Looking Back - February 2025 - Morwell Railway Station
By Leo Billington
History does not need to be sombre. There are some light moments, such as a “cow story” published in the Morwell Advertiser, on Thursday September 21, 1933.
Cow Causes Stir
An unusual incident occurred at the Morwell railway station, on Monday last. A cow, that had given a good deal of trouble was being driven by Mr Williamson along Station Street (now Princes Drive), and when opposite the railway station, it would appear that the animal suddenly made up her mind to board the passenger train, which was just about due to arrive. She forced herself through between two small posts placed at the end of the footpath leading from the station. She proceeded along the path and entered the station corridor. She passed the ticket window, but did not stop to get even a platform ticket. The barrier was open and Mrs Cow simply seized the opportunity to rush on to the platform, where she caused some commotion among people waiting for the train, and they were relieved when she suddenly took a header off the platform on to the railway line below. The jump was negotiated in good style, just before the arriva1 of the "steam horse," and the last the people on the platform saw of the quadruped was her heading up the main street.
Such a perfect segueway to this month’s local history column in the first 2025 edition of the Churchill & District News.
Let us have a look at the stranglehold the Victorian Railway Commissioners had on Morwell’s development. (Mrs Cow did not care much for the railway station/line.)
On Tuesday evening June 21, 1938, the Morwell Civic Association had a general meeting announcing there were “big problems” to be discussed. Held in Morwell’s Town Hall Supper Room, about 30 people attended. President, Mr George H Budge J.P, opened proceedings acknowledging the larger than usual attendance.
Number one item was ‘Improving the Town’, next was a suitable location for municipal saleyards, number three item concerned the dangerous railway crossing and then finally, lunch-hour closing. Ironically, these priority agenda items were all interrelated to one problem, placement of the Morwell Railway Station, especially because it was on land which cut a wide swathe through the town.
Lunch-hour closing was an irritant during this time, laden with anecdotes claiming that “on one occasion he, Vin Hourigan, knew some people came in to Morwell to do some shopping, but finding the shops closed they went on to Traralgon and got their things there.” Such a big-hearted academic contribution to debate wondering how to improve the town.
A safe way out – let us have a community survey analysing lunch-hour closing and its’ implications.
Returning to more pressing issues, as reported in the Morwell Advertiser, Thursday June 23, 1938, the Civic Association:
“recognised that there should be two shopping sides to the main street.
At the present time one side of the street was occupied by the railway yards.
It was felt that if the railway station was shifted some distance west and placed near where the semaphore is, it would permit of the main street having two sides.”
No doubt a radical suggestion, but caution prevailed. Mr Budge wondered if the people were in favour of having the station shifted. He believed that “unless there is a majority in favour of the proposal, there would be no good going to the Railway Commissioners about it.”
Alternatively, perhaps the goods shed could be shifted further west, or even east - about opposite the state school - as it was once mooted. Then seek approval from the Commissioners to sell, or lease, for a long term, railway frontage to Commercial Road’s north side.
Mr Budge argued that the Association would need to “act guardedly and in a diplomatic manner as Mr Clapp was not a very approachable gentleman. He did not wish to throw cold water on the proposal but recommended caution in the matter.”
Sir Harold Winthrop Clapp (May 7, 1875 – October 21, 1952) was a transport administrator with the Victorian Railways who over the course of thirty years revolutionised railways. He became Chairman of Commissioners of Victorian Railways in 1920 and remained Chairman until his retirement in 1951.
There seems to be a wide range of opinions about Mr Clapp. Most are flattering although there is a focus on his strict adherence to officialdom.
Over many years, going to the Railway Commissioners seems a reflection of Oliver Twist who asked “please, sir, I want some more.” These are the most memorable six words that Charles Dickens (1812-1870) ever wrote. They appear very early on in his second novel, Oliver Twist, published in 1837.
Mr Clapp and his entourage of fellow Commissioners visited Morwell in February, 1939. Councillor Alf Ronald asked that Railway Department officers visit Morwell to discuss adopting a planning scheme enabling substantial buildings to be erected on the railway land, north side of Commercial Road. Mr Clapp took notes to refer to previous files regarding this idea.
Constant lobbying was fashionable, but ineffective. Mr Herbert Hyland MLA was blunt in his remarks to Morwell’s community, when in February, 1946, he said:
‘As regards the town's pet aversion, the railway station, he advised them to forget about it for the moment beyond perhaps suggesting to the Railways Commissioners the moving of the goods sheds to allow of the opening up of more shop sites. Until the final plans for the railway network to meet the S.E.C.'s requirements were finalised, it was useless to press for alterations to the station and railways yard. The Morwell Advertiser, Thursday February 14, 1946.
This leads to a larger topic - who had the stranglehold - the Victorian Railway Commissioners or the State Electricity Commission?
Space in this edition of CDN is limited to write a voluminous story about the lobbying from various sources over how to improve Morwell’s main Commercial Road business district.
An opinion to think about - and as asked in a letter to the editor Morwell Advertiser, Thursday June 28, 1945, “Is Morwell the Cinderella town of the main Gippsland line?”
