It’s a case of trading places for a group of TAFE trades students hard at work recreating a piece of railway history in Melbourne’s east.
Over the past year, carpentry students at Box Hill Institute’s Lilydale campus have gained a new understanding and appreciation of building and joinery skills from a bygone era, charged with the task of restoring the 127 year old former Mooroolbark Station.
The mission is a partnership between Box Hill Institute and the Level Crossing Removal Project, which dismantled and relocated the original section of the old station as part of the Mooroolbark level crossing removal project. When completed, the building will take pride of place as the new Tarrawarra Station at the heritage Yarra Valley Railway.
Using the building’s original drawings and plans, the students have painstakingly rebuilt the old station’s walls and roof to its original 1887 condition.
Box Hill Institute Director of Trades Stuart Hoxley said 75 carpentry and plumbing students were gaining valuable hands-on experience through the project, which would also contribute to their final assessment.
“The students have really embraced it. It has been a fantastic team-building project that has had so many applications. It’s taught them critical thinking, problem solving and the importance of working collaboratively and relaying instructions accurately,” he said.
While the students have faithfully followed the building’s original plans, modern building methods and materials have enabled them to construct the station in a third of the time it would have taken to build originally.
“The methodology is the same, but the application is different. Back then everything was done by hand whereas we have been able to use modern industrial skills and tools to recreate the original structure and period features,” Hoxley said.
Box Hill Institute student Alannah Lendrum said carpentry was in her DNA, proudly following in the footsteps of her grandfather.
The third year carpentry apprentice said working on the restoration project had given her a better understanding of just how far the building industry had evolved since her grandfather was on the tools.
“It has definitely changed in terms of the type of timber we use today and the size of the timber. Today we use pine and back then it was all hardwood. And there were no power tools back then. We have nail guns while they were working with hammers and hardwood,” she said.
Working on the old station building has fuelled the 20 year old's passion for renovation and conservation.
“I really loved learning new skills and building something for the community; being able to recreate a piece of history,” she said. “I love renovations and old houses, so it would be nice to explore that a bit more.”
Second year carpentry student Mason Rowe said he enjoyed the challenge of blending the old with the new, while remaining true to the craftsmanship of the original building.
“It’s been a great opportunity for us to show the older generation that we respect what they gave the community and to give that back for future generations,” he said.
Mason, who works as a third year apprentice in his father’s carpentry business, said the project had deepened his appreciation for architectural heritage.
“In the old days, they were able to create fine detail and perfect finishes just with hand tools ... I think that is something I would maybe like to focus more on, that eye for detail,” he said.
With most of the works now complete, the old station building has been transported to the Yarra Valley Railway site in Tarrawarra, ready for students to undertake finishing works early next year.
Level Crossing Removal Project Program Director Steve Brown said the project benefited the community through new and improved transport infrastructure services, while also retaining an important part of the area’s history.
“Melbourne’s outer east has a long and rich rail history, so we were happy for the opportunity to honour that and help to maintain a link to the area’s heritage,” he said.
The new Mooroolbark Station opened to passengers in 2021 and was built as part of the project to remove the dangerous and congested Manchester Road level crossing by building a new rail bridge over the road.
The modern new station features extensive canopies covering 70% of the station platforms, stairwells and lifts for improved accessibility, and a commemorative wall with historical images to showcase the town’s development.
The 900-space multi-level car park built as part of the new Mooroolbark Station doubled the previous number of available car parking spaces, easing congestion and helping to take more cars off local roads.