The project

The ARM Project consists of a number of initiatives centrally coordinated by the ARM Facilitator and overseen by the ARM Steering Committee. The initiatives are either currently underway, or in tender selection process. They include:

• The monument dDesign competition
• Landscape design 
• Historical research 
• Building restoration and conservation 
• Gallery and display 
• Special events

The steering committee

The Steering Committee comprises of:

• Tony Windsor MP (Chair) - Federal Member for New England
• 2 Representatives, Werris Creek Economic Development Committee 
• Mayor & General Manager, Parry Shire Council 
• Stuart Sharp, Heritage Advisor Rail Estate, RailCorp

Secretary

Margot Maasakkers, Corporate Secretary, RailCorp

By Invitation

Grant Fraser, Property Services Manager, RailCorp

ARM Facilitator

MWA International was appointed in August 2002 as Project Facilitator. The MWA team are responsible for the administration, coordination and development of the ARM Project works. MWA International has appointed Desmond Kennard, Museums in the making, as the concept developer on its team.

The Monument design competition

The Monument is to be erected as a permanent memorial to those railway employees or contractors who died as a result of injuries incurred in the course of their official duties. The names of these people will be listed on an Honour Roll incorporated into the memorial.

A competition has been held for the design of the Monument and Honour Roll feature. Four design teams were short-listed to prepare and display models of their designs at the Werris Creek Bowling and Tennis Club from the 2nd to the 9th of March 2003. A technical evaluation was conducted into the viability of each design and a People's Choice popular vote was cast. The four tenderers were Anton James Design, Dominique Sutton, Liquid Design Delivery Team and Urban Landscape Design. Two design teams, Liquid Design Delivery Team and Dominique Sutton, were asked to make further revisions to their designs in consultation with the Werris Creek community.

Sculptor Dominique Sutton was selected to develop her concept design in consultation with the landscape architect Jane Irwin of Jane Irwin Landscape Architect Pty. Ltd. Following discussions with Focus Groups comprising representatives of the local community in early August, Jane and Dominique returned to Werris Creek to present the draft final Concept Design to a joint Focus Group on 27 August. Jane Irwin explained that the main developments were in the landscape design.

She said: "The landscape provides the setting for the sculptured figures, creating a space where visitors will be able to contemplate the sacrifice made by the railway workers who lost their lives at work. Visitors will walk along the three pathways, the axis' of which represent the key themes of Werris Creek's development."

Each of the 3.5m high sculptured figures will represent a generic category of railway worker set in a landscaped area and joined by paths formed by steel rails, which represent the four railway lines that fed into Werris Creek. Thus, the railway station itself is the focal point of the monument and its history has been expanded out in a circle with each path aligned with prominent landscape features, thus integrating the history of the town and the railway. A landscaped bern with form an amphitheatre at the centre of the monument. The paths will cut through the bern and the walls of these cuttings will be used for the rolls of honour.

A model and plans of the final concept design were placed on public exhibition at the Werris Creek Rail Festival on 4-6 October 2003. The Minister for Transport, Michael Costa, announced that State Rail would support the construction of the external monument and landscape features. Construction started in 2004 and this element of the project would be completed by the end of the year.

A model of the proposed external monument area with landscaped grounds and sculputres figures of different railway workers.
Copyright Bob McKillop

Historical research

Historical research is being undertaken to identify all railway employees to be honoured by the proposed Australian Railway Monument. A research team directed by historian Rosemary Broomham has documenting the names and details of railway men and women who lost their lives working on railways in New South Wales for incorporation into the honour roll. Some 2500 names have been identified for NSW alone.

The research has generated a database of the employees or contractors killed and the nature of the accident. This database will be established at the ARM Resource Centre in the railway station and will be readily accessed by visitors. Detailed files with information about specific accidents and the results of inquiries into these accidents will back the database.

Approaches have been made to government organizations and unions in other states to support the Australian Railway Memorial.

Heritage building restoration and conservation

The external restoration of the heritage railway buildings at Werris Creek has been an initiate focus of the Project. This work on the platform buildings that served the Railway Refreshment Rooms (RRR) was completed in June 2003. The quality of the joinery work, brick tuck-pointing and painting done by Paintrite of Dubbo has generated positive comments by locals and visitors alike.

