Burringbar Station

Train from Murwillumbah to Upper Burringbar. C. 1912. Photographer Unknown.

Burringbar was an important station on the Tweed to Lismore line, controlling trains between Murwillumbah and Mullumbimby with a passing loop and a siding. Passengers, goods, logs, mail, cream, bananas, and livestock were all loaded on and off at this station, and the local area grew rapidly alongside the railway service.

The Station became staffed in 1902 and alterations were made to include a dedicated cream shed, and a room for the first post mistress to work from. A Stationmaster was appointed in 1911, a platform was added in 1919.

By the mid 1900s up to 8 trains travelled through Burringbar per day. By 1990 the trains no longer stopped at Burringbar, and a few years later the station was dismantled.

The Burringbar Range Tunnel

Construction workers at the Burringbar Tunnel, C. 1894. Photographer Kenneth Solomons. Tweed Regional Museum Collection M13-11

The Burringbar Range tunnel connects the villages of Stokers Siding and Burringbar. The tunnel is approximately 517 m long and is the longest of 9 railway tunnels along the Casino – Murwillumbah line. It is a single-track, concrete tunnel measuring 7 m high and 3.7 m wide.

The tunnel is important as an excellent intact example of the technical achievement of the 19th century engineer, Henry Deane, Engineer in Chief of Railways and responsible for the design of the Lismore to Tweed Railway.

The Burringbar Range tunnel, unlike many rail tunnels in Australia, is long enough to provide suitable darkness for bats to roost in. There are 3 species of microbats that roost in this tunnel. The eastern horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus megaphyllus), the southern myotis (Myotis macropus), and the little bent-winged bat (Miniopterus australis).

The tunnel also provides an excellent dark moist habitat for glow worms to thrive. During the warm, wetter months of summer, the tunnel shines brightly with glow worm bioluminescence. Glow worms are fly larvae (Arachnocampa flava) that hang down silk threads and await nearby with a glowing abdomen. Their prey is attracted to the bioluminescence and becomes caught in the sticky silk threads. Dinner is served!