Rosewood History. Qld.

Rosewood Railway Station

© Jane Schy 2026

1865

Rosewood Gate became a conditional stop for passenger trains after the railway line opened between Ipswich and Bigge’s Camp on 31st July 1865.

1867

Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald and General Advertiser (Qld. ) Saturday, 4 May 1867, page 1

1868

Residents in the area were unhappy with the unsatisfactory working of the railway and the manner in which the trains were timed. They felt that the timetable made travelling by rail inconvenient, expensive and often impossible.

The case of Walloon, distance excepted, is the case of the whole country below the Range. “I never use the rail if I can help it,” said the landlord of the inn at Grandchester. “I can go down to Ipswich in my buggy, do my business, and be back the same night; if I went by rail, I must stay at Ipswich all night.” 

“I am going to ride to Ipswich in the morning,” said a dairyman of the same place. “Do you not go by rail?” said I. He said, “I can’t afford it, the fare is ten shillings, and the expense of staying in Ipswich, say seven shillings more; with my horse I can do it easily in the day, and seventeen shillings is a good day’s work.”

1870

December – A post office was established at Rosewood Gate and the residents of Rosewood and Western Creek were now able to receive daily mail, which arrived by the first train from Ipswich and come down by the last train from up the line. This was a great convenience to residents who formerly had to send to Grandchester for their letters.

Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald and General Advertiser (Qld.) Thursday 31 March 1870, page 4

1872

April – A goods shed was a great necessity at Alfred, as the quantity of goods forwarded there from Ipswich was so large that Mr. Barrymore often had to carry perishable items, such as flour and tea which were sent by the late train, to his residence.

1873

26th May – A public meeting of the residents in Rosewood Scrub was held in Mr. Perram’s barn and a memorial was signed by every person present complaining of the very defective arrangements of the Traffic Department of the Railway, and asking for greater accommodation at the Rosewood. It was sent to the Minister for Works (the Hon. W. H. Walsh). A reply came saying that every consideration would be given to the matters.

Shortly afterwards a weighing machine was sent to Rosewood Gate and men were sent to convert the inconvenient siding into a loop, but the order was quickly countermanded, and the siding and the other matters were left undone.

1874

July – The siding was converted into a loop and the goods shed was enlarged with a platform at the end and at the front. The passenger platform stayed the same without a roof to shelter passengers, or even a seat to sit down on while waiting. Farmers who bought their corn, pumpkins, and other produce still had to do the loading themselves.

25th July – A public meeting was held at the provisional school, to get up a petition to the Minister for Works to make Rosewood Gate a regular station with all the privileges and advantages belonging thereto. Mr. Joseph Wyles was chairman and it was decided that the following letter should be signed and forwarded to the Minister, through Mr. James Foote, M.L.A..

December – Station master Mr. Kingsborough Black was appointed to Rosewood Gate and was giving “universal satisfaction”. The travelling public was able to get tickets for Ipswich and pay for them at the Gate; but if a passenger wanted to travel to Oxley, he had to pay the fare to Ipswich only, and then on arrival in Ipswich he had to go and get another ticket and pay the remainder of the fare to Oxley. It was the same with passengers going up the line.

Residents felt that the station still fell short of what it should be. The platform was far too short, being only the length of one carriage. The ladies had to scramble into and out of the train the best way they could, without ever using the platform. The most concerning of all was that there there is no closet or urinal. The goods shed was being used as a booking office, which, in a few months would be required for corn and pumpkins and other produce. There was no telegraph office. A telegram forwarded from Sydney to Rosewood Gate took more than ten days to be delivered.

1875

Trains now stopped at Rosewood Station but only when requested.

Work commenced in December on new railway station buildings which included a ticket-office and telegraph-office. William Cramb from Ipswich was engaged as the contractor. William Cramb’s foreman was Mr Alexander Rollo. William Cramb built many well known buildings including the Ipswich Observer office on the corner of Bremer and Nicholas Streets in late 1876. He died in February 1879 aged 49 years leaving a widow and eleven children. Subsequently, after being in William’s employ for 14 years, Alexander Rollo then became a contractor in his own right.

1876

January – The new, much wanted station, was completed. The timber was supplied from Smith’s sawmill at Walloon. It was described as a very firmly built structure of good design, and would benefit those who had a long distance to trudge with butter, eggs, and the like.  There were more passengers from the “Gate” than from the two stations of Walloon and Grandchester put together.

Plans had also been submitted for rebuilding the “little sentry box” that was used as a goods shed and extending the platform. A contract had been made with William Cramb to do that work also.

A passenger had to request the guard to stop at Rosewood or he would be carried on to the next stopping place at Western Creek. This happened to Lukas Ulrich in February and the poor old man had to trudge back in the slush and the mud to Rosewood Gate, heartily cursing, in elegant Magyar (Hungarian), the system of management that cause him  to undertake an unpleasant and unnecessary march in the dark. Very few passengers knew that it was necessary to tell the guard of the train to pull up at Rosewood.

It was felt that the ticket system at the station should be abolished without delay. The same complaint remained. If a passenger wanted to go from Rosewood to Toowoomba, he could only obtain a ticket that would take him to the next station, Grandchester. There he had to get out and buy another ticket to take him to Toowoomba. If he desired to go from Rosewood to Brisbane, he had to buy a ticket to Ipswich, then buy another to take him on to Brisbane.

Charges fixed as the fares for dogs: A dog to Rosewood (from Ipswich) cost 2s. for the 11 miles, and to Warwick 5s. for the 166 miles. If a sportsman went to Laidley for a day’s shooting, his dog would cost him 6s, or a shilling more than the sportsman himself. No return ticket could be obtained for a dog to or from any station on the line.

Another grievance was that it was not advertised that the goods train, which left Ipswich at 6 in the morning, had passenger cars attached and carried passengers at the ordinary rates. It was a mixed train carrying both goods and passengers. It would give people the opportunity for travel and late returning if they knew about it.

