30 km west of Sydney's Central Station is Toongabbie Station, serving the local residential suburb. There are two platforms, one for the two eastbound lines and one for the two westbound lines. Basic but functional design. The suburb is often locally referred to as "Toonie" or "Toonga Bay".
My god, how many times have I waited for trains here. I had to sprint up the ramp more for not wanting to miss a train -- typically 30 minutes apart (more at peak hours). I deserve to get a First Review on this one. Maybe they ought to give me a plaque or something - a gold-plated one with a diamond studded border. Then I can sell it and retire in Oahu. The sooner the better!
Toongabbie is noted for being the third mainland settlement (after Sydney and Parramatta) set up after the British occupation of Australia began in 1788. Funny how I never knew that till I read it on Wikipedia, even though I went to the local high school for two years. Great local pride, huh? Toongabbie is derived from an Aboriginal word, meaning place by the water or the meeting of the waters. It was named in June 1792 after Governor Arthur Phillip asked the local Aborigines what they called the place.
Per Wikipedia, Governor Phillip established a government farm and convict station on 640 acres (259 ha) in 1791 to grow food for the colony. It was supplement to the farms already established at Rose Hill. By December 1791 there were 500 men working at clearing the land. After eleven years, the government farm was closed and the land was given as grants to settlers and convicts who had done their time. read more