Henry's Tunnel, Wagga Wagga

**Henry's Tunnel** is the Waggenrican Government's official name for a tunnel on the Willans Hill Miniature Railway in the city of Wagga Wagga, which stands on Wiradjuri Country. The tunnel housed a series of posters of the years of my childhood and the countries of the British Isles from the 19th of April 2022 to some point in 2023. It goes under Lord Baden Powell Drive and, according to railway staff, was built in the mid-1980s. The tunnel was named after Henry's Tunnel from the Thomas & Friends franchise, which itself was named after Henry the Green Engine. Visitors can access the tunnel from the Botanic Gardens and Willans Hill Miniature Railway car park on Tom Wood Drive, or the Museum of the Riverina car park off Lord Baden Powell Drive.

While most of Wagga Wagga is within Australia, the tunnel belongs primarily to the micronation of Waggenrica. The tunnel had a poster display inside that was originally planned for The Wagga Deck. The posters were displayed in pairs with one on top and on the bottom, with a main theme of the works of popular culture I enjoyed as a child, including but not limited to Thomas & Friends. Most of the pairs of posters each represent a different year of my childhood, with the remainder representing England, Scotland, Wales, the island of Ireland, environmentalism and Wagga Wagga itself. To fit with the railway setting, each poster on the upper row was labelled a 'Station' (2004 Station, 2005 Station etc.) with a display of other relevant images below. The location of the posters signifies when and where the visitor is standing. For example, standing next to 2004 Station means they are in 2004, and standing next to Scotland Station means they are in Scotland.

Each Station has a scheme of three colours, and features four relevant characters dancing, reflecting a believed Wiradjuri origin of the name 'Wagga Wagga' as meaning 'many dances and celebrations'. Each station is also topped with the flag of its year or country.

Exluding the original Henry's Tunnel welcome sign and the 2013 display, the complete set of posters was last seen in the tunnel on the 16th of December 2022. Two days later, the majority had fallen onto the ground, but I was coincidentally present to retrieve them. They were reattached on the 15th of April, 2023 before being lost at some point later that year.

## Welcome signs

Waggenrican welcome sign with list of StationsHenry's Tunnel welcome sign featuring Henry the Green Engine carrying Henry the Unicorn
### 2004

Station signDisplay\*
The Station sign features Taz the Tasmanian Devil as he appeared in Baby Looney Tunes, Jumbah from Boohbah, an anthropomorphic version of a locomotive-shaped money box, and a figurine of a baby.

### 2005

Station signDisplay\*
The Station sign features Peter Rabbit from The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Blinky Bill from the franchise of the same name, Tinky Winky from Teletubbies and one of the chick mascots for the Tasmanian retail franchise Chickenfeed.

### 2006

Station signDisplay\*
The Station sign features Pocoyo from the TV series of the same name Thomas the Tank Engine as he appeared in Thomas & Friends, Hairy Maclary from Hairy Maclary from Donaldson‘s Dairy and Bella from Bright Baby Kittens.

### 2007

Station signDisplay\*
The Station sign features Sam Wiggle from The Wiggles, Mighty Mac the Double Engine from Thomas & Friends, Dora Márquez from Dora The Explorer and Greyfriars Bobby as he appeared in Richard Brassey's book of the same name.

### 2008

Station signDisplay\*
The station sign features Gordon the Big Engine as he appeared in Thomas & Friends, a panda, Bill from The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky and Dingo (Dingo's Days) from Dingo's Days.

### 2009

Station signDisplay\*
The Station sign features Schnappi from Die Sendung mit der Maus, James the Red Engine as he appeared in Thomas & Friends,The Lorax from the book of the same name and Nok Tok from Waybuloo.

### 2010

Station signDisplay\*
The Station sign features Dash the Logging Loco from Thomas & Friends, Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus, Leo from Leo and Toby, and Pablo from The Backyardigans.

### 2011

Station sign\*Display\*
The Station sign features Captain Underpants from the book series of the same name, Arthur Read as he appeared in Arthur, Belle the Fire Engine from Thomas & Friends, and Miffy as she appears in Miffy and Friends.

### 2012

Station signDisplay\*
The Station sign features Ten Cents from TUGS, Greg Heffley from Diary of a Wimpy Kid, an early version of David Willson from David and Friends and Luke from Thomas & Friends.

