Caron Coal Stage Bunjil, Western Australia, Australia
By Kyzabra on 01-Jan-16. Waypoint GA8051

THE CACHE

Caron Coal Stage comprises a concrete elevated coal bin (1930) and is the only remaining element of the Caron Siding.It was constructed by the Western Australian Railways Department (WAGR) in 1930 to replace an earlier structure that was destroyed by fire.  The coal stage was part of the railway infrastructure at Caron, a siding on the Eastern Railway between Wongan Hills and Mullewa. 

In addition to providing for the refuelling of trains, Caron was also an important watering depot for trains.  Although Caron Coal Stage was one of a number of mechanical coaling plants constructed by WAGR between 1925 and the 1950s, it was the only one constructed of concrete.  As such, it is the only railway coaling stage to survive in Western Australia and is the only remnant of Caron Siding still extant.   In July 1869, explorer John Forrest named Damperwash Hills and Springs.  Prospectors followed his route, and in 1894 George Woodley was the first to find gold, ten miles west of the springs at Rothesay.  The seam was sufficiently rich to warrant further investigation and by 1897 the Rothesay mine supported a town of about 300 residents. Most of the surrounding mining leases were quickly taken up, with the Glasgow Syndicate taking up many claims of likely worth.  The company established a mine on Woodley’s Reward c.1898, which operated until 1902.  The mine was subsequently operated by a number of companies, the majority of which had little success in finding gold.  Meanwhile, the area around the mines was settled for agriculture.  W. H. (Bill) Herbert was the first to see agricultural potential in the area and took out a lease on 20,000 acres around the Perangery rock hole in 1905.  In the same year, Frank W. Summers worked on the construction of the rabbit proof fence through the area.  However, permanent settlement of the area did not begin in earnest until 1911, when land was opened for selection.  It was government policy at the time that rail transport be provided as soon as an area was surveyed for selection. 

Legislation for the extension of the Eastern Railway from Wongan Hills to Mullewa was introduced in 1910 and construction was authorised on 26 January 1911.  The work was to be done by Departmental day labour provided by the Railway Construction Branch, which at the time did not include railway workers employed on finished lines.  There was considerable controversy, as many thought that the line should pass through the mining area near Rothesay, but the Government’s promise to make provision for agricultural areas held sway, and it was agreed that a line north of Dalwallinu be surveyed in a north-westerly direction through or near the subdivisions of Perenjori (a corruption of Perangery) and Morawa.  The laying of the line began at the Wongan Hills end on 22 May 1912 and at the Mullewa end on 12 June 1912.  They met at Perenjori in December 1913 and the line was handed over to the Western Australian Government Railways on 1 March 1915.  The line was officially opened for goods travel on 5 March 1915. The first official passengers did not travel until November that year. 

The temporary junction at Perenjori developed as a centre for all the farmers in the area.  Several people built houses at the site and the town grew from then on.  Private houses were followed by boarding houses, stores and so on, and the first townsite blocks were offered for sale on 15 February 1916.  Perenjori was declared an official townsite the following day.

The district was initially governed from Irwin, but in 1916 the Perenjori-Morawa Roads Board was formed as a separate entity.

There were many problems in securing an adequate water supply for the railway.  With its good natural catchment area, Caron, approximately 12-15 km south of the town of Perenjori, became the main railway centre, and train crews were changed there instead of at Buntine where water was not readily available.  Caron posed a threat to Perenjori for a while, with some local farmers being convinced that the Perenjori township would transfer to Caron.

Railway facilities at Caron included staff quarters (cottages and barracks), an engine turntable, weighbridge, coaling chute, railway dam, refreshment rooms, office and goods shed.  The elevated timber coal chute was constructed in 1913 to allow trains to refuel at the siding, which was strategically located half way between Wongan Hills and Mullewa.

Caron was gazetted in 1921, and was named after the railway station. The railway station is assumed to have been named after Carun Spring, which is situated about 26km west. Carun Spring first appeared on plans in 1895, but is incorrectly spelt "Caron Spring" on plans from 1907 to 1955, accounting for the spelling variation retained in the townsite name.

After a fire destroyed the timber coal chute in January 192912, WAGR constructed a concrete mechanical coal stage at Caron.  Work commenced in May 1930 and was completed in November that year.

The construction of mechanical coaling plants was listed as one of the Department’s major expenses for the year. Although a number of mechanical coaling plants were built, it appears that the one at Caron was the only one constructed in concrete. It is not clear why concrete was used at Caron and timber at other centres.   By this time, WAGR had a policy of replacing the older elevated (overhead) coal bins (such as the original at Caron) with mechanical coal stages where funds allowed.  The traditional method of conveying coal to the overhead bins was to use cranes (‘grabbing’), but this caused damage to railway wagons when lumps of coal slipped and had high costs associated with coal workers, crane maintenance and wages for the crane operator.  The elevator system was much more economical and labour saving.  However, the grab system was still operating at a number of centres in 1936. Coal stages provided an efficient means of bulk handling and storing coal and mechanical coaling plants such as that at Caron used an elevator system to take coal from supply wagons to the top of the stage.  A grid over the top of the stage screened out lumps of coal too large for efficient transportation or firing.  Coal was fed into locomotive tenders through a hopper and down a chute.

Caron Coal Stage became redundant in 1956, when the Eastern Railway was fully dieselised. The siding at Caron largely became redundant after passenger travel ceased in the 1970s and elements of the siding were gradually demolished.  Today, only the concrete coal stage remains of the railway infrastructure. Caron Coal Stage was classified by the National Trust of Australia (WA) in 1994 and was included in the Shire of Perenjori Municipal Heritage Inventory in 1999, with a recommendation that it be considered for entry in the Register of Heritage Places. A railway heritage survey, completed in 1994, also recommended that the place be considered for entry in the State Register. The population of the Shire of Perenjori, 8,214 square kilometres in area, is now approximately 700.  It consists primarily of agricultural farming land with a few mining leases.  The main town in the Shire is Perenjori, which is located in the northwest portion of the Shire and has a population of approximately 300. The other main town in the Shire is Latham with a population of approximately 60.  The remaining population is scattered through the surrounding farmland. There is no population at Caron.

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