Client
Transport for NSW (TfNSW)
Sector
Rail Infrastructure
Location
Dapto
Dharawal Country
State
NSW
Dapto Station Upgrade
The Dapto Station Upgrade transformed the station into a more accessible, modern and customer-focused transport hub. Delivered by Degnan as part of the NSW Government’s Transport Access Program, the project improved access, customer facilities and station connectivity while maintaining continuous operations throughout construction.
The upgrade balanced operational requirements, heritage considerations and community priorities to deliver a safer and more inclusive station experience.
Accessibility and Customer Experience
Designed to improve access for all users, the upgrade enhanced the station experience for people with disability, parents and carers with prams, older people, students and commuters. The completed works provide a safer, more accessible and customer-focused station environment while supporting future transport demand in the region.
Live Rail Delivery
The project interfaced with multiple concurrent infrastructure projects, requiring careful coordination to achieve safe and timely delivery. Degnan worked closely with Transport for NSW, Sydney Trains, accessibility groups and other stakeholders to manage competing priorities, refine access arrangements and maintain station operations throughout construction.
The project team also navigated programme challenges associated with heritage requirements, industrial action, hazardous materials and undocumented underground services. Through collaborative planning and sequencing, Degnan worked with stakeholders to minimise impacts and maintain project momentum.
Technical Integration
The upgrade required detailed assessment of existing station services and electrical infrastructure to determine the most appropriate long-term solution. Degnan evaluated options to reuse and upgrade existing assets or implement larger-scale infrastructure improvements, supporting informed decision-making and value for money outcomes for Transport for NSW.
Community and Cultural Connections
Community engagement played an important role in project delivery. Degnan partnered with Coomaditchie artists Lorraine Brown and Narelle Thomas to create artwork reflecting the six seasons of Dharawal Country, strengthening local cultural connections and creating a sense of place within the station precinct. The project also included Rail Safety Week education sessions with local students and social procurement initiatives supporting community inclusion.
Heritage and Design
Opened in 1887, Dapto Station is listed on the Transport for NSW S170 Heritage and Conservation Register.
The upgrade required careful design development and construction planning to preserve the station’s heritage significance while delivering modern accessibility and customer improvements. Heritage considerations were integrated throughout the project to ensure new works remained sympathetic to the character of the site.
Sustainability and Innovation
The project achieved a TfNSW Sustainable Design Guidelines Gold rating and incorporated design solutions that balanced accessibility improvements with operational and heritage requirements. Through collaborative planning and design development, Degnan delivered a sustainable and future-focused outcome that met both client and community needs.
Scope of work
- Accessibility and customer experience improvements
- Station building and amenity upgrades
- Upgraded male and female bathrooms with ambulant toilets
- Wayfinding, signage and customer information upgrades
- Accessible drinking fountains and customer amenities
- Electrical and communications upgrades
- Heritage conservation works
- Community engagement and cultural integration
- Interface management with concurrent infrastructure projects
Degnan’s Illawarra Station Upgrades:
Finalist in the 2024 Banksia Foundation awards for Placemaking.
Our goal was to produce station upgrades that prioritise user experience and accessibility, using a holistic approach that embraces urban design principles and celebrates natural elements.
“The Transport Access Program is transforming stations across our state,
ensuring everyone has safe, accessible access to our train stations.
“The transformation of Dapto Station will ensure that commuters with disabilities, parents
and passengers with luggage or bikes are able to make the most of our public transport network.”
Transport Minister Jo Haylen
History
Dapto Station opened in 1887, one of more than 50 stations to open in 1887.
In 1903 the Commissioner for Railways declared that Dapto was the most valuable station on the Illawarra line, its traffic being double that of Wollongong.
In the 1940’s it was common for a special dog carriage to be attached to trains leaving Central for Dapto. The Dapto Greyhound Racing Club was established in 1936 and is still operating.
Dapto station was later renovated in the 1920s, and again in the 1970s
In 1993 Dapto Station became an interchange point between diesel multiple units to Bomaderry and electric multiple units to Wollongong and Sydney and an additional platform was built on the western side of the station, this is what is now named Platform 1.