One long held grievance was finally addressed. The Telegraph on Wednesday 28 June 1876, page 6 gave this welcome news.
“There is a building attached to some houses which is usually described by auctioneers as an ‘office’. It can scarcely be called an essential, although I have heard it termed necessary. It is, however, convenient, especially in rainy weather. There are not many of such buildings in our scrub, because we are primitive people, and despise all those softening luxuries which enervate you townsfolk. 

Our teacher, however, says it promotes morality. “Emollit Mores Nec Sinit Esse Feros,” he says in his learned jargon. (which translates to “learning humanises character and does not permit it to be cruel.”) Doubtless a good and paternal railway board saw it in this light when they caused the structure, to which I have darkly referred, to be erected at our railway station. It is said to be the finest of its sort on the line.

I took a great interest in the building and the conversation of the carpenters, who pondered much whether it would be needful to write its name upon it for the information of us, uncivilised scrubbers. They were men of a satirical turn of mind. I think I know the ‘ins’ and ‘outs’ of the labyrinth myself, but suppose a stranger in a hurry might find some difficulty in getting out in time to catch his train. In that case, he should appeal to the station-master, who, doubtless, by calling out ‘right!’ ‘left!’ like the man in the maze at Hampton Court, would, pilot him safely through. All this about a new ‘latrine!’ See, sir, how clever I am. I have not called a spade a spade; and yet, I verily believe, everybody will know what I mean.”

1877

The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld.) Thursday, 8 March 1877, page 2
“A fortnight or three weeks ago the Government electrician and his assistant hurried up to Rosewood Station, with two ponderous cases of batteries, insulators, and instruments, and a package swathed in canvas, which, to the uninitiated, looked like a bagatelle table, but was no doubt the operator’s table. They came to fix up a telegraph station there and start the thing, and wanted to know where the telegraph office was. The station master very kindly showed them the site where it is intended to build a telegraph office some day, and verified the truth of his statement by actually pointing out the four corner pegs where the stumps are to be put in. The Government electrician relieved his feelings by delivering a short address in choice German, expressive of his settled opinion of the colony, the Government, Government officials’, contractors, and the people at large. After which he packed up his traps and returned from whence he came. But nobody was to blame except himself. He does not know the ‘Government stroke,’ and was in too big a hurry. I understand that the stumps for that telegraphic office are now being put down, and at some future time the Government electrician may have the opportunity of fitting up the office. In the meantime his salary will be paid just as punctually as it would have been if he had fitted up his table and fixed his batteries three weeks ago.”

30th April 1877 – The Telegraph Office at the Rosewood Gate opened for transmission of messages.

The residents of Rosewood had a nickname for the fast (express) train which ran between Ipswich and Toowoomba, the “Flying Dutchman”. The actual Flying Dutchman was a British passenger express train service from London Paddington to Exeter St David’s. 

The residents wanted a regular train service. Eight trains ran between Ipswich and Brisbane and four between Ipswich and Toowoomba. Only two were available for people living at Rosewood. People going to Ipswich at 8am could not return until 8.12pm, a twelve hours wait for a place twelve miles away. About 50 settlers signed a petition which James Foote, a local politician who took a deep interest and lobbied heavily for the interests of the district, presented to the Minister for Works. The petition asked for the Flying Dutchman to stop by signal when it reached Rosewood Gate at 2.20 pm so people could transact their business in Ipswich.

28th October 1877 – The tender of Thomas Christie for the erection of a station master’s house at Rosewood was accepted and it was finished by Christmas.

1878 

March – The siding was completed to Messrs. Moore’s coal-pit, and railway wagons were loaded at the pit-mouth.

July – During the dry weather, corn, pumpkins and timber were flowing down to the railway station in a continuous stream. So much so, that extra hands were put on at the goods shed and another siding was constructed for loading timber, which at the time was left lying about all the roads near the station and greatly impeded the traffic.

From 1st of September 1878 until the end January 1879, the Scrub farmers had despatched eleven thousand pounds worth of corn from the Rosewood railway station alone.

8th October – Tenders were called for pulling down the old railway station master’s house at Rosewood and re-erecting it at Red Gate Hill Crossing near Gatton. The tender of Charles Whiting was accepted.

A loading stage was erected west of the platform. 

1879

18th July – A meeting was held at the Rosewood Gate to protest against the charge of half a crown made by the Railway Department for the loading of a truck with produce. A deputation was appointed to interview the Minister for Works to ask that the charge for loading be removed.

October – The inadequacy of the goods accommodation at the Rosewood Gate railway station had become conspicuously noticeable. The goods shed was not able to cope with the demands of the neighbourhood and the verandahs of the police barracks and adjacent hotels were being used for storage room. It was not uncommon to see a long line of drays waiting their turn to unload at the single door that had to receive the immense amount of corn going from the station.

1880

June – The Minister for Works dined at John Vance’s residence at Rosewood Gate on the Queen’s Birthday. He then attended a public meeting in the school room. Moved by disgruntlement which arose from the farmers about the railway goods rates, Mr. Macrossan listened to their concerns. It was pointed out that the charges and regulations were driving the farmers to use the roads. Mr. Macrossan listened to the views of the Rosewood residents, and then told them his. He suggested that they should not be so discontent when they were comparatively well off in comparison with New South Wales and Victoria. He said that the railways must be made to pay better than in the past.

June –  A new timetable came into operation on Monday, 21st June. It was an improvement for travellers going to Brisbane. They could go to Brisbane and return the same day. However, for those who had business to transact in Ipswich, it gave too much time, as the first train arrived in Ipswich about 11 a.m. and did not depart for the West until after 5 o’clock. Therefore, it was nearly dark by the time it arrived at Rosewood.

A goods train arrived at Rosewood from Brisbane every day at 3.5 p.m. Residents thought that if a carriage could be attached to it from Ipswich to Gatton, it would be very convenient for travellers from the country, as it would enable them to get home before dark.

