Gold Coast history: Nerang Railway Station exhibition opens, rare photographs show city’s earliest days
The first section of heavy rail track laid on the Gold Coast since the extension of the line to Varsity Lakes has been put down in a surprising place.
Gold Coast
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IT is the first section of heavy rail track laid on the Gold Coast since the extension of the line to Varsity Lakes in 2009.
But these rails and sleepers will bring you on another kind of journey – back to a distant past, when the Gold Coast looked very different to today.
The short section of track has been laid in front of the old Nerang Railway Station at the Gold Coast Hinterland Heritage Museum in Mudgeeraba, where a new exhibition about the station and the South Coast Line has opened.
Secretary Annie Panitz said museum volunteers had been working for about 12 months to prepare the exhibition, which includes a host of railway memorabilia such as staff boxes, uniforms and old tickets donated by the Queensland Museum.
Ms Panitz said the section of track had been laid using materials from the period, with the sleepers taken from an old bridge in Tallebudgera and rails from a farm which operated a sawmill.
Visitors to the museum will also be able to view a recreation of an old school room, displays of military memorabilia related to the local area and a remarkable collection of old cameras.
The Nerang Railway Station Exhibition can be viewed at the Gold Coast Hinterland Heritage Museum on Sundays between 10am and 2pm.
INCREDIBLE IMAGES OF COAST’S EARLIEST DAYS
A remarkable new exhibition of rare photographs has provided a rare glimpse into life on the Gold Coast more than a century ago.
The display, at the Gold Coast Historical Society and Museum premises in Surfers Paradise, includes images of Southport, Coolangatta, Benowa and Burleigh taken by Guy Hunt, who was born in Beenleigh in 1884 and spent most of his life living and working in Southport.
Among the photographs, many of which have never been displayed publicly before, are images of happy families enjoying The Southport Show at Woodroofe Park in 1912 and a “peace parade” beside the Star of The Sea site in 1919.
Gold Coast Historical Society Secretary Catherine Elek said the exhibition would run until the end of April at its Bundall base – itself redolent with history – before the volunteer-run society kicked off its jubilee celebrations.
“It’s here for the community, we hope people come and enjoy it,” she said.
‘Coming to Light - the life and work of Guy William Hunt’, is on display at the Gold Coast Historical Society and Museum, 8 Elliott Street, Surfers Paradise. Opening hours are Sunday 10am-3pm, Tuesday 9am-1pm and Wednesday 9am-1pm.
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