The ghost of a train whistle. A faint echo from a bygone era. This is the site of Mobiltown.
Mobiltown wasn’t always a ghost station. It opened in 1953. It started as the Standard Oil Platform. This small platform served the nearby Vacuum Oil Company refinery. Refinery workers relied on it. They used it daily to get to and from work.
Then in 1954 things changed. Vacuum Oil Company rebranded. It became Mobil Australia. The station’s name changed too. It became Mobiltown reflecting its new corporate neighbor.
The interesting part. Mobiltown wasn’t initially open to the public. It only served refinery workers. It wasn’t until 1958 that it became a public platform.
However the good times didn’t last. Low patronage plagued Mobiltown. The trains became less frequent. Fewer and fewer people used the station. Finally on January 29 1985 Mobiltown closed its doors forever.
Today nothing remains. No platform. No tracks. Only a memory. An overpass stands where the station once stood. The overpass eliminated a dangerous level crossing. It completely overshadows the spot where Mobiltown once thrived.
Broderick Smith even immortalized Mobiltown. He wrote a song about it. “The Last Train from Mobiltown” is a melancholic ballad. It captures the station’s demise. It’s a fitting tribute to this forgotten place.
So stand here. Imagine the bustling activity. Feel the ghost of the workers. Listen for that faint whistle. Mobiltown may be gone. Its story however continues to echo through time.