July – Charles Whiting’s tender was accepted by the Railway Commissioner for the removal, replacement etc of the station building at Rosewood. Cost £386, time 3 months.

September – Charles Whiting, pulled down the old booking office and waiting room in readiness to erect new  buildings.

December -The new station buildings were finished and were a credit to all concerned. The offices were large, roomy, and convenient, and the sidings were long enough to accommodate any amount of traffic that was likely to come that way.

From a return laid before Parliament for the amount of agricultural produce sent from each station during the year ending 30th June,1880, Rosewood ranked third in importance out of thirty-four stations named in the return. Ipswich stood first with 6102 tons, Toowoomba second with 4798 tons, and Rosewood third with 3133 tons.

1881

April – A 20 ton weigh-bridge was installed on the line so that wagon loads of corn, pumpkins, firewood, etc. could be weighed as they were loaded. Agricultural produce and firewood could be weighed and invoiced straight away, without waiting for advice of weights from Brisbane. It was said that the weigh-bridge was the most perfect one on the line.

4000 bags of maize (520 tons) were sent to Ipswich in August – railway freight c. £175.

September – Heaps of sleepers for the Fassifern line were lying at the railway station at Rosewood Gate awaiting transmission to the branch line via Ipswich. There was no timber suitable for the purpose in the neighbourhood of the line, while there was an abundance of fine timber on the upper waters of the Bremer and Western Creek.

1882

July – Some felt that the progress was going backwards in regards to number of staff employed at the station. A year before there was a postmaster, a telegraph operator, a station master, and a porter (sometimes two). Those various offices were now all being filled by the station master (Mr.Jeffreys) with a lad to help him. The settlement round the Gate was increasing, buildings were constantly being put up, and trade was increasing. A Rosewood Farmer complained: “I can now never depend on getting my letters or papers at the proper time; and I think Mr. Jeffreys may be excused if he gives a rather short answer when inquiries are made at a time when he is engaged with other business. I do not censure him, except for trying to fill so many offices. I know that I could not stand the worry without losing my equanimity; but is it necessary or right that a man should be overworked in that way for I am told he is often up half the night at his books? I cannot help thinking that he is very foolish to allow himself to be imposed upon in this manner, and I am none the less annoyed at not getting my letters and papers when I send for them.”

1883

Southern and Western Railways Timetable  4th January 1883

At the beginning of June, the goods-shed was full of produce, mostly maize, and it could not be opened. Farmers who came a distance of twelve miles with corn had to take it back and find room for it on verandahs and in other private places. Several of them drove on to Ipswich with their loads. There had been some corn in the shed since the 23rd May, waiting, because of the lack of goods’ trucks.

Mr. John L. Frederich went to Brisbane and spoke to the Commissioner about it, who said he would send a written reply. A letter was received from the Commissioner stating that he did not know how to meet the wants of the farmers. The increase of traffic in the goods department was so great that they were unable to keep pace with it at the time. There were, however, seventy five trucks in course of construction, which would soon be ready.

On 9th June, a public meeting was held in the Rosewood State School to discuss the matter. There was a fair attendance and the chair was Mr. John L. Frederich, J.P.. Many complaints of the difficulty experienced in getting produce away from the station had been made for some time. The excuse offered was the scarcity of trucks.

John Frederich, David Pfrunder, George Whitney. J.P., William Austin, and many others spoke on the matter. David Pfrunder said it was scandalous the way they had been treated by the Government in this respect during the past twelve months. No trucks had been at Rosewood since the Queen’s Birthday. George Whitney said he suffered a large loss with a consignment of corn because he could not get it to market while the price was high. On one occasion he had a load of potatoes waiting eight days to be taken to town. Then the department wanted to charge him storage on them. John Frederich said that since the beginning of the year he had lost over £60 by the delay in the transit of his produce. Henry M’Greary, a butcher, informed the meeting that he had had over sixty bides and several casks of tallow waiting for over a fortnight, before he was forced to hire conveyances to take them to town.

A petition for presentation to the Minister for Works was signed by nearly all present. It drew attention to the delay in forwarding goods, and asked for an inquiry to be made into the matter.

July – A new siding and timber stage were erected at Grandchester.

1884

November – A deputation of men, David Pfrunder and Charles Horne, waited upon Minister for Works (Hon. W. Miles) with reference to certain inconveniences which were experienced by the residents of Rosewood with respect to the existing train regulations. A petition was presented to the Minister.

• That the present railway timetable was not suitable for the residents above Ipswich, as the first down train arrived too late at Ipswich to be of any use to people who had to attend court as jurors or witnesses, or to boys attending the Grammar School, or to the people who did their business in Ipswich or Brisbane.
• That residents considered it to be unjust that they had to pay higher passenger fares than the people near Brisbane in proportion to mileage.
• That as there were three goods trains running at night during the week, but none of them stopped for certain. The residents would consider it to be a great boon if at least two of those trains were timed to stop regularly. That way butter and other perishable goods could be sent by them to market, which, if sent during the hot hours of the day, would certainly be spoilt.

David Pfrunder also pointed out that the residents were also affected by another grievance, the destruction and waste of goods like maize and rice by the fowls in the goods shed. The station-master had written to the traffic manager about the matter, but had not received a satisfactory answer.

Mr. Miles, in reply to the deputation, said that if a train could be run to suit the Rosewood people without any inconvenience to the public generally, it would be done. It was, however, out of the question for them to expect that a special train would be put on solely for the conveyance of a small number of passengers. He could not promise a reduction in the fare.

Mr. Curnow (Acting-Commissioner) promised that he would communicate with the station-master and order him to destroy the fowls if the problem could not be resolved by other means.

