Hobart railway station

Hobart
Closed commuter rail station
The former Hobart railway station was redeveloped into headquarters for the ABC in the 1980s.
General information
Coordinates	42°52′39.38″S 147°19′57.32″E / 42.8776056°S 147.3325889°E / -42.8776056; 147.3325889
Operated by	Tasmanian Government Railways
Line(s)	Main Line
Platforms	4
Tracks	10
Construction
Parking	None
Bicycle facilities	None
Other information
Status	Closed
History
Opened	1871
Closed	July 18, 1978 (Tasman Limited) June 22, 2014 (TasRail)

Situated in the state capital of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, the former Hobart railway station was once the largest railway station on the Tasmanian Government Railways (TGR) network. Located on the Main Line, it provided passenger train services to Hobart's northern suburbs and served as the central terminus for the Tasman Limited, a limited express service linking Hobart, Launceston and Wynyard.^[1]

Built in 1871 by the Tasmanian Main Line Company (TML),^[2] the station was significantly expanded in the early 1950s. Major upgrades included the addition of three 180-metre (600 ft) long concrete cantilevered canopies, four platforms, a large concourse, and various amenities such as shopping stalls and food vendors.^[3]

By the mid-1970s, the station handled over seventy commuter trains daily. However, with a decline in passenger numbers due to the growth of privately owned vehicles and the transfer of rail transport operations to Australian National Railways, the station's significance waned. The last Tasman Limited passenger service departed on July 18, 1978.

Following the announcement of the Sheraton Hotel masterplan, the station was sold and redeveloped into the headquarters of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in the mid-1980s. Sections of the track were removed to connect the Tasman Highway through Davey and Macquarie Streets.

On June 22, 2014, TasRail ended rail freight operations at the Hobart rail yard after 140 years of service as part of a strategy to consolidate and enhance intermodal container freight services. All freight operations were redirected to the new $79 million Brighton Transport Hub, located in the northern suburb of Brighton.^[4][5]

In 2024, the Tasmanian Heritage Council added a 115-metre (377 ft) rail shed constructed in 1915 at the former rail yard, known as the "Goods Shed," to the state's heritage register, recognising its significant role in Tasmanian rail history.^[6]

Since the closure of the Tasmanian Government Railways, Hobart's public transport infrastructure has seen limited development, and a proposed light rail project (Riverline) has faced uncertainties due to political and financial challenges. Today, the redeveloped Hobart railway station site houses the studios of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, WIN Television and the Baháʼí Faith Centre of Learning, with the only remaining part of the rail terminal the original sandstone TML station building from 1871.^[7]