Wheatbelt railway lines of Western Australia

The wheatbelt railway lines of Western Australia were a network of railway lines in Western Australia that primarily served the Wheatbelt region.

Maps of the Western Australian Government Railways system in the 1930s show that in the main wheatbelt region, any railway line was within 48 kilometres (30 mi) of the harvest location, facilitating ease of access to rail transport. Most of the larger extent of the network has since been closed.

In the current railway management systems, many of the remaining operating lines are primarily for the haulage of grain.

1900s

In 1905 the report of the Royal Commission into Immigration in Western Australia stated all considerable areas of agricultural land must have a 15 mile rail service.

In 1947, the Royal Commission into Railway Management noted that to construct railways in agricultural areas as cheaply as possible, lines were built with 45 lb. rail sections which practically followed the surface of the ground with earth ballasting, half-round timber sleepers and provided the bare minimum station facilities.

1930s

Early transport of grain was organised through the railways and growers with the Cooperative Wheat Pool of Western Australia as a main player.

The feasibility of bulk handling and storage, and the relationship with the railway networks then in place, was a concern of Wesfarmers in the 1930s, as well as that of the Western Australian government of the time.

In 1932, sidings at Benjaberring, Korrelocking, Nembudding, Trayning and Yelbeni were the first locations of bulk handling of wheat by rail:

From the time of creation of specific railway branches or sections, most railway lines in the era of the WAGR operated mixed trains carrying freight and passengers.