The selection of appropriate heritage colours for the building posed a problem, as there had been many paint schemes applied over the years. The only original external painted surfaces were the timber joinery and platform awnings, with the joinery painted in an oak-grained finish. It was deemed impractical to replicate this complex finish for the restoration, so the decision was taken to match the colour values of the original finish by choosing an opaque paint in a near-matching authentic heritage colour (buff). As part of this work, many of the more recently added partitions were demolished and the false ceilings removed to reveal grandeur of the main RRR area and the pressed metal ceilings.

The second-stage contract for the external restoration of the main station building, the platform awnings, Railway Institute building and ASM's cottage was awarded to Dubbo Terrazzo & Concrete in association with Paintrite. Work commenced in August 2003 and this work was completed in November 2003.

These buildings will be used for the interpretative elements of the Australian Railway Monument. Definition of the specific functions for these areas is being developed by the concept designers for the interpretative exhibits. The functions for which the buildings are to be adapted will affect the classification of the building use and therefore the standards of essential services that will be required.

The exhibition

The interpretative exhibition in the station building will complement the external memorial and add depth and understanding to the ARM experience. It will provide an interpretation of the types of accidents that led to fatalities on the railway system and examine the lessons that have been learnt from these to enhance railway safety. The quality, range, innovativeness and appeal of the interpretative exhibition are the critical elements of the overall success of the project.

Specific exhibits will also present the impact and effect of railways on the development of a national identity. In particular, the exhibits will explore the role of the railways on the emergence of Australian economic, social and political institutions. While the underlying theme will be on the role of railways in the national context, there will also be an exploration of Werris Creek as the classic Australian railway town. Above all, the exhibits will focus on the people - both men and women - who worked on the railways and were its customers.

The main themes identified for the development of the specific exhibits are:

1. Shaping the Nation: How railways shaped the settlement patterns and industries of Australia.
2. The Safe Way: The evolution of signalling and other operating practices that have made railways the safest form of transport, thus linking the internal exhibits to the external monument commemorating those railway workers who lost their lives in accidents.
3. The People's Railway: How railways impacted on local communities, both through their business of moving passengers and the ways in which railway technology and practices changed social mores, with particular emphasis on rural Australia.
4. Werris Creek, A Railway Town: The ARM will also tell the story of Werris Creek, particularly from the perspective of railway workers in the town.
5. Maintaining the Lines: The lives and work of per way gangs (fettlers) and the railway gatekeepers will be the focus of this theme.
6. Railways in the 21st Century: This theme examines the future of railway in Australia, again with a focus on rural rather than city settings.

The concept design for the interpretative elements of the ARM identifies a range of potential exhibits that might be developed at Werris Creek. The Project Facilitators are currently presenting these potential exhibits to companies and funding organizations seeking sponsorship and grant funds for this element of the project.

Visitors inspect the displays of the proposed Monument and Exhibition features at the 2003 Werris Creek Rail Festival.
Copyright Bob McKillop

Community involvement

The Project Facilitator has worked closely with the Werris Creek community and regional groups in the development of the to ensure their full involvement in the planning and implementation of the project.
Key achievements include:

• Public involvement in the development of the monument concept design through voting on the design contenders and Focus
• Groups that provided feed-back to the selected design team on their proposals
• The establishment of a community organization, ARM Management Inc., that will take on responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the Australian Railway Monument
• Fund-raising activities and a membership drive by ARM Management Inc.
• The establishment of a newsletter, ARM News, sent to interested parties around Australia and the transfer of responsibility for its editing to ARM Management Inc.
• Implementation of a human resource development program for volunteers which is providing training in occupational health and safety, management, historical research, guiding of visitors and the skills required for the development of high-class exhibits.

The Werris Creek community has held two very successful events to promote the Australian Railway Monument, namely the town's 125th Railway Anniversary in October 2002 and the Werris Creek Rail Festival and All Branch Railway Reunion on 4-6 October 2003.

For information on future events, contact ARM Management Inc.

Heritage rail motors at the Werris Creek railway station during the Werris Creek Rail Festival on 4 October 2003.
Copyright Bob McKillop