For generations, Redcliffe residents dreamed of a railway connecting them to Brisbane – and more than a century after the first proposal was submitted, the Redcliffe Peninsula Rail Line finally became a reality.
Historian Dr Ruth Kerr and Maxwell Barton OAM will be speaking at the Redcliffe Museum this month to mark the line’s 10th anniversary with a look back at the journey from the original 1885 proposal for the ‘Humpy Bong Railway’ to the arrival of the first train at Kippa-Ring in 2016.
Dr Kerr has spent decades researching the state’s railway history and said that while it was clear that a rail link would bring many benefits to the growing peninsula, there were also numerous roadblocks along the way.
“The peninsula’s small population has always been a disadvantage in gaining approval for new infrastructure,” she said. “As well, the building of the Hornibrook Highway put the railway project back by decades.”
Despite changing governments, competing proposals and repeated setbacks, Dr Kerr said she believes optimism about the peninsula’s future helped keep the railway dream alive.
From Community Campaigning to Transforming Peninsula Public Transport
Maxwell, who chaired the ‘RAIL 09 – It’s time for the line’ campaign, played a key role in the final push to make the project happen.
“I took a lot of personal satisfaction when construction commenced in late 2013 and the project became a reality,” he said. “It is about 10 years since the first train arrived at Kippa Ring station, and this event is a celebration of that achievement and how a non-aligned community campaign turned political promises into reality.
“The project wasn’t just about Redcliffe, it was turned into a regional issue that affected a number of electorates between Redcliffe and Petrie. By doing that, it became of greater importance to governments of the day than just a singular Redcliffe issue.”
City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery said the Redcliffe Peninsula Rail Line provided a vital missing link, transforming public transport access to the Redcliffe Peninsula.
“Ten years on from its historic opening, the Redcliffe Peninsula Rail Line continues to remind us what a critical piece of infrastructure this is to Moreton Bay,” he said.
“Rail remains one of the most accessible forms of public transport and I’m sure the early visionaries who first championed this project would be delighted to know that the people of Kippa-Ring, Rothwell, Mango Hill, Murrumba Downs, Kallangur and surrounding areas now have easy access to Brisbane and beyond.”
The event is free but bookings are essential. Book your spots here.
Redcliffe Peninsula Rail Line turns 10
- Saturday, 3 October, 10.30am-12pm
- Redcliffe Museum
- 75 Anzac Avenue, Redcliffe
Read more stories from our Redcliffe Guide print magazine here:
- Reddy Roundup: Updates from the Community
- What’s Hot Around Town
- Organic Gardening in October
- Fish of the Month: Fringefin Trevally
- Brisbane Writers Festival Returns With Big Stories
- Redcliffe Art Society Landmark Exhibition
- Bring Your Own Wonder
- Saddle Up For Dolphins Country Family Fun Day
- Step Into the Eighties for a Killer Night
- Foodie Fiesta Returns to Redcliffe
- Fashion and High Tea Combine for Myeloma Fundraiser
- Where to Find Gluten-Free Dining in Redcliffe
- A Home Away From Home: the Redcliffe CWA Huts
- Run for Órla – Turning Love into Action, Hope into Purpose
- Tea a Sensational Sip at Thai Boi
- Brisbane Writers Festival Brings Authors to Moreton Bay Libraries
