Boyanup Rail Heritage Museum opens former Australind train carriage to public

One of the carriages of Bunbury’s beloved former train has officially opened as an exhibition at the South West’s train museum.

The Boyanup Rail and Heritage Museum launched one of the two carriages of the Australind train as a walk-through exhibition during its monthly open day on Sunday.

The 1987-era carriage holds fond memories for the South West community, being one of the primary modes of transportation between Bunbury and Perth up until it was decommissioned last year.

The carriage includes the buffet section of the train, where the service’s hot drinks and famous cheese toasted sandwiches were made and sold.

Rail Heritage WA president and Boyanup Rail and Heritage Museum organiser Phillipa Rogers said they were thrilled to finally have the carriage open to the public.

“We’ve been given a few things over the years but nothing as wonderful as this, the condition it’s in, it’s like I walked off it yesterday,” she said.

“History doesn’t end, it’s continuous, it really shows that today is tomorrows history.”

The carriage was placed next to the original Australind steam locomotive first built in 1887 as a way to show the progression transportation technology had made.

Ms Rogers said the placing of the two side-by-side was to show the evolution of the South West through transport.

“The little steam locomotive there was bought for the operation in the very beginning of the Bunbury-Boyanup Railway,” she said.

“So for us to have the first locomotive for Boyanup and to have the Australind next to each other but 100 years apart is really special.”

Shire of Capel councillor Rosina Mogg said she was committed to helping the Heritage Museum thrive, acknowledging the importance of preserving the South West’s locomotive history.

“It helps preserve the past into the future,” she said.

“We’re involved with the feasibility study that they’ve recently done ... we’re hoping that we can have some part of help to extend the track line here.

“There’s so many other working groups here on site, it’s a real education experience and very nostalgic.”

The remaining Australind carriage is currently the property of the City of Bunbury, which is negotiating whether to use it as a sculpture.