Addresses
Type of place
Railway station
Period
Interwar 1919-1939
Addresses
Type of place
Railway station
Period
Interwar 1919-1939
Lot plan
L63_SP195490
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Information —
Lot plan
L63_SP195490
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Information —
History
This station has been identified as a place of heritage significance in the Queensland Railway Heritage Places Study, produced in 1997 for Queensland Rail. This study describes the station as a A representative minor suburban station of the post-war period, demonstrating the continuing viability of pre-case concrete construction in the early post-war period and distinguished by the provision of 3 timber footbridges'.
Banoon Station is situated on the section of the railway line to Beenleigh which opened in 1885 (Yeerongpilly to Loganlea) to provide goods and services to developing areas south of Brisbane. However, until 1937, there was no formal stop at this point, which is half way between Coopers Plains and Sunnybank Stations. Passengers wishing to alight or leave the train here had to negotiate between the train and ground level. James Fordyce, who acquired over 2 acres of land close by in 1923, was one passenger who frequently left the train at this point. According•the Fordyce family, who still reside in the area, it was James Fordyce who suggested the name for the stop when one was provided in 1937. Banoon was thought to be an Aboriginal name meaning 'sweet water', associated with the nearby Stable Swamp Creek. Mr James Fordyce had established his home nearby and opened a motor mechanic business in Dyson Avenue in the 1940s. The family business with its accompanying sheds is still operating on the same site today. The property, which includes an interwar house, has retained its rural setting, and is a reminder of when the area was less developed before the years of World War II.
The precast concrete shelter shed and office at Banoon Station were built in 1949. In 1955, a stationmistress was appointed. A second shelter shed constructed from timber, a footbridge and a stationmaster's house were added in 1956. Two additional footbridges eventually followed.
Description
The station site includes 2 station buildings, 3 footbridges and a house (?). The QR report (cited below) describes the condition of the site as 'sound' and its integrity as 'high'. The following description is taken from the Queensland Rail study:
The upside station building is a standard E2a pre-cast concrete building, 12' x 28' with plain strutted brackets to the platform shade and a timber framed ladies room and toilet at the Beenleigh end ofrecent date. The down side building is an unsealed timber framed shelter shed with later w.c.
The footbridges are representative structures of their type.
References
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Kerr, John. Destination South Brisbane. Australian Railway Historical Society, Brisbane, 1984
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A.Ward Queensland Railway Heritage Places Study: Stage 2 Vol.4. April 1997
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Information kindly provided by Mr Ian Fordyce. October 1998
prepared by — Brisbane City Council (page revised March 2023)