Queensland’s Shorncliffe Station will reopen from Monday 27 July following the completion of a restoration and accessibility upgrade.

The station building is being restored to its original 1914 footprint, to preserve its heritage.

The existing awning has also been restored, and the 1940s air raid shelter has been retained.

Accessibility upgrades at the station include 90 metre high-level platform raising at the boarding points as well as upgraded hearing augmentation loops, tactile ground surface indicators, security cameras and lighting.

New wayfinding and platform signage, a new accessible station entrance ramp, two new platform seats, and new accessible ticket windows, toilet and facilities are also part of the renovation.

Queensland Rail said: “Queensland Rail engaged architects to draft the concept design, which considers the restoration of the station building while seamlessly integrating the accessible features of the upgrade such as the high-level platform at the accessible boarding points.

“Heritage specialists have continued their involvement with the project to ensure the restoration and upgrade meet heritage requirements.”

During the early stages of this project, hundreds of objects were found in the subfloor of Shorncliffe train station.

It is thought that the items – including train tickets, clothes, newspapers and bottles – date back to the 1890s.

Queensland Rail engaged independent heritage assessors to assist with safely removing the items and cataloguing them in line with best practice heritage investigation processes.

During that process, more than 900 items were uncovered. Due to the age of some of the items found, further site investigations were required and the dig formally concluded in February 2021.

Since completion of the dig, Queensland Rail has donated heritage finds to local Sandgate Museum and plan to showcase key artefacts in a display cabinet at the station.

Queensland Rail’s initial investigations of the station building also detected significant structural issues, which needed to be addressed through bracing and staged works as part of the restoration.

The impact of the heritage discoveries and structural issues on the project timeframes has meant that Queensland Rail has reassessed timeframes to include these changes to the scope.

“While the extra works have affected the project timeline, it’s extremely important that we get this project right and treat the 1897 building – and piece of our local history – with respect,” said Queensland Rail.

“The impact to timeframes also presented the opportunity to revise the scope to include an accessibility upgrade and restoration of Shorncliffe station.”

Final works will take place ahead of the station reopening and there will a planned closure of the Shorncliffe Line on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 July.