South West Rail and Heritage Centre Boyanup

Railways were critical in opening up regional areas of Western Australia and when the Bunbury to Boyanup railway was built in 1887 it was the first railway in WA specifically built to serve an agricultural district. Boyanup became a major railway junction, with lines stretching to Katanning and Flinders Bay, transporting timber, agricultural produce and people to Bunbury. Though the hissing of steam is rarely heard these days, the site is still alive with activity. Enthusiastic volunteers are constantly working on restoration projects on the rolling stock. Look out for the curved roof of the section of the Roundhouse which was relocated here from the Bunbury railyard in the 1980s. The Preston River Old Machinery Collection is also displayed on this site and the Capel Men’s Shed has its home here. Before you reach the large engines, enjoy the miniature railways of the South West Model Railway in the entrance building. Appreciate the details of the miniature landscapes, and look out for the painted “blue trees”: the Blue Tree Project began in Western Australia and explains why you will see dead trees painted blue across the Australian countryside. The Project aims to draw attention to mental health issues and concerns, particularly in rural and remote communities.

Address:

Turner Street
Boyanup WA 6237
Australia

Opening Hours
Fourth Sunday of each month; or by calling 0427 771864 for group visits

Watching the blacksmith at work is like stepping back into a different era. The flames flare and the blacksmith heats the iron, then moves to the anvil to hammer it into shape. The fact that it is hot...

This passenger carriage, with cabin doors which opened directly onto the station platform, was one of many used on the line from Bunbury to Perth. Imagine your surprise when, as the train was rattling...

This wonderful locomotive was built in 1898 in South Australia and is the oldest Australian built locomotive still working. Painstaking restoration work on the engine, tender and cabin will result in...

More South West collections

A place where nature and cultures merge

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The Waroona Museum occupies the old Roads Board Building for the Drakesbrook District, as Waroona was known prior to 1946. This smart wooden building on the South West Highway was built in 1932. The...

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A secret society

In many towns the list of historic buildings includes the local Masonic Lodge. The Freemasons were exclusively male, non-Catholic and often with significant influence on the ‘goings-on’ in the town...

While you're in the area

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