THE twin revivals of regional rail and regional living were on show at an event at Tarana on Sunday.
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The village hosted a big crowd at an open day held to celebrate the 150th anniversary of its historic train station - which, in recent years, has added an Opal Card reader and has become a stop on both Bathurst Bullet daily return services to Sydney.
The station is also in the midst of a Transport for NSW restoration program.
Tarana Valley Community Group committee member Greg Dargan said it was great to see so many people at the village.
"We had the biggest ever crowd at the combined Tarana Markets and station events, with more than 1000 people enjoying the day," he said.
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Mr Dargan said a theme in the speeches made by guests Howard Collins, chief operations officer for Greater Sydney for Transport for NSW, and Lithgow mayor Maree Statham was how country NSW is changing.
Mr Collins, he said, talked about regional NSW being increasingly seen as a destination for people travelling and Ms Statham emphasised the importance of villages to the Lithgow area.
"She praised our community group [Tarana Valley Community Group] for being active and proactive," Mr Dargan said.
Mr Dargan said local grazier Richard Webb detailed his memories of the Tarana station going back to the early 1950s, describing it as a busy transport hub for livestock and produce, with lambs and cattle going to Homebush and wool to Pyrmont and twice daily pea trains from Oberon to Tarana in the season.
Lachlan Valley Rail brought the Blue Zephyr train from Lithgow and rail enthusiasts had the chance to look at - and, in some cases, pull the levers of - the fully restored signal box at the Tarana station.
Mr Dargan said Member for Bathurst and Deputy Premier Paul Toole made the important announcement that, by the end of the first quarter of 2023, the first phase of the interior restoration of the station is due to be completed.
This will involve the rebuilding of the old waiting room and construction of a unisex toilet able to be used by those with a disability.
Mr Dargan said that project had been a collaboration between Transport for NSW and Lithgow Council in which Transport for NSW is paying for the capital costs of the toilet and Lithgow Council will be responsible for the ongoing maintenance and cleaning.
He said Tarana village and district was changing as the area welcomed "young families rediscovering the joys of country life".
