 days after the flyer was letterboxed.

She also said pamphlets at the station were tucked away so it was not obvious what they were, and they were misleading as they did not mention the demolition.

“What they’re planning is a horrible modern building,’’ Mrs O’Leary said.

“We all rallied when they were going to demolish the old Animal Research Institute buildings on the Yeerongpilly Green (residential development) site and those buildings were saved.

“There were a lot of objections to the Fairfield station proposal as well.

“It would have been nice to have something put back on site in traditional style, as happened at Fairfield station.’’

Mrs O’Leary said it was a particular shame that tennis fans who would walk from the station to the nearby Pat Rafter tennis centre would no longer be able to enjoy the historical old railway building.

A plan of the proposed upgrade.

“With visitors to the Pat Rafter Tennis Centre alighting from the trains to attend the tennis, it would be welcoming to have a station reminiscent of Kuranda Station in Cairns, or one similar, to replace the original one,’’ she said.

“And the ferry terminals at Hawthorne and Balmoral have been retained and are so delightful to travellers.’’

A Cross River Rail spokeswoman said six southside stations would be upgraded to improve accessibility and functionality.

“Works are under way at Fairfield, which is the first of the six stations in the program of upgrade works with Yeronga, Yeerongpilly, Moorooka, Rocklea, and Salisbury stations to follow,’’ she said.

“Extensive local consultation has been done with for the new Yeerongpilly station design concepts, with items raised by the community carefully considered and reviewed.

“At Yeerongpilly, the current station building must be completely removed to allow for station platform construction, to raise the height of the entire platform by 200-300mm.

Artist’s impression of the new station.

The new station building is designed to current Queensland Rail (QR) standards and legislated specifications.

“An assessment of the Yeerongpilly station found that due to the existing station building’s weight, estimated at 35 tonnes, the structure could only be moved through partial or total deconstruction and rebuilding.

“However, over the life of the building, various components had been grouted together and the only way to now disassemble these components would cause permanent damage to the now-brittle concrete.

“In addition, attempting a removal of this complexity within the confined setting of the operational rail station would be very challenging.

“Given these logistical concerns, and the high likelihood of permanent damage to components of the structure, relocation of the passenger station building is not considered practical.

“Historical station components that can be salvaged without damage, for example bench seating, will be retained by QR for future use.’’

Yeerongpilly Station was opened in 1884 as Logan Junction, renamed South Coast Junction in 1885 and again to Yeerongpilly in 1893.