1887

January – Some fifteen feet of the railway line north of Grandchester were washed away by the excessive rains, the floods there being the heaviest ever experienced. The mail train due at ten o’clock on 21st was unable to reach Toowoomba and got no further than Western Creek, where the line was impassable. It was proposed that the train should take the passengers back to Rosewood for hotel accommodation. Gangers were sent from Brisbane to do the repairs. The telegraph line and posts were washed away, and the only means of communicating with Brisbane by wire was via Tambo and Rockhampton.

1889

5th July – George Munroe was charged with the alleged larceny of a parcel of boots, the property of the Commissioner for Railways, from the Rosewood railway station on 26th May. He appeared before the Ipswich bench. After hearing his evidence, and that of James J. Tierney, the bench discharged the accused.

1890

Heavy rain fell early on the morning of 8th March and continued throughout the day. The downpour was accompanied by gale force winds. The streets looked like rivers, and the whole of the Government reserve adjoining the railway line was submerged. The line itself was covered to the depth of a few inches in front of the railway station, but the traffic was not effected. 

A addition was made to the station accomodation during the year ended 30th June, 1890 – a cart weigh-bridge.

1892

July – The Council received a petition from Thomas Hogan, J. L. Frederich, and two other ratepayers of Rosewood, for a level crossing to be made through the gully crossing the road and running under the railway bridge, as it was quite impassable and dangerous. 

1893

11th February – Flood water was just over the rails in the station yard at Rosewood. There was no damage.

1900

Railway Returns for three months:-
January: 1386 cans of cream containing 12,395 gallons; passengers, 916; pigs, 581; goods – outward 250 tons, inward 254 tons.
February: 1230 cans of cream containing 10,702 gallons; passengers, 1015; pigs, 844; goods-outward 204 tons, inward 248 tons.
March: 1366 cans of cream containing 12,140 gallons; passengers, 1058; pigs, 844; cattle, 28; calves, 20; goods – outward 261 tons, inward 285 tons.

1902

September – The sugar-cane business was very brisk. A dozen trucks were shunted off at the railway station on some days. The railway authorities persisted in covering some of the trucks with tarpaulin, which caused a lot of grumbling. The tarpaulins, especially if they got a little damp, heated the cane and rendered it unpalatable.

“A good deal of delay in receiving the cane is experienced by the consignees, which delay appears to be needless. Last week some trucks from the Isis were left for four days at a siding, and this, added to the two or three days usually occupied by the journey, made it seven days from the time they were despatched until they reached their destination. The state of that cane, closely covered all that time, may be imagined.”

1904

November – The Brisbane Homing Society held a race on Wednesday, 9th November, from Rosewood Railway Station, a distance of about thirty miles air line. The first bird to in arrive home was F. Dalgliesh’s blue checker W. F. cock No 530, time 45 min (velocity, 1173 yards 1ft per minute), second  F. Potter’s blue checker. time 48 min (velocity, 1100 yards per minute), third E. Hinton’s blue checker cock No 92. The winning bird was bred by F. Potter.

1905

Mr. D. T. Keogh M. L. A. received the following letter from the office of the Railway Commissioner:- “With reference to my letter of the 25th of April last, relative to the proposed extension of the platform at Rosewood, I am desired to inform you that the Commissioner approves of the work in question being carried out and also extra lamps provided and instructions have been issued accordingly.”

1906

The fence enclosing the Station Master’s house encroached on road-way. The Commissioner for Railways was instructed to have the obstacle removed.

1909

June – After Inspector Ahearn, of the Engineer’s Branch at Toowoomba, submitted a report on the necessity of providing a trafficable subway under Moran’s Bridge, the Railway Department supplied a truck load ballast for stoning the subway. It was spread by a gang of council men. The subway was the only means of crossing the railway line when the gates were closed at the level crossing. In June 1910, the Department provided metal which was spread, and £50 was allocated to form a road under the bridge. This thoroughfare was highly appreciated by the locals.

1910

In February, a lamp promised by the railway authorities was placed in position at the railway gates, and made a great improvement to that locality. The light was a very powerful one of the “Aladdin” type.

October – A number of Rosewood residents met the General Traffic Manager of Railways (Mr. C. Evans), at Rosewood. John Yates (Chairman of Rosewood Shire Council) and Mr. A. Selwyn Ogg (Chairman of Rosewood Agricultural Society and Rosewood Chamber of Commerce) placed before him several requests. Mr. Ogg asked Mr. Evans to consider the shifting of the railway station to the northern side of the line because it would be in a better position to cope with the increased traffic when the Marburg line was finished. Cr. Yates asked him to have cinders placed on the road leading to the loading yards, to assist the council with material for street repairs, and to remove enough soil at the goods shed to avoid the lift that was required to get goods from the platform on to drays etc. Mr. Evans gave no definite answers to the requests, but said that he would do what he could to facilitate the council getting range material. He said that a gangway would be provided at the goods shed, and would be placed between the carts and the platform, and the goods conveyed along it.

22nd October – The first sod was turned for the construction of the railway line to connect Rosewood and Marburg. The Minister for Railways, Mr. Paget, performed the honour.

1912

The Marburg line opened 26th January 1912.

10th April 1912 – An inquiry was conducted at Rosewood  Railway Station into the cause of a derailment of a coal hopper at Tierney’s Hill, on March 25, blocking the main line for 70 minutes. The inquiry was conducted by Mr. Carmody (Assistant Traffic Manager, Brisbane) and the District Locomotive Superintendent (Mr. King). Statements were taken from the guard, driver and fireman of the train and also from the station master, Rosewood. The railway officers visited the coal sidings to inspect them.

30 July 1912 – A gang of men were at work on forming the level crossing at the Lanefield station.

Unloading sugar cane at the Rosewood railway station. (Rosewood Scrub Historical Society)

1913

In June, residents were complaining that the station was behind the times, the platform was too short and there was inadequate lighting. There was a need for an over-bridge. A deputation of Henry Moreton Stevens M.L.A., along with George Herbert Dutney (president) from the Chamber of Commerce, met with the Commissioner about the issue. The Commissioner said he had tried every system of lighting for country railway stations with little success, and he was now trying to institute a system of lighting them by electricity from storage batteries. The batteries would be carried and charged on the trains and left at the various stations. Regarding the lengthening of the platform, he would have to get money placed on the Estimates for that work. The Commissioner promised that the bridge would be put up as soon as the necessary as money was available. The work was approved in August.

