Sarina was originally named Plane Creek, after the pastoral run of the same name that was developed in 1865. At this time all sugar activity was at nearby Homebush, until the mill opened here in 1896. The name change occurred in 1908, five years before Sarina was reached by rail from Mackay in 1913. A large wooden station in a similar style to that of Yarraman, Kunwarara, or Yaamba, was erected forthwith. In 1915 the line was extended to Koumala, in 1921 St Lawrence. In better days, local services ran by railmotors, provided passengers with their own train to Mackay, or the choice of joining the longer distance trip from Carmila. In those days also QR being very community minded had no problem leasing out railmotors for special runs for football teams, schools, churches, or any other group that wanted a reasonably priced jolly on a train with open windows and fresh air. Sarina still is the home of the Plane Creek Mill, one of the survivors of what was over 20 mills in the Mackay region alone. The mill has provided QR with plenty of activity in the past, with sugar and ethanol being railed to and from the plant to Mackay Harbour. This was also the location for the last QR sugar train for “in-field” harvesting, with boxes off loaded at various small sidings to the south. This finished in December 1994. All this aforementioned mill traffic is now road hauled north to the same Mackay Harbour, which makes a great deal of sense in the now over crowded, and frustrated, highways and roads in and around the region. The station is still has a purpose for a stop for long distance passenger services along the Cairns to Brisbane route, however it’s busy past during sugar season wont be revisited anytime soon sadly.
Australia
