Is Harden Station finally getting the attention it deserves?

It took a long time to get essential work done at the Harden Station. It required the writing of letters, phone calls and finally attention from the media, for this work to be performed.

The sanitary state of Harden station, classified as unstaffed, has been described by many as “sub-standard” ever since the station came under the care of the Cootamundra Railway Station staff.

They can only attend two to five hours a week it is understood, depending on their availability.

One person wrote to us last week about her family connections with the station while growing up.

“My mother loved growing up in Harden, as one of many kids whose fathers were part of the rail families that were sent around the state wherever needed,” she said.

“We have all complained and commented despite being ‘out of towners’, because we are concerned with the preservation of rail heritage.”

The station was opened on March 12, 1877 as Murrumburrah Station before being renamed as North Murrumburrah a year later, then named Harden Station on September 1, 1880.

Harden and the surrounding stations, were one of the most important locations on the main south line extending from Binalong.

Engines were said to have once changed here, serviced, trains met up and passenger services commenced and finished their journeys.

According to website Station Past, the Harden Station yard used to feature a ten road loco shed with two large signal boxes, and an “impressive island platform station with docks for rail motors”.

Much traffic flowed this way due to the easier grades than the Blue Mountain line.

Harden was also a popular destination for the iconic Lachlan Valley Railway steam locomotive from Cowra, until the closure of the Blayney-Demondrille line mid-2009.

In 2017 The Times reported on ‘spikes’ being installed on various buildings throughout the Twin Towns, which resulted in pigeons having a new place to call home, and this was at the Station.

“Spikes and mesh have also been installed at the Station, to try and prevent the vermin from residing there, but unfortunately they have been making quite a mess,” our article stated four years ago.

On March 7 this year, the state of bird droppings and maintenance of the Harden Station gained following a post by editor Phil Buckley on his NSW Heritage Railway Stations and Infrastructure Facebook page.

“Steph Cooke MP government can’t fund proper care for Harden and so the first thing a tourist sees getting off a train is pigeon sh*t everywhere, literally, if not nearly stepping in it,” the page said.

“Piles of it are seen all across platforms, on windows sill and in waiting rooms floor and seating areas. We have a fire hazard in the walkway tunnel under the tracks with grass piles up nearly 40cm in a 5m long section.

“The appalling state is clear that the care isn’t a one person job from Cootamundra. It needs a Sydney Trans deep clean effort every month.”

Last month a Times staffer reached out to the office of both Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke MP as well as Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole MP.

Steph Cooke MP responded within days and said having a safe and well-presented rail station is “vital for the communities” of Harden and Murrumburrah.

Since our media request, it seems the issues raised about the filthy state of the Harden Station has seen the station undergo a deep clean over two days at the end of May.

Ms Cooke has requested for further bird proofing assessment and it is said to be in place later this month.

Ms Cooke added that Transport for NSW had previously undertaken bird proofing measures at the Station, which is said to reduce amount of dropping by about 90 per cent.

A culling program was introduced earlier this year by the State Government and had eliminated 42 birds at that point in time.

Mr Toole had not responded to us at time of this week’s print, despite several email and phone call efforts the week earlier.

“Since 2016, not enough funding has been assigned to keep Harden Railway Station clean and in a presentable status for locals and visitors,” NSWHRSI editor Phil Buckley said.

“For the fact that since my past trips in 2016 and 2021 and still the presence of bird droppings, dead bugs and substantial size grass collects, this illustrates that adequate ongoing funding by Transport for NSW for station staff is not being provided.”

Meanwhile, in May the State Government announced plans to build 11 regional train station upgrades, which included accessible pathways and ramps, tactiles on platforms and target locations throughout the station, kiss and ride and accessible parking spaces, as well as bus and coach parking facilities.

Additionally they may be an upgrade to amenities including waiting rooms, ticket offices and seating, as well as accessible and ambulant toilet facilities.

Cootamundra, Junee and Griffith are included in the 11, but not Harden.

“I have been assured the Harden Station may be considered for an accessibility upgrade in the future,” Ms Cooke MP said.

“I will always fight to ensure our communities receive their share of infrastructure investment and improvements.”

At present, Harden Station still has a significant number of rail services which brings people to town via two daily NSW TrainLink XPT services in each direction, operating between Sydney and Melbourne.

In addition there is a twice weekly NSW TrainLink Xplorer service between Griffith and Sydney.

Harden is also a request stop for the Melbourne XPT and the Sydney-bound Griffith Xplorer.

Christopher Tan