Cobar Railway Station

The railway line reached Cobar in 1892, officially opening on July 2. The buildings in the railway yard once included an engine shed, goods shed, turntable and carriage shed.

The passenger station building consisted of a general waiting room, ticket and parcels office, and ladies’ waiting room, together with lamp room, yards and sheds. The station master’s residence was a five-roomed house on Bourke Road. The Cobar line became highly profitable and at one time was second in revenue only to the Newcastle line.

This quiet end of town was once a thriving hub for transport in Cobar. When the trains pulled in, horse-drawn taxis lined up for customers while coaches and wagons took goods and passengers to settlements and properties further out. Sidney Kidman was a partner in one of the coach lines that competed for this business. There were several hotels nearby, including the Terminus and the (Great) Railway Hotel.

The line was extended to the CSA Mine in 1918. The mine’s closure in 1920 saw this line fall into disrepair until the mining revival of the 1960s. A further extension out to the Elura / Endeavor Mine in the 1980s. The last passenger service ran on 22nd September 1975; the next day, road coaches replaced the train. The Railway building is now home of the Cobar Arts Council who hold events there.