By DANIELLE GALVIN
THE old Nobelius train station in Emerald has been the target of vandals and thieves.
John Michell from Bayswater tends to the train station every couple of weeks.
Describing it as Emerald’s hidden gem, he looks after the old station, the garden beds and the surrounds.
It is hidden by trees and shrub, but the beautiful spot has recently been the target of thieves who have stolen items and made off with a park bench.
“The train doesn’t stop here anymore,” John said.
“It used to be completely overgrown, and I have been coming up here for four years.
“I put all the garden beds in and the plants.
“The locals know it’s here they love it.”
John believes the restored station is one a kind in Victoria and was horrified to come up last week to find the park bench, which was bolted into a concrete block, had been stolen.
Recently, the large plastic containers that caught the rain water from the station were also stolen.
“The last straw was last Thursday – I had a beautiful cast iron garden seat and they’ve pinched that,” he said.
“What upset me about this was that it was chained, locked to a concrete block in the ground.
“They had equipment to steal it.
“I believe it’s locals – this road is not a through road and the only people who come down here would be local.
“What annoys me is that they have stolen off me; I’ve donated the things here for the station.”
John is hoping those who work along the rail line and are familiar with the spot will keep an eye out for opportunistic thieves.
