IN PICTURES: Shire of Narrogin reveals historic homecoming at opening of restored Narrogin Railway Station

The culmination of years of effort and thousands of volunteer hours was realised on October 5 as the restored Narrogin Railway Station officially opened with a gala celebration. The opening ceremony hosted by the Shire of Narrogin concluded with a surprise announcement from president Leigh Ballard, who revealed that the steam locomotive PM706 will return to the community. “It is with immense pride and privilege that I declare the return of the Narrogin train, the iconic steam locomotive PM706, to its rightful home here in Narrogin,” Mr Ballard said. “It’s a testament to the hard work, dedication, and unity of our community that we can celebrate this achievement today.” The news was received with applause and cheers by about 120 guests including O’Connor MHR Rick Wilson and Agricultural Region MLC Steve Martin. Another grand feature unveiled at the opening was Morris Russell’s intricate N-scale diorama of Narrogin as it was in the 1960s, a labour of love undertaken over many years. Hotham Valley Tourist Railway president and general manager Ian Willis said the response of the community to the news that the PM706 would be coming back to Narrogin proved that the decision to return the steam engine was the right one.