September – The Minister for Railways (the Hon. W. T. Paget), on the recommendation of the Commissioner for Railways (Mr. C. Evans), granted appropriation for £2672 to establish a crossing at Calvert to divide the section from Rosewood to Grandchester. A station master and a night officer would be installed at Calvert, and the station would be thoroughly interlocked. The electric train staff system would be installed in four sections between Wulkuraka and Grandchester,

December – Inspector Ahearn of the Engineer’s Branch, Toowoomba, visited Rosewood to inspect the model of suggested gates for the level crossing at Rosewood. He was met on arrival by Messrs. Eichstadt (president), Adams (vice-president), and J. P. Walsh, of the Rosewood Chamber of Commerce, who convinced Mr. Ahearn that some change was necessary. The increase in train service meant the gates were closed for a considerable part of the day and it could be fixed by changing the working of the gates at a nominal cost. The Inspector was impressed with the model gates, and promised to suggest to the Railway Commissioner to change the system.

1914

February – The Tallegalla weigh-bridge was completed. Mr. T. Austin sent 120 bags of corn from Tallegalla station on the 17th.

February – The old station building at Grandchester, that had been used in the past as a residence, was pulled down and renovations were being carried out to make it an up-to-date station.

1st April – John O’Brien, a railway employee, who lived in Toowoomba, and had been working on improvements at the Rosewood station, developed heat apoplexy about  2 o’clock in the afternoon. His fellow workers look him to the goods shed verandah where he was attended by Dr Wallace, but he died about 4 o’clock. He was a bout 35 years old and left a widow and two children.

9th May – The overhead bridge at the railway level crossing was well under way.

Nomenclature of Queensland Railway Stations – 1914 – Government Printer, Brisbane

Station	Railway	Meaning of Name
Anthony	Fassifern	After a local resident.
Birru	Marburg	Plain-no timber. (at 6 miles 42 chains)
Blantyre	Fassifern	After town in Scotland.
Boonah Fassifern	Fassifern	(Buna) Bloodwood.
Calvert	Main Line	After an early settler whose name was given to the crossing over Mort's Creek near the station.
Forest Hill	Southern	Self explanatory
Gatton	Main Line	Probably after Surveyor Gatton, who surveyed the block 50 years ago, or Gatton Park in Surrey, England.
Goolman	Fassifern	After an old settler, and mountain in vicinity
Cooper's Hill	Laidley Creek	After an old resident named Cooper
Goothenda	Laidley Creek	Forest country.
Grandchester	Main Line	Originally "Bigge’s Camp" “Grand'' Latin for “big” "Chester" Latin for “camp"
Hampstead	Fassifern	After town in Middlesex, England.
Harrisville	Fassifern	Harris's Township.
Hillside	Fassifern	Self explanatory
Hoya	Fassifern	Native creeper.
Kulgun	Fassifern	Road or track
Kunkala	Marburg	Running fresh water (at 4 miles 57 chains)
Kullee	Laidley Valley	Fresh water.
Laidley	Main Line	After Laidley Little Station, owned by Messrs. Laidley and Mort.
Loamside	Fassifern	Descriptive of soil.
Lowood	Brisbane	Valley Descriptive of locality.
Malabar	Marburg	Particular class of sugar-cane. (at 7 miles 32 chains)
Marburg	Marburg	Name of district. (Terminus at 8 miles 62 chains)
Mulgowie	Laidley	Valley Big round hill
Munbilla	Fassifern	Name of township.
North Rosewood Marburg	Marburg	Name of district. (at 1 mile 50 chains)
Paree	Laidley Creek	Black soil
Peak Crossing	Fassifern	After Peak Mountain, named by Flinders.
Perry’s Knob	Marburg	After a mountain there (at 2 miles 49 chains)
Radford	Fassifern	After town in Nottingham, England.
Roadvale	Fassifern	Road and valley.
Rosewood	Main Line	After tree in scrub.
Talegalla	Marburg	Name of genus of Australian birds to which the scrub turkey belongs. (at 5 miles 64 chains)
Thagoona	Main Line	Piles.
Walloon	Main Line	Name of district.
Wilson's Plains Fassifern	Fassifern	After first owners of Mt. Flinders Station.

1915

May – At a Council meeting, Cr. Sloane spoke strongly on the impact on traffic caused by the railway gates in John Street being closed. He said that he had known people having to wait a whole hour before getting through. He thought the council should communicate with the Commissioner on the matter and inform him that the traffic at Rosewood warranted a man being employed permanently on the gates.

1917

July 1917 – The name “Cabanda” was given to a siding at 3 miles 35 chains on the Townshend branch line (formerly Marburg line). Cabanda is an aboriginal word meaning “scrub house .”

10th October – A deputation from Rosewood visited the Commissioner for Railways to urge him to remove the railway gates in John street and to substitute cattle grids in order to prevent delays to traffic in crossing the line. They pointed out that John street was in the centre of the township, and that the closing of the railway gates there while trains were running was a great inconvenience to the public. The Commissioner proposed to have a new system installed whereby the gates would be worked from a cabin, and the delays then would be minimised.

1918

22 May 1918 – Mr. W. Cooper, M.L.A. received a letter from the Commissioner for Railways advising that it had been decided to provide an open level crossing with cattle grids at the Rosewood railway gates.

