A complete railway network connected by coast, and country.
In December 1910 the first and only grand railway plan (since the 1860s) was presented to parliament. Simultaneously parliament approved construction from Rockhampton to Cairns to link the major towns of Queensland along the coast and the Great Western Railway.
The North Coast Railway was originally seen as providing better passenger travel as freight was still largely handled by sea. The Great Western Railway developed out of the plan of the 1880s to build a transcontinental land-grant railway from Roma to Port Parker on the Gulf. The connecting line was shifted further west into poorer country necessitating long extensions to reach this line which was in line with a railway from Bourke to Darwin.
While the North Coast Line was completed in 1924 and proved an immediate financial success, work on the Great Western Railway practically ended in 1917. None of the trunk part of the Great Western Railway was built.
Chronology
1910
Jan - First ore train from Forsayth marks completion of Etheridge Railway
Feb - Cairns-Mulgrave tramway opens to Babinda
Apr 25 - Extension of Clermont branch to Blair Athol (coal)
Jul 11 - Opening of Don (Bowen) to Proserpine Tramway by local authorities
Jul 25 - Opening of branch from Byellee (Gladstone) to Many Peaks
Oct - Renard Road Train begins operating to Texas (1st QR road transport)
Oct 20 - Opening of Cairns Railway to Herberton
Dec 15 - Extension of railway from Cloncurry to Selwyn via Kuridala
Dec 20 - Opening of branch from Tolga to Malanda
Dec 21 - Opening of branch from Kingsthorpe to Haden
1911
Jan 1 - Purchase of Townsville-Ayr Tramway from joint local authorities
Apr 19 - Opening Laidley Valley branch to Mulgowie
Jul 31 - Completion of Mackay Railway west to Netherdale
Jul 31 - Extension of Cairns Railway to Tumoulin (highest station on QR)
Sep 30 - Opening of branch Warwick to Maryvale (part of incomplete Via Recta)
Oct 4 - Completion of branch from Dalby to Tara
Oct 18 - Opening first section Rockhampton-Milman of North Coast Railway
Oct 18 - Extension of Pittsworth branch to Millmerran
Nov 13 - Opening of extension from Kingaroy to Nanango
Nov 25 - Completion of MacGregor Creek branch to Kungurri
1912
May - Opening Chinchilla-Barakula, Clermont-Birimgan tramways for sleepers
May 15 - Opening branch from Bajool to Port Alma
May 25 - Opening of Belmont Tramway (Brisbane) closed finally 1926
Jul 8 - Extension of Allora branch to Goomburra
Sep - First buffet/dining car begins operation
1912
Oct 16 - Extension of Mount Morgan branch to Wowan
Dec 3 - Opening Woongarra Shire Tramway to Pemberton
Dec 9 - Opening first new section of North Coast Railway Babinda-Pawngilly
1913
First unit concrete station built at Chelmer
Apr 28 - Completion of branch from Oakey to Cooyar
May 1 - Opening last section of Brisbane Valley branch built, to Yarraman
May 6 - Extension of Isis branch Cordalba to Dallarnil
May 21 - Completion of South-Western Railway to Dirranbandi
Jun 23 - Opening Section A of Great Western Railway Westgate to Cooladdi
Jul - Opening of Aramac Shire Council Tramway Barcaldine to Aramac
Jul 1 - Opening North Coast Railway Rockhampton-Milman, Mackay-Sarina
Sep 1 - Completion of Inkerman bridge links Bowen, Ayr and Townsville
Dec 19 - Extension of Pialba branch to Urangan
Dec 22 - Extension of Caboolture to Woodford branch to Kilcoy
1914
Station Garden competition inaugurated
Feb 3 - Extension of Mungar-Gayndah branch as far as Mundubbera
Jun 15 - Purchase of Innisfail Tramways (2 foot gauge) completed 15 Feb 1915
Aug 13 - Opening of branch from Dalby to Jandowae
Dec 16 - Completion of branch from Miles to Wandoan
1915
Apr 30 - Completion of Mary Valley Branch from Monkland to Brooloo
Jul 2 - Opening of branch to Canungra
Sep 1 - Completion of branch from Cloncurry to Mount Cuthbert
Sep 20 - Opening of branch from Oakey to Evanslea (Mount Russell)
Dec 15 - Opening of branch from Kingaroy to Tarong
1916
Aug 1 - Government takes control of major Railway Refreshment Rooms
Sep 19 - Opening of branch from Roma to Orallo
Oct 10 - Opening Alton Downs Branch Rockhampton to Ridgelands
Dec 11 - Completion of Cairns Railway to Ravenshoe
1917
Railway Award handed down by Judge McCawley
Mar 1 - Purchase of Mount Molloy Railway
Mar 31 - Extension of North Coast Line north from Rockhampton to Marlborough
Apr 3 - Opening of Great Western Railway Section B to Yaraka
Apr 11 - Opening of Great Western Railway Section A to Quilpie
Apr 16 - Opening of Great Western Railway Section D to Dajarra (last section)
May 21 - Opening of copper mines branch Oona to Dobbyn
Jul 1 - Purchase of Bowen-Proserpine Tramway from joint local authorities
Jul 30 - Opening of Dawson Valley Railway to Baralaba
1918
Jan 1 - Purchase of Woongarra branch Bundaberg to Pemberton
1919
Apr 28 - Extension of Oakey-Evanlsea branch to Cecil Plains
Jun 20 - Purchase of Chillagoe Railway Mareeba-Mungana
Jun 20 - Purchase of Etheridge Railway Almaden-Forsayth