### 2013

Station sign\*Display\*
The Station sign features Big Ted as he appears in The Acorn Show, Dusty Crophopper from Planes, Angela Anaconda from the TV series of the same name and Rooney Doodle as he appears in Doodlebops Rockin' Road Show.

### 2014

Station sign\*Display\*
The Station sign features Hughbert Jellius from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Holden Thong from The Flamin’ Thongs, Aeroplane Jelly mascot Bertie the Aeroplane, and Peppa Pig from the TV series of the same name.

### 2015

Station sign\*Display\*
The Station sign features an artsy girl in her twenties, Rainbow Dash from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Max the Cat from Mathletics’ Times Tables Toons, and Joy (Inside Out) from Inside Out.

### 2016

Station sign\*Display\*
The Station sign features Zephyr Breeze from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Chicken Chicken Chicken mascot Henry the Chicken, Sam the Sock from The Sweet-Smelling Sock, and a nurse.

### 2017

Station sign\*Display\*
The Station sign features PhantomStrider’s avatar, Princess Skystar from My Little Pony: The Movie (2017), Doug the Dolphin from the book series of the same name and Clucky as she appears in Clucky's Diary.

### 2018

Station sign\*Display\*
The Station sign features Criminal Croc from the film of the same name, Nia the Helpful Engine from Thomas & Friends, Buster from The Acorn Show, and Wagga Wagga mascot concept Caitlin the Crow.

### 2019

Station sign\*Display\*
The Station sign features Dango Dingo, a character in the animated clip of the same name, Toys "R" Us mascot Geoffrey the Giraffe, Luster Dawn from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and Drawception mascot Drawception D.

### 2020

Station sign\*Display\*
The Station sign features Dough Re Mi mascot Henry the Unicorn, Duchess of Loughborough from Thomas & Friends, Duolingo mascot Duo, and Fletcher the Barking Marsh Frog from The Barking Marsh Frog for Wagga Facebook page.

### 2021

Station sign\*Display\*
The Station sign features Harry Potter as he appears in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Mazella from The Limmies, Sunny Starscout from My Little Pony: A New Generation, and Benedict from The Eggs.

### 2022

Station signDisplay
The Station sign features Adulthood, Big Ted, Thomas the Tank Engine and Pinkie Pie as they appear in My Last Childhood Artwork\*.

### England

Station signDisplay
The Station sign features Peter Rabbit from The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Thomas the Tank Engine as he appeared in Thomas & Friends, Paddington Bear as he appeared in The Adventures of Paddington Bear, and Peppa Pig from the TV series of the same name.

### Emerald Isle

Station signDisplay
The Station sign features Luke, a leprechaun, Piggley Winks from Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks, and Lily from Lily’s Driftwood Bay.

### Scotland

Station signDisplay
The Station sign features The Loch Ness Monster, Peter Pan as he appears in the Disney film of the same name, Greyfriars Bobby as he appeared in Richard Brassey's book of the same name and Donald the Scottish Twin Engine as he appeared in Thomas & Friends.

### Wales

Station signDisplay
The Station sign features Skarloey the Strong Engine from Thomas & Friends, Fireman Sam from the animated series of the same name, SuperTed from the TV series of the same name, and Ivor the Engine from the TV series of the same name.

### Eco

Station signDisplay
The Station sign features The Lorax from the book of the same name, Bill from The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky, Ranger Jill from Thomas & Friends and Uno from Uno's Garden.

### Wagga Wagga

Station signDisplay
The Station sign features Henry the Green Engine as he appeared in Thomas & Friends, Fletcher the Frog from The Barking Marsh Frog for Wagga Facebook page, Dough Re Mi mascot Henry the Unicorn, and proposed Wagga Wagga mascot Caitlin the Crow.

## Gallery

The northeastern side of the tunnelThe southeasternmost six postersInside the tunnel (15 April 2023)Inside the tunnel (16 December 2022)Inside the tunnel (22 April 2022)The tunnel prior to the 2015 repaintThe railway's locomotive 6A coming out of the tunnelA reimagining of the tunnel's southwestern side featuring Henry the Green Engine and Henry the Unicorn