The following are the returns at the Rosewood railway station for July, which were supplied by Mr. J. R. Allen, station master:- Forward: Passengers, 1990; cattle, 168; pigs, 315; cream, 366 cans, containing 3155 gallons: milk. 154 cans containing 430 gallons; agricultural produce, 59 tons 3cwt, including 189 bags of maize and 935 bags of chaff; coal. 741 tons; hides, 129 bundles; eggs, 302 cases; poultry, 129 coops; firewood, 240 tons 18cwt; sawn timber, 193 tons 6 cwt; goods, 96 tons 13cwt. Tonnage received; 6876 tons; Revenue, £1009 10s. 

August 1918 –  A large number of men were employed on improvements to the railway station and yard. A new goods shed had been erected, and a start had been made with the new station.

9 October – In the Legislative Assembly the Secretary for Railways was asked:
(1)  The average cost of platforms between Ipswich and  Helidon, including fencing and accommodation sheds?
(2) The approximate length of such platforms?
Mr. J. Fihelly replied  (1) £1,017 (2) Total length, 7,906 feet.
(3) The total cost of all platforms and accomodation sheds erected and being erected at all railway stations between Ipswich and Helidon?
(4) The name of station and separate cost of platforms and buildings erected and being erected at each, of these stations?
Mr. J. Fihelly replied (1) £12,570  (2)
Station    Length of Platforms (feet)   Cost of Platforms (£)  Cost of Buildings (£)
Karrabin                 660                                 436                                  125
Walkuraka              660                                 420                                  200
Walloon                  845                               1,011                                 260
Thagoona               660                                 980                                  262
(.) Rosewood          433                                 551                                    17
Lanefield                660                              1,034                                  208
Calvert                    330                                 620                                  116
X Laidley              1076                                 500                                1,062
Forest Hill              800                               1,716                                  237
College                   600                                 571                                     21
Gatton                    800                                  560                                   283
Grantham (Island) 382                                  538                                   470
(.) Not yet completed.  X Work suspended.

28 October 1918 – Good progress was being made with the construction of the new railway station. The material used was reinforced concrete. The Station Master’s office was ready for occupation by Christmas.

November – The double line between Rosewood and Calvert on the main line was completed, and in use.

20 November 1918 – A hailstorm smashed 22 panes of glass in the Rosewood railway station office, waiting room, and goods shed. In addition 50 tiles were broken on the new station building and goods shed.

The new Rosewood Railway Station – taken not long after completion.-  T. Dunn photo

1919

On 5th December 1919, the shire Honour Board was unveiled by Councillor Herb Dutney at the Rosewood railway station. The names of 270 district soldiers were inscribed on metal plates. On either side was the figure of a soldier, and suitable scrollings. At the top of the board were the words, “Roll of Honour. Erected by the Rosewood Shire Council.” The soldiers enlisted from the various districts of the shire, and were grouped as such. The Honour Board was placed in a position where the residents, coming and going, would be reminded of the heroism of the soldiers.

1920

September 11th – Rosewood residents, Thomas Dale (18)  and James Wyatt (21) travelled to Ipswich by the 1.07 p.m. train. They left for Rosewood by the 10 o’clock train, and took some bottles of liquor with them, and were drinking and creating a disturbance for the whole of the journey. Between Ipswich and Walloon, Dale was going through the carriage, when he put his elbow through a glass door and broke it. Wyatt threw an empty beer bottle through a carriage window, smashing it. They were in company with two or three other Rosewood lads, and they were an absolute nuisance to the other passengers. At the Ipswich Summons Court in February 1921, they were each fined £3 with 3/6 costs, or 14 days’ imprisonment for wilfully injuring property belonging to the Commissioner for Railways.

1921

The office and waiting shed on the down platform of the Lanefield Railway Station were destroyed by fire on New Year’s Day. The origin of the fire was unknown. The driver, guard and fireman of a live stock train (W Ferguson, P. McClusky, Alex Laing) noticed the fire about about 2.20 a.m. and notified Mr. J. W. Metcalfe (relieving gate-keeper) who was sleeping at the station some distance away on the opposite side of the line. Mrs Hayden who was in charge of the station was on holidays. The lamp room was being used as a temporary office. Stewart Lane was also a relieving gate-keeper at the time.

June – The railway department decided to close Perry’s Nob railway station from 27th June and to work the siding from Rosewood. Mrs. Roberts, who had been in charge for some time, was transferred to Banyo on the Sandgate line, where her daughter was also appointed assistant.

1922

September- A cold storage room was erected at Lanefield Station.

November – The Railway Department advised that the goods train leaving Ipswich at 7 p.m. on Saturdays would now carry passengers, and would stop at stations between Ipswich and Laidley.

December – An ambulance shelter shed was erected at the Railway Station.

1923

February – An excursion train from Toowoomba to Southport was well patronised, 180 passengers joining the train at Rosewood.

March 1st – The railway cottage at Kunkala Railway Station was totally destroyed by fire.

March – The progress of the district is well reflected in the following figures, which were supplied by Mr. Sloane of the Rosewood railway station.
For the year ended 31st March 1923, the following was dispatched from the station:
Livestock – 1221 cattle, 1315 calves, 5350 pigs, 1866 sheep and 49 horses. Sawn timber – firewood 706 tons 16 cwt, produce 468 tons and other general goods  583 tons. Total 1956 tons. Coal despatched from Lanefield, Glencoe, Perry’s, Knob, Edenbank, Normanton and Rosewood Collieries amounted to 41,261 tons. The revenue from all sources for that period amounted to £12,267 5s 9d. For the year, 28,288 passengers were booked. For the month of March parcel stamps increased by £20 as a result of the increased output of milk to Roma Street. From Lanefield siding approx. 3000 tons of firewood was dispatched to various destinations.

It can be seen that apart from being a first-class agricultural district, the district is also rich in coal.

November – Heavy rain caused the water to overflow the banks of the deep drain at the north end of the town, and the main street was under water for a short time. The railway line between Rosewood and Thagoona was also submerged in many places. The Toowoomba train passed over 12in. of water on the rails.

1924

During May 1924, the weigh-bridge was found to be as much as 3cwt out, and in consequence of urgent complaints, an engineer was despatched to Rosewood to put it in order.

