Passengers stepping off the steam train at Muckleford Railway Station in Central Victoria now have a more comfortable place to pause and soak up the historic atmosphere—thanks to a thoughtful community project by the Maldon Men’s Shed.
Muckleford is a quiet, unattended station on the Victorian Goldfields Heritage Railway line, nestled between Castlemaine and Maldon. While the steam train makes regular stops there, it was noted that there was nowhere for passengers to sit and take in the surroundings.
That’s where the Maldon Men’s Shed stepped in.
With access to long river red gum poles, Shed members got to work designing and crafting a pair of sturdy bench seats for the station. Over several weeks, around seven members collaborated on the project, tackling everything from cutting and planking to assembling and painting.
Once completed, the benches were transported to Muckleford via rail from the Maldon railhead. Volunteers from the railway then installed them with care—digging holes, levelling each bench precisely, concreting them in place, and treating them to resist termites.
It was a true community effort with a rewarding result: passengers now have a place to rest, and the station has a new touch of character.
As a gesture of appreciation, the Victorian Goldfields Heritage Railway donated a supply of reclaimed red gum sleepers—left over from recent rail upgrades—to the Maldon Men’s Shed. These sleepers have since been put to good use framing garden beds at the Shed.
A job well done—and a great example of local collaboration, with lasting benefits for all involved.