Line history

Our train runs along 3km of track which is part of the 132km Casino to Murwillumbah line. This line connected the town of Casino, which is on the Sydney to Brisbane line, with Lismore, Byron Bay, Mullumbimby, Murwillumbah and dozens of towns and villages in between. The Northern Rivers region represents a highly unique settlement pattern in that it is a “region of villages” with over 300 towns, villages and hamlets. Each has its own unique character and identity, yet is part of a greater regional community.

The first section of the Casino to Murwillumbah line opened between Lismore and Murwillumbah in 1894, connecting the Richmond and Tweed Rivers.
Nine years later, an extension from Lismore to Casino opened and later south to Grafton. The locomotives, rolling stock and materials were brought to Lismore by steamer via the Richmond and Wilson Rivers and unloaded adjacent to the present Hurfords Mill site. The first sod on the line was turned on 21 March 1891 by the Hon. Bruce Smith, the Minister for Works, amid much celebration, a barbecued bullock and liberal quantities of ale. At the official opening in 1894 a crowd estimated to be 9,000 was in attendance. The whole town was bedecked with flags and bunting and a triumphal arch spanned Woodlark Street, Lismore.

The line served the development of the pastoral industries and the establishment of Lismore and Byron Bay as major centres. Whilst from 1905 much of the line between Casino and Sydney became operational, it wasn’t until 1922 that the line was fully connected to Sydney, although it necessitated crossing the Clarence River in a train ferry until the bridge was completed in 1932. There were 31 stations between Casino and Murwillumbah, with other halts where the train could be hailed.

In 1910 a branch line was opened from (Old) Casino to Kyogle and in 1930 a Border Loop line was opened from Kyogle to South Brisbane. With this, and the opening of the Grafton Bridge in 1932, the railway became a major employer and Casino flourished as a railway centre. The Murwillumbah line became the branch line, junctioning at the new Casino station south of the original, while the former Kyogle branch line was absorbed as part of the new main line to South Brisbane.

The North Coast Mail was the premier train between Murwillumbah and Sydney after the North Coast Line was completed in the 1930s. Additional local trains plied the tracks between Casino and Murwillumbah, connecting with other services such as the Brisbane Express and the Brisbane Limited.

From 1930 there was a service between Booyung, a station on the Casino to Murwillumbah line between Eltham and Bangalow, and Ballina. Services were suspended in 1948 due to landslips and the line was closed in 1953. There was also an extension to Condong for sugar mill traffic.

From 1973, the Gold Coast Motorail provided passenger and car transport between Sydney and Murwillumbah. While no right thinking person would set their watch by it, the Motorail was a much loved train. The local radio stations would tell listeners how late it was running every morning and occasionally it would be on time. Young people from Lismore and Casino would use it to have a day surfing in Byron Bay and the trip from Lismore to Murwillumbah was a relaxing outing where you could saunter into the dining car for a cup of coffee or afternoon tea while watching the magnificent scenery pass by.

In February 1990 the Gold Coast Motorail was replaced by an unnamed CountryLink XPT service.

In September 1997, FreightCorp contracted the operation of freight trains on the line to Northern Rivers Railroad. These services ceased in 2002.

On 15 May 2004, services on the line were suspended.

^{We thank the following for their contributions to this page:}

^{Brian Alexander, Lismore}

^{Tim Elderton, Lithgow State Mine Railway}

^{Rail Motor Society}