July – Attention was drawn to the frequent and narrow escapes from accidents at the level crossing in John-street, and it was decided to ask the Railway Department to have a lad stationed there to block traffic when the Sydney and Western express mail trains were passing through.

1925

June – On the morning of June 5th, at the Rosewood railway station, two cream carts were capsized and the horses pinned to the ground, and a large quantity of cream was spilled. The congestion at the station that morning was so great that some of the carts had difficulty in approaching the platform to unload their cream, because those who had already unloaded, instead of moving their vehicles, left them unattended. Charles Dutney was about to unload his cream. In backing his horse into the platform, the wheel of his cart caught in that of Stanley Forsyth’s. Charles’s cart was completely capsized, the shafts pinning the horse to the ground. Charles jumped clear before the cart had overturned. Willing assistance was at hand, and, after about a quarter of an hour, the horse was extricated from its position. One shaft of the cart was split. At the same time, the other horse, (that of Forsyth) had turned William Ruhno’s corner when it overturned the cart and was also pinned to the ground, entangled in the harness. After some time, it was freed. The incident created a great stir.

24th July – A peculiar accident occurred at the railway station at Rosewood. The shire council’s new roller, driven by Mr. A. Freeman, was being drawn on to the weigh bridge to be weighed when it crashed through the bridge, completely destroying it. Fortunately, the horses had just passed over the bridge.

August – The Queensland Railway Workers stopped work at midnight 26th August. They were seeking an increase in basic wage and the restoration of the 5% deducted in 1922. The Cabinet gave way on 2nd September and the strike ended. Officials at the Rosewood railway station resumed duties, and the 10.5 a.m. train, which conveyed the milk supply to the city was a welcome sight. During the reign of the strike milk had to be forwarded by motor lorries, which took produce, goods, &c., to and from the city. The milk and cream supply reached Brisbane residents and the Co-operative Factory regularly. Brisbane and Ipswich mails arrived each day by lorry or car, and the morning newspapers were available at early hours. “Down” mails, however, did not arrive so frequently.

December – The C.W.A. decided to arrange for a Rest Room poster at the railway station for the benefit of strangers arriving in the town.

1927

6th April – Crowds of people assembled along the Rosewood railway station to see the Duke and Duchess of York passing through. Although Rosewood was not included in the list of stopping places, the people were none the less enthusiastic, and a very large crowd of adults and children of the different schools, awaited the arrival of the Royal train. The children of the State School were assembled at the railway gates. They received a greeting from the Duke and Duchess, who were dining as the train passed through. The Convent School children lined up in front of the school and waved flowers to the Royal visitors, and were repaid by friendly waves from the Duke and Duchess. The President of the Rosewood Branch of the Country Women’s Association (Mrs. Margaret McLean) arranged for the presentation of a basket of beautiful red and white flowers to the Duchess. The basket was blue and white, tied with streamers (the colours of the C.W.A.). Attached to the bouquet was a gold lettered card with an inscription: ‘”Rosewood Country Women send love and welcome to the Duchess.” The basket was placed on the Royal train. 

1929

January – When Mr. J. W. Davidson, Commissioner for Railways, paid his annual visit of inspection to Rosewood, Henry M’Geary. on behalf of cattle men, asked for a wing to be added to the cattle yard, Mr. Davidson said that early consideration would to be given to the request.

11th July – In the Summons Court before Messrs. W. Collett and J. W. Evans, J.P.,  Mr. A. R. Ralston from Clayfield was charged with breaching the railway by-laws by passing over the Rosewood crossing in front of a moving train. Ralston did not appear and the саsе was heard exparte. Evidence was given by Charles Walker, Station Master at Rosewood, and James Byrnes, engine driver. Mr. Seymour, of the Crown Law Office, prosecuted on behalf of the Commissioner for Railways. Mr. Ralston was convicted and fined £1 with 3/6 costs of Court, and £2/2/ professional expenses. The bench congratulated Driver James Byrne on his prompt action in pulling up the train, thus avoiding a fatal accident.

September – On Monday 16th, the mixed train timed to leave Ipswich for Rosewood at 11a.m., except on Saturdays, was withdrawn.

28th December – A motor truck driven by Mr. Frederick Jackwitz ran into the rail motor at the level crossing at the Rosewood. Fortunately the impact only caused slight damage to the truck.

1930

April 9th – The brand new railway and infant child welfare car (built at the Ipswich railway workshops) visited Rosewood for the purpose of lecturing on and demonstrating baby management and home nursing. Nurses Mee and Black were welcomed  by Cr. Eichstadt, Chairman of the Rosewood Shire Council. Miss M. Loveday (President of the Rosewood C.W.A) welcomed the nurses and the C.W.A. ladies served morning tea. The car was open during the day to mothers requiring personal advice, and in the afternoon a lecture and demonstration of baby management was given by Nurses Mee and Black. The car remained at Rosewood station for one more day, then proceeded to Grandchester and Laidley.

1931

November – In the annual competition for the beautification of railway stations in the Southern Division of Queensland, the gate at Perry’s Knob on the Marburg Line, was awarded third place in the gatekeepers’ section. Mrs. Grubb, was in charge, had been placed in this competition for several years.

1932

The council sent a request to the Railway Department for a level crossing to be established across the main line near Eichstadt’s house, between Railway and Mill Streets, for the convenience of traffic. The department advised that the existing crossing was sufficient for requirements and if the district needed additional facilities, the local authority concerned should pay for it. The Commissioner was not inclined to increase the number of open level crossings on lines which important trains conveying a considerable number of passengers traveled over, as experience had indicated that straying cattle had a tendency to camp upon such crossings. The request was denied.

1936

October – The 5th Division Field Artillery camped at Mt. Walker for 5 days of training exercises. For the first time in artillery training in Queensland, an aeroplane, an R.A.A.F. Hawker Demon, was used for observation purposes. The guns were unloaded at the railway station and transported to the camp which was pitched on Saturday 3rd October.

