Once occupied by Australian Aborigines and home to early European settlements, South Australia proudly bares its rich Colonial Heritage. The country’s European influence is scattered across the region and reveals itself in the region’s cuisine and majestic Colonial architecture. The lush hills surrounding Adelaide is home to the European settlers’ most valuable legacy: acres of beautiful vineyards.

As settlements expanded and industrialisation grew across Australia’s southern states, a railway network was established to connect the region’s industrial towns. Situated along the Seaford Railway Line connecting Adelaide to Seaford is the Brighton railway station. Originally built in 1913, South Brighton Railway Station stood 15.8 kilometres away from the main Adelaide Station and Oaks Liberty Towers hotel. South Brighton Station was demolished in 1976 and later rebuilt 200 metres south from its original location in 1976 to coincide with the railway line’s extension to Christie Downs. Even today, Brighton Station is an important stop along the historic Seaford line leading to the beautiful Glenelg Hotels.

Similar to its British counterpart, Brighton was a beachside resort town in the early 1900’s and a popular holiday destination. In an era before cars were introduced, Brighton Station was a bustling train station with a neighbouring delicatessen that served its many visitors. At the time, Brighton was only one of five functional stations in Southern Australia and welcomed its first train bearing 9 passengers in 1913. In two short years since the Station’s inauguration, 6500 people travelled to Brighton Station outnumbering the town’s residents by 20 times.

A classic weatherboard structure characteristic of its time, the original Brighton Station was equipped with amenities including a ladies waiting room and a ticket office with an open fireplace. Subsequent improvements were made to the Seaford Railway Line including the installation of a double track between the Goodwood and Brighton Stations in 1956 and in 2014, the historic Seaford railway line was the first of the Adelaide Passenger Metropolitan Rail Network to be subject to an electrification project for the operation of 4000-class electric trains.

Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.Google+