Port Augusta railway station

History

In 1878, Port Augusta became the southern terminus of a proposed line to Darwin. Under South Australian ownership the narrow gauge railway, known as the Great Northern Railway, was extended in stages and reached Oodnadatta in 1891.

The South Australian Government subsequently made offers to several syndicates to construct a line north from Oodnadatta to Pine Creek on the land grant system, however negotiations were unsuccessful and Oodnadatta remained the railhead. The line passed to Commonwealth ownership on 1 January 1911, but continued to be operated by the South Australian Railways until the Commonwealth Railways took over operations on 1 January 1926. An extension of the railway to Alice Springs was completed in 1929.

Between 1913 and 1917, the standard gauge Trans-Australian Railway was built from Port Augusta to Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. Thus Port Augusta became a break of gauge station until the standard gauge line was extended to Port Pirie Junction in 1937.

In 1957, a new standard gauge Stirling North to Marree line was built via Leigh Creek, replacing the line via Quorn. In 1972, the Whyalla line opened to Whyalla to serve Whyalla Steelworks. In 2001, the narrow gauge line between Port Augusta and Quorn was re-opened by the Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society.

Port Augusta has long been an important railway centre, with Downer Rail having a plant in the city.

Services

Port Augusta is served by Great Southern Rail's The Ghan and Indian Pacific services.