Opening in 1879 the Northern Line originated as a service between Geraldton port and mines at Northampton.
In 1886 the government of Western Australia contracted West Australian Midland Land and Railway Syndicate to build the Midland Railway of Western Australia line between Guildford and Walkaway.
The contract was authorised under the Guildford–Greenough Flats (Walkaway) Railway Act of 1886, and included a grant of Crown land in return for construction.
From Walkaway to Geraldton there was no Crown land available to grant and the government employed Edward V. H. Keane to construct this section for them completing the link from Perth to Northampton line, which opened 1 July 1887.
There was a branch line from Cue to the mining town of Big Bell.