Robina station celebrates 20 years

On this day in 1998, Queensland Rail’s Robina station welcomed its first customers through its doors, onto its platforms and into trains to begin what has now been a 20 year journey for the station.

At the time, Shania Twain’s You’re Still the One ruled the radio, CDs were well and truly replacing cassettes, the World Wide Web and text messaging was starting to take off, and Assistant Station Master Gavin Reynolds – who then worked as a Porter – was asked to work at Robina station for its opening day.

“Twenty years ago, I was working as a Porter on the South East Queensland network, and was lucky enough to be rostered on to work at the brand new Robina station for its opening day on 31 May, 1998,” said Mr Reynolds.

“Working behind the ticketing window, I sold Robina station’s first ever train ticket to its first ever customer, well before goCards were introduced in the South East.

“It’s impressive to think about how far Robina station and the neighbouring community has come, from the end of the single track Gold Coast line, to a transit hub with intermodal connectivity and a gateway to world class Robina Stadium.

“Built as an extension from Nerang station, which opened the previous year, Robina was the end of the Gold Coast line until the Varsity Lakes extension was commissioned more than a decade later in 2009.

“By this time, Robina Stadium had opened next door to the station in time for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, which saw thousands of games-goers flock through its doors – the beginning of Robina’s legacy as the Gold Coast’s gateway to sport.

“The same year, the track between Helensvale and Robina was duplicated, enhancing service reliability for customers travelling between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey thanked Mr Reynolds for his work over the years, and said it was people like him who had helped QR expand so much in the past two decades.

“In 2017, Robina Station received a facelift as part of a $10 million project to refresh Gold Coast stations, with a new paint job, renovated bathroom facilities and upgrades to the ticketing office,” Mr Bailey said.

“Most recently, Robina station was an integral component of the integrated transport plan for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, with tens of thousands of people arriving by train and making their way to the nearby Stadium for Rugby 7s, track and field events.”

Mr Reynolds joined Queensland Rail in 1981, when he originally worked in Bluff in regional Central Queensland. In 1988, he moved to the Gold Coast, and in 1998, he transferred to Robina station, where he has worked ever since, progressing into the Assistant Station Master role. 

“I’ve been lucky to be a part of Robina station’s journey from its opening day in ‘98, through the development and growth in the region – including the many-times expanded Robina Town Centre, the Commonwealth Games, to now – 20 years later and still serving locals and tourists alike,” Mr Reynolds said.

“Much has changed since I sold Robina’s first ticket on this day in 1998, and I’m proud of the station’s legacy that will continue well into the future.”

ENDS

Media contact: Dominic Geiger, 0447355565