Charity Creek

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Type : Station
Line : North Coast Line
Distance from Sydney : 348.294km
Opened : 4 March 1913
Closed : 29 June 1975
Status : Closed
Name meaning : Named after the creek near the station
Notes : The Down side platform was 76.2 metres in length and a held a timber station build with general and ladies waiting rooms and a store. There was no town nearby and the station was accessed by a track to the deep cutting it was located in. Later track realignment works have obliterated the site. 4/3/1913 goods siding added.

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Charity Creek station location (Six Maps)

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Charity Creek Station (located near the Manning River) opened in 1913 and closed in 1975. The image is of the general locality. (SLNSW)

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Charity Creek station (David McGrath)

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Newspaper article, Friday 10th November 1933:



Fatality Near Charity
Creek.


Young Man Decapitated
By Train.


A dreadful fatal accident occurred on the railway line in the vicinity of Charity Creek on Saturday night
last. It appears that a man named Frederick Cutcher, aged 48, who was engaged by Mr. Herb. Andrews
at his Mount Pleasant property, was the victim. Cutcher got the day off and travelled to Taree bv the train
which brings the morning papers.


He intended to attend the Taree Spring Show and purchase some clothes at the same time. He remained all day in Taree and in the
evening returned on the passenger train which runs from Kempsey to Sydney. Unfortunately, he alighted from the train at Karaak Flat station and then decided to walk along
the line to the nearest point to his home. While doing this, and only half-a-mile from his home, he was probably caught by a goods train,
known as '186,' and run down. This train followed the train from Kempsey.


On Sunday morning the driver of a goods train noticed the body lying on the line at 6.35 a.m. and, on reaching Wingham, reported the matter ;
to the station officials. Action was at once taken and the police and coroner notified. Mr. Hubert Flett (Coroner) and First-class Const. W. J. L. Wright proceeded to the scene,
and there found the body of a man, subsequently identified as Cutcher, in a badly mutilated condition. The head was severed from the body and was found some distance away. Mr.
S, A. Bridge, undertaker, of Taree, conveyed the remains to Taree morgue, and the Coroner gave an order for burial.


Constable Wright made exhaustive enquiries concerning deceased on Monday. As far as the accident is concerned itself it is probable that little
more will ever be known except what has been stated above.
The late Mr. Frederick Cutcher was born in Kansas City, America, and arrived in Australia as a third class passenger on the steamer Orvieto in
August, 1913. He paid his own fare to Australia. On two occasions he was engaged by Mr. Herb. Andrews on his property near Charity Creek,
as a general farm hand, he having been there on the second occasion for about five months. During the time he has been in Australia deceased worked at
Moree, Narrabri, and other North west districts, as was discovered by a search of his papers. Constable Wright states that this man had
about 30 of the finest references he ever heard of, stressing his integrity, sobriety and honesty. Mr. Andrews bears out the same opinion of the unfortunate man.


As far as is known the late Mr. Cutcher was a single man and had no relatives in this country.


The funeral took place on Monday the Interment being made in the Woolla cemetery, where Mr. E. Ladd read the burial service.


The enquiry in connection with the fatality will be held at Taree tomorrow (Saturday) morning, commencing at 9 o'clock.

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Macleay Argus, 5/4/1927

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Derailment 22/10/1914

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A timber overbridge at km.347.600 between Charity Creek and Mt. George, as viewed from NT-26, " Grafton XPT". 3-8-1994. (Graeme Kirkby)

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A view from NT-26, the Up "Grafton XPT" as it approaches the bridge over Charity Creek at km.349.200, between Kimbriki and (Charity Creek) Mt. George, on 8-3-1994. (Graeme Kirkby)

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D55 class loco hauling a goods train near Charity Creek, 1948 (State Archives)

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Charity Creek Railway Station. (Glenda Smith) (29/5/1926)

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Charity Creek station location in 2019 (Glenda Smith)

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Charity Creek (undated) (Manning Valley Historical Society)

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2nd Charity Creek station sign, now at Wingham Historical Society (Chris Harrison)

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Charity Creek 24-01-23 (Nick Wells)