Railway
To date there is no known photo of the Cabarlah railway station. The photo above is of a train that did operate at Cabarlah, but the station building looks very similar to the station at Crows Nest (see below)
While the railway from Ipswich to Toowoomba was completed in 1867, it took another 16 years to build one from Toowoomba to Highfields. Before the railway was completed in 1883, the road to Highfields (Cabarlah) was a bit of a goat track. In 1867 it was noted to be "the worst in the colony". In 1874 [it] has been of late considerably improved by the erection of numerous culverts across the various gullies". The Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs General Advertiser (Sat 11 Feb 1882 p 3) advertised coach and mail before the railway. Note the time from Ruthven St to the Wilk’s hotel was just under 3 hours.
After a survey was carried out in 1879, plans for the railway were drawn up in 1880/1 (see sections below from the Queensland State Archives Item ID117321, Drawings - railway). Note there appeared to be plans for a route from Spring Bluff to Cabarlah (Highfields) and another from Meringindan to Crows Nest. At this stage there were no names for the stations, apart from Meringdan (see map on right below) and the set of drawings were labelled railway from Toowoomba to Highfields.
The Loans estimate for 1881 included 20000 pounds to build the first stage to Cabarlah. Tenders were called and that of John Gargett and Co. was accepted in May 1882. John Gargett had completed Section one satisfactorily on 1st August 1883. The line was opened on 17th September 1883.
Before the official opening, a train ran to Highfields in July 1883. An extract from 9 July newspaper stated:
On arrival at the site of the Highfields station, which is about eleven and a-half miles from the point where the line branches off, the visitors got off and took a stroll round, The new hotel of Mr Barclay's [sic] is just, at this point, a Iarge piece of ground has been cleared for buildings some of which are already in an- advanced state of progression. There is also a turn-table here capable of turning the heaviest engines in use. The sleepers and ballast excited many favorable comments, and we must say that they were worthy of the upraise bestowed on them. The railway shows unmistakable signs of careful and efficient construction, and considering the difficulties that have had to be overcome it has been rapidly completed. Many of the curves are very sharp, while in some places a cattle pit has had to be made to prevent cattle getting onto the line.
The figure above is from an advertisement for sale of property in 1884, taking advantage of the newly built railway station. Note that the Stationmaster's house (still in existence) and Gould’s Hotel (i.e. Railway Hotel owned by Mr Bearkley) on the corner of the main road and Costello Road (which burned down in 1904). Cabarlah had a siding, livestock yards, a loading bank and crane, a goods shed and the Station Master’s residence which was built in 1883. The Stationmaster became the gatekeeper as well when the line extended to Crows Nest in 6th December 1886.
The railway[1] from Toowoomba to Cabarlah officially opened on 17 Sept 1883. The name of the station can be found in advertisements from 12 Sept but nothing before that date.
Cabarlah enjoyed a short-lived status as a regional railhead when the second rail line extending from Toowoomba terminated at the town, prior to its extension to Crow’s Nest three years later. The line carried timber from the hills around Crow’s Nest, livestock, pigs, dairy produce and maize. The rail was limited to maximum speed of 40 km/hr due to steep grades (see drawings above showing gradient of 1 in 30) and light rail. The stations from Toowoomba to Crow's Nest included Birnam, Cawdor, Shirley, Woolmar, Meringandan, Kleinton, Geengee, Geham, Mt Luke (Pleasant), Taylor, and Hampton.
The second section of the line was 17 miles 22 chains long (about 28 km). Tenders were called in 1885. This time the contract went to M. Barry and Co. for completion by September 1886. However, not much progress had been made by the end of 1885, according to a Pony Express article, but by November 1886, most of the work had been done. The line was opened on 6th December 1886.
The total cost of the line had been 115, 000 pounds. (extract from History of Geham School, p. 28)
Geham Station (from Geham State School 1871 - 1996, p 104)
A mixed train ran daily for six days a week from Crows Nest to Toowoomba for 43 years, until the red and cream rail motors were introduced in 1928. A goods train then ran five days a week. The rail motor stopped anywhere a road bus would stop.
The branch line closed 1 July 1961 and the track pulled up in 1962[2].
Rail motor at Crows Nest Station
Crow's Nest Railway (Local History and Robinson Collections, Toowoomba City Library)
[1] 1867 completion of a narrow gauge railway line from Toowoomba to Ipswich, ascending the main range through Highfields to Murphy's Creek. Many of rail workers remained in the district once the line was complete. The railway transported timber, and shortly afterwards dairy produce from the farm selections taken up on the cleared hills.
[2] Information from Colours of San Cris information sheet.