WALKAWAY STATION MUSEUM

Closed Mondays, Tuesday to Friday 10am - 4.00pm

• Originally the area was known as the Back Flats; settlement consisting of an inn serving the lumbering drays heading for the northern pastoral, and later, goldfields areas of Murchison and Yalgoo.

• Walkaway - a corruption of the native "Wagga wah" - referring to the bend in the nearby Greenough River, was the name given to the railway station when a line was built from Geraldton in 1887. In 1894 it was linked with Midland Junction by the building of a private line - that of the Midland Railway Coy., constructed by an engineer and later the first General Manager of the Company, E Keane. With the railway and an expanding agricultural area, the township grew until with the dieselisation of the railway systems, and the take-over by the State of the Midland Railway in 1964, decline set in. This was also accentuated by the gradual absorption of the original smallholdings into the larger holdings of today's farming demands.

• The style of the buildings show the influence of the British railways of the late 1870's, and construction was largely of stone with brick chimneys, bricks being burnt on the nearby Hamersley property. It is thought to have been opened by the Government Resident, Maitland Brown, in July 1887, deputising for the Governor, in local celebrations to honour the jubilee of Queen Victoria. The portion built at right angles to the main block was originally used as a post office and postal quarters, but in 1920 was taken over by the Railway Department as a residence for the Assistant Station Master. The first postmaster was appointed in 1888. Thus the building served a dual State function prior to Federation.

• Walkaway was closed as an attended railway station in 1966, and after the buildings became empty and In danger of demolition, the Geraldton Historical Society negotiated a lease to ensure preservation of the building and to house the Society's growing collection. The building is now on the Recorded list of the National Trust (WA).

• In 1976 National Trust (WA) placed the goods shed and ramp also on the recorded list and the Society will endeavour to faithfully set up this area to depict an early country railway station.

• Both transport and mineral exploration and development in the (Geraldton Region has. contributed much to its prosperity. The first State railway was built in the region (Geraldton to Northampton in 1874, closed 1955) to serve the first mining venture mining for lead at Geraldine - am these were considered suitable themes to develop, with emphasis on the history of the now defunct Midland Railway, Coy. The opening of a regional museum also was an (opportunity to present the Society's collection of weapons and relics of early defense forces.

• In December 1973, WA Natural Gas (W.A.N.C.) donated the display. on natural gas of the Dongara area which has been set up in what was originally the ladies waiting room.

• The museum is run by the Walkaway Division of the Geraldton Historical Society and is open from 10.00 am to 4.00 p.m. Tuesday to Friday and 1.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

• There is a close liaison with the Walkaway School. Many of the pupils are junior members and assist with cleaning and upkeep of the museum.

• Smoking is not permitted inside the museum, and while there is no objection to taking Pictures, this may not be done of individual items without permission as some Photographs displayed are copyrighted.

• The museum is not presented as a complete display. There are many gaps, some to allow for new items to be shown; some for lack of material, and contributions of material are always welcome; also suggestions for improvement.

• The Society also maintains a Folk Museum at Greenough on the main North West Coastal Highway, 19 kilometres south of Geraldton, which: is open daily between 10.00 and 4.00 p.m. Saturday to Wednesdays (closed Thursday and Friday) aid if you have enjoyed your visit to Walkaway, why not include Pioneer museum also in your itinerary?

• The headquarters and archives of Geraldton Historical Society are located in Light House Keepers Cottage, Chapman Road, Bluff Point (open Thursdays, 10.00 am to 4.00 p.m.) where visitors are always welcome.

• Have a tour around our district today