1938

An all weather route for pedestrians to the railway station was assured in September when a bitumen strip from the main station entrance to the footpath opposite was laid down.

1946

April 5th – A public meeting was convened by the Rosewood A. and H. Association in the Farmers’ Hall to discuss the dangerous railway level crossing in Rosewood’s main street, The meeting was called as the result of the death of Michael Rudy Ahearn at the level crossing, and the serious injuries sustained by his daughter Joan.

The President of the Rosewood A. and H. Association, Mr. George Dale, referred to the considerable amount of shunting done at Rosewood, eight or nine trains shunting over the crossing every day. He thought it only a fair that the department placed a responsible person there to flag or bell the crossing. He said there were stop signs, but they were not adequate protection. Down trains could not easily be seen by people driving up or down John Street. It had been his own experience to miss death at the crossing by a split second. He thought the least the department could do was to listen to the call of the people living in the district, who understood conditions better than those living miles away. He quoted six accidents and narrow escapes that had occurred at the crossing. Horses and cattle also had been killed there. He suggested that the crossing be made redundant and an overbridge built.

Mr. William O’Shea suggested that the Rosewood Shire Council be asked to make the road under Moran’s Bridge trafficable, as it had been many years before. Stock could then take that route, as the level crossing was too busy for a stock route. The danger to school children riding bicycles and ponies over the crossing also was stressed.

Messrs. G. Parker, A. S. Sellars, M. Yarrow, M. J. Carmody. A. Stieler, C. Radcliffe, and J. Coleman also expressed their views. It was unanimously decided that a deputation be formed to visit the Railway Commissioner to discuss the matter. Additionally, Mr. E. B. Maher, M.L.A., would be asked to make a strong recommendation to the Commissioner for Railways that, in the meantime, express trains be flagged at the crossing in the day and lanterned at night. It was also resolved to approach the shire council with a request that the road under Moran’s Bridge be made trafficable.

May – The Commissioner stated that within three weeks he would be making a tour to Toowoomba and would call at Rosewood to inspect the crossing.

July 30th – The Commissioner visited Rosewood and inspected the railway level crossing. He stated that as he viewed it, a person would have to be be nearly blind not to see a train from that side. He did not think the advertising signs complained of blocked the view a lot. The paling fence, he thought, was the greatest obstacle. The palings, he said would be removed. That would eliminate most of the risk. In addition, “Stop, Railway Crossing” signs would be erected, and the present signs moved to more conspicuous sites. He knew a dozen crossings much more dangerous than the one at Rosewood. As he saw it he thought it would be due to a lack of care if anyone ran into a train after stopping only a short distance away from the crossing. The Commissioner inspected the site under the railway bridge known as “Morans” before the official car left Rosewood railway station to resume its up-line journey.

1948

Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld.), Wednesday 17 March 1948, page 1
SABOTAGE PROBE – Police have made little progress in their inquiries into the removal of 14 dog spikes on the railway line near Rosewood at the weekend. Investigations are continuing.

1950

During June, 4352 tons of coal were railed to private consumers from the Rosewood railway station. The station handled a total outward tonnage of 4414 tons, including 28 tons of produce and 15 tons of merchandise. During the same period 1173 passengers used the railway, and 298 pigs, 144 calves, and 29 cattle and horses were consigned.

July – The Rosewood and District Progress Association forwarded a request to the Commissioner for Railways asking for a loading ramp at the Rosewood cattle yards to enable cattle to be loaded and unloaded when transported by motor trucks. A request was also made for a gate to be provided for access from the cattle yard into the pig yards. They heard back in January 1952 that their requests could not be granted as more important works were needed first.

A turntable was installed October 1951 on the southern side of the railway near the station (almost opposite the Railway St/Albert St intersection) by a gang of men under the charge of Ganger Kunde. The first engine turned on the new turntable on Friday 18th July 1952. The turntable eliminated the running of engines’ tenders first (backwards) to Rosewood. It came from Moonmera near Mt Morgan in Central Queensland. It was used to turn the Abt Rack Railway tank engines. The engines were built to climb the steep “Razorback” grade on the Mount Morgan line and operated from 1898 until the track section was bypassed.

c. 1952

Early 1950’s – The vehicle in the photo is a Bedford PC Coupe Utility, produced between 1948 and 1952. 

1964

Last train from Marburg ran on 21st March 1964.

1965

Centenary of line between Ipswich and Bigge’s Camp.

1966

The level crossing gates were replaced by half booms and flashing lights .

1972

The turntable was removed.

1979

The Goods’ Shed was removed.

The Goods’ Shed.  (Rosewood Scrub Historical Society)

1993

The electric train service to Rosewood began 21st December.

2009

August – Commuters on the Ipswich to Rosewood train line were forced to catch buses and endure delays when Queensland Rail closed the track for three months. The work was to be done from September 28 to January 4, 2010. Buses stopped all stations between Ipswich and Rosewood, with a connecting train service to Brisbane. Robert Dow from train lobby group Rail Back on Track said the repainting of the bridge would take longer than normal because workers would have to ensure the old lead-based paint was properly secured.

2014

July 12 – Works being done by Queensland Rail (QR) at the rail crossing in  Rosewood’s main street effectively cut one part of the town off from the other. The work was scheduled to take from 2am Saturday 12th to 2.30am Monday. The Rising Sun Hotel owner was unhappy that his pub was cut off from the rest of Rosewood for the weekend.

2015

26th October – Rosie the cow made her way onto the platform for a late night stroll.

2018

November – Queensland Rail representatives and members of the local community gathered at the station to celebrate 100 years of the Rosewood Railway Station. Storyboards documenting the station’s history were unveiled. Rosewood station had recently undergone general repairs, an upgrade to the station amenities, new paintwork to restore the station’s original heritage colours, and more.