Railway House – Ballaarat Room
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Busselton Jetty Inc. has an exciting new Marine Discovery Centre in Railway House. If you cannot access the Ballaarat Room due to its opening hours, you can still learn about the Ballaarat Engine through a new AR Experience.
This AR experience allows you to check out the workings of the 3D Ballaarat Engine by scanning the QR Code at Railway House with your device's camera. It is an interactive and educational glimpse into this iconic piece of machinery, which includes fascinating historical photographs and information on the community's restoration efforts. You can also listen to stories about the difficulties of setting up the timber mill in 1871.
This AR experience allows you to check out the workings of the 3D Ballaarat Engine by scanning the QR Code at Railway House with your device's camera. It is an interactive and educational glimpse into this iconic piece of machinery, which includes fascinating historical photographs and information on the community's restoration efforts. You can also listen to stories about the difficulties of setting up the timber mill in 1871.
Railway House – Ballaarat Room
Opening hours may be affected by the operational hours of the Marine Discovery Centre.
Open 7 days (except Christmas Day) from 9am to 5pm.
The Ballaarat Engine is attached to the Busselton Visitor Centre, located inside Railway House on the Busselton Foreshore.
Speak to a local expert
Railway House is home to two of Busselton's most visited attractions - the Busselton Visitor Centre and the historic Ballaarat Steam Engine, sharing stories of the engine's connection to Busselton, the Busselton Jetty and the timber industry.
Built over 150 years ago, the Ballaarat Engine was the first railway steam engine manufactured in the southern hemisphere and the first locomotive to operate in Western Australia. It was named after the original spelling of the town where it was built, Ballarat, Victoria. The locomotive underwent a full restoration as part of its final move to Railway House, now housed inside the Visitor Centre as a showcase piece for the history of the timber railway and its connection to Busselton.
The Busselton Visitor Centre is housed in the original Busselton Railway Station, built in 1894 and originally located on Stanley Street. It served the community for over 90 years before being decommissioned. In 1987, the station was relocated to the public open space at the town's entrance, then moved to the Busselton Foreshore in 2016 and skillfully incorporated into the magnificent Railway House.
Railway House is one of the first stops on the Busselton Heritage Trail, and nearby is the northern terminus of the Wadandi Track. This path, open to walkers and cyclists, follows the rail alignment of the original Busselton to Flinders Bay Rail Line, stretching from Busselton via Cowaramup and Margaret River to Augusta (sections still to be completed).
