The Upper Hunter community has marked 100 years since the 1926 Murulla rail accident with the dedication of a permanent memorial at Burning Mountain.
Community members and guests gathered on Sunday at the Murulla Memorial, on the New England Highway between Wingen and Blandford, exactly a century after the accident.
The memorial and centenary commemoration were led by the Murrurundi Rail Committee and Transport for NSW, with assistance from Upper Hunter Shire Council.
The ceremony featured addresses from NSW Minister for Roads and Minister for Regional Transport, Jenny Aitchison and Chief Executive of NSW TrainLink, Roger Weeks, alongside local representatives.
Late on 13 September 1926, the North-West Mail passenger train was struck by runaway wagons from Goods Train No. 62 near Murulla. The accident claimed 27 lives and injured approximately 40 people. It was the deadliest accident on the NSW rail network at the time, with its toll not surpassed until the Granville rail disaster in 1977.
The locomotive-shaped memorial, created by sculptor, Fran Wachtel, with stonework by Peter Morris, provides a permanent place to remember those who died, those who were injured and the people who worked through the night to help survivors.
Minister Aitchison said the centenary was an opportunity to honour everyone affected by the tragedy.
“To the families who have carried the memory of the Murulla disaster for generations, we thank you for allowing us to share this moment with you” she said.
“The best way we can honour those who lost their lives is not simply by remembering what happened. It is by ensuring that the lessons of the past continue to inform the decisions we make today.”
Mr Weeks said Murulla remained an important part of the state’s railway history.
“This memorial preserves the human story of the tragedy while reminding us of our enduring responsibility to keep passengers, rail workers and communities safe,” he said.
Upper Hunter Shire Mayor, Maurice Collison acknowledged the community effort behind the memorial.
“Council was honoured to assist the Murrurundi Rail Committee and Transport for NSW in establishing a dignified memorial that will preserve this important history for future generations,” Mayor Collison said.
Councillor Peter McGill said the memorial gave the Murulla story a permanent place in the local landscape.
“It honours the lives lost and changed that night, as well as the extraordinary courage of everyone who helped in the aftermath,” he said.
The Murulla Memorial is located at Burning Mountain on the New England Highway, between Wingen and Blandford.
