Looking Back - March 2025 - Morwell Railway Yards

As a reminder, last month’s (CDN February 2025) Morwell history page carried two opinions about Morwell. Opinions, yes, but nonetheless raising topical issues still haunting us today.

A correspondent writing to the editor asked, “Is Morwell the Cinderella town of the main Gippsland line?” Morwell Advertiser, Thursday June 28, 1945.

Then, about eight months later, according to Mr Herbert Hyland MLA “the town's pet aversion”, was the railway station. Morwell Advertiser, Thursday February 14, 1946.

Let us open up some local history that might have given credence to these opinions.

It was mid - November 1944, the Morwell Shire Council was deep in discussions about budgets. Tossed into the maze of words from councillors was reference to the Korumburra Comfort Station (that is, a public toilet). It was revealed this public amenity cost £1,500 - £500 from the state government and £1,000 from local fund raising.

Community fund raising for a public toilet! Morwell’s councillors became excited about such a cheap price and also, “numerous enquiries” were being heard about a Comfort Station for Morwell.

There were toilets at the new Town Hall but some distance from shops. Complaints and low level lobbying was trying to explain this to male councillors.

Lobbying passed through 1945, 1946, mid 1947 when debate focussed on an appropriate site, 1950 when such an amenity was approved for Leongatha, February 1952 when Moe got funding to build one, March 1953 when Council had ideas of building a “public lavatory” in George Street - for “both sexes”.

Things became desperate by August 1953 when Morwell’s Planning Committee pushed the button - and a site was suggested for approval by the Railways Department.

A response was printed in the Morwell Advertiser on Thursday October 15, 1953:

Comfort-Station on Railway Land.

Objection by Railways Commissioners

As a matter of policy the department was opposed to the erection of comfort stations on railway property, said Mr. R. G. Wishart, Chairman of the Railway Commissioners, on Tuesday, when considering a suggested site for a comfort station in Morwell.

A deputation from the Morwell Shire Council had submitted to him for approval this week a proposed site for a comfort station on railway land, the eastern end of the northern side of the main Commercial Rd. shopping centre.

Undesirables Attracted. Mr. Wishart said that this policy had been determined by the Railways department after "bitter experience" as such buildings had always tended to attract undesirables on to railway property, particularly at night.

Cr. Ronald explained that the proposed site was ideal, and was the only suitable one available for Morwell's large population.

A plan prepared by Mr. J. W. F. Connan, shire engineer, gave the location of the comfort station, adjacent to the expected site of the subway. Mr. Wishart said that the matter would be given full consideration when final plans had been completed for the subway and other extensions to the Morwell railway yards.

Morwellians could not wait any longer. An underground subway was to be constructed. A new bus terminal was announced, Morwell Advertiser, Monday August 23, 1954, so it was about time for a public lavatory; to be built at the apex of the then Morwell Soldiers Memorial gardens, and set back from the street alignment. It was announced the McDonald Street bridge was officially open.

Speaking with Morwell Shire councillors early in December 1954, Mr Wishart did comment that the site in Commercial Road appeared as “if it would have valuable possibilities for commercial uses.” No doubt for other uses as well!

New Subway for Morwell

Work will begin immediately on construction of a subway under the Princes Highway at Morwell, at an estimated cost of £6,164. The new subway will be an extension of the underpass at present being built by the railways to do away with a level crossing in the heart of the town.

The Age Thursday September 23, 1954.

To some extent, Morwell’s development was showing signs of improvement - a public lavatory in the town centre, and for both sexes; a new bus terminal and a subway to do away with a dangerous railway crossing. Overhead bridges were opened at Jane Street and McDonald Street. Houses were being built on land sub-divided by canny locals. Employment seemed, and was guaranteed, within the State Electricity Commission (SEC).

Morwell was destined to be “the flavour of the month” according to the Victorian State government Premier, Mr Ian McFarlane. He said, “the Commission should concentrate its attention to an area south of Morwell as being the most favourable site for a new open cut and briquette factory.”

It is at this point an historical question needs revisiting - who had the stranglehold over Morwell’s future - the Victorian Railway Commissioners or the State Electricity Commission?

As an example worth mentioning, on April 6, 1950, the Morwell Advertiser reported “the whole area of the present railway station being depressed, but was later abandoned because of serious restrictions of the area available for the handling of anticipated volume of rail traffic.” This was made clear to Morwell’s councillors that the present railway yards will cater for rail traffic only up to when “the two first briquetting units are in production at Morwell as full details of the proposed re-arrangement of Morwell station and yard have not been defined at this early stage on account of pressure of other SEC urgent works, it has yet to be determined what further facilities, if any, can be incorporated in the town’s development scheme.

Four years earlier, Morwell Advertiser, Thursday February 14, 1946, reported that “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 Morwell station and railways yard. So said Mr Herbert Hyland MLA. In addition to all this, in June 1938, it was made known publicly, “there should be two shopping sides to the main street, Commercial Road.

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. More next month.