Ararat railway line

This article is about the physical line. For the rail service, see Ballarat line.

Ararat
A train entering Ballarat
Overview
Connecting lines	Geelong-Ballarat and Mildura (at Ballarat); Geelong via the Regional Rail Link (at Deer Park), Bendigo and Sunbury (at Sunshine)
Former connections	See Former branch lines section
Stations	14 in service (not including Southern Cross) [1]
Service
Type	V/Line passenger service
System	V/Line passenger services to Ballarat and Ararat
Rolling stock	V/Line VLocity diesel multiple-unit trains in either 3- or 6-car configurations. Locomotive-hauled services withdrawn in 2023. [2]
History
Opened	1887 (to Serviceton); 1889 (direct route to Melbourne via Melton); 1995 (services past Ballarat withdrawn); 2004 (reopened to Ararat)
Completed	to Serviceton in 1887; truncated to Ararat in 1994 with the line beyond converted to standard gauge and reopened as part of the Western standard gauge railway line
Closed	1994 (for conversion beyond Ararat to standard gauge) 2020 (original alignment via Bungaree & Millbrook)
Technical
Number of tracks	Duplicated up to Melton, single track with crossing loops the rest of the way
Route map Legend km Adelaide–Wolseley line to Adelaide 465.0 Wolseley 463.8 Victoria South Australia state border 456.8 Serviceton Leeor loop 443.2 Lillimur 433.5 Kaniva Kaniva loop 423.9 Miram 412.2 Diapur Diapur loop 405.2 Tarranginnie 395.3 Nhill 385.2 Salisbury Salisbury loop 381.2 Kiata 375.2 Gerang Gerung Dimboola loop Yaapeet line 356.9 Dimboola proposed Horsham Bypass 347.8 Wail Pimpinio loop 338.5 Pimpinio Carpolac line & Balmoral line 322.0 Horsham 314.0 Dooen 304.0 Jung Horsham Bypass (proposed) Murtoa loop Patchewollock line 294.7 Murtoa Bolangum line 276.6 Lubeck Lubeck loop 267.0 Wal Wal 256.5 Glenorchy Deep Lead loop 244.0 Deep Lead Grampians line 236.4 Stawell Great Western loop 223.1 Great Western 214.6 Armstrong Pyrenees loop former extension to Serviceton [a] 205.8 Ararat [b] Avoca line to Maryborough Western SG line to Melbourne 193.1 Dobie [3] 182.6 Buangor 172.2 Middle Creek [4] 159.8 Beaufort 151.9 Trawalla 134.6 Burrumbeet Western Freeway 129.3 Windermere 120.3 Dowling [5] via post-RFR Ballan line Newtown line & Ballarat-Colac line Ballarat Cattle Yards line Skipton line Linton Junction 118.1 Wendouree 117.4 Wendouree (original site) 116.6 White's siding Mildura line 115.1 North Ballarat 113.8 Ballarat 113.1 Ballarat East 112.5 Buninyong line 111.3 RMSP No.74 [6] 107.2 148.8 Warrenheip via North Geelong Geelong-Ballarat line 103.6 Dunnstown 101.8 106.8 Bungaree West Junction [7] via North Line & Bungaree 103.8 RMSP No.73 102.9 Bungaree 105.9 Bungaree Racecourse measured via Bungaree 100.4 Bungaree loop Lal Lal Creek 98.9 Wallace Moorabool River (west branch) 98.6 G. Holden's siding 92.4 Millbrook 93.6 Bungaree East Junction 93.3 RMSP No.72 92.1 RMSP No.40 91.2 Gordon [c] adjacent heritage bridge & abandoned line 87.3 Portland Flat Road 86.5 RMSP No.77 (1st) 86.2 Llandeilo 83.7 Bradshaw/ RMSP No.77 (2nd) 81.7 RMSP No.71 79.5 Ballan 72.4 Ingliston 65.2 Bank Box 64.8 Bank Box loop Dog Trap Gully siding 55.0 Rowsley 55.0 Rowsley loop 53.9 Maddingley Racecourse [8] 51.4 Maddingley Brown Coal sidings 50.9 Bacchus Marsh 49.9 Bacchus Marsh works siding 47.1 Parwan 45.7 Parwan loop 42.6 Staughton siding Melton Viaduct 41.3 Melton 34.6 RMSP No.65 34.4 Cobblebank 31.2 Cockbills siding 30.2 Rockbank 27.8 RMSP No.64 21.3 Caroline Springs 21.0 Deer Park Boral siding Regional Rail Link to Geelong Western Freeway 17.8 Deer Park Western Ring Road 16.0 Nobel/ICI factory 15.1 Ardeer Kororoit Creek Deniliquin line 12.3 Sunshine Sunbury Line service 4.9 Footscray Port Fairy line to Geelong North East line to Seymour CityLink 1.7 North Melbourne 0.0 Southern Cross km broad gauge standard gauge Notes The Melbourne–Ararat half is used for the Ararat V/Line rail service; the standard gauge half forms only part of the Western standard gauge railway line. Converted to standard gauge in 1995. End of Ararat V/Line service. Station preserved by the Australian Railway Historical Society. This diagram: view talk edit

The Ararat railway line (formerly known as the Serviceton and Western lines) is a railway line in Victoria, Australia. It links the state capital of Melbourne to the cities of Ballarat and Ararat via the Regional Rail Link.

The line began construction in 1874, when the original line to Ballarat was extended westwards to Beaufort, eventually reaching Serviceton at the disputed South Australian border in 1887 to form the Victorian part of the Melbourne–Adelaide railway. In 1889, the line became the direct Melbourne−Ballarat railway when it was extended eastwards from Ballarat to Bacchus Marsh, meeting with another line constructed from Sunshine.

In 1995, the line beyond Ararat, along with several old branch lines, was converted to standard gauge and reopened to form part of the 1435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) Western standard gauge railway line. Services past Ballarat were withdrawn until 2004 when services to Ararat were reinstated.

The line has seen numerous packages of upgrades. As part of the Regional Fast Rail project, several parts of the track were realigned to reduce curves and grades, enabling trains to run up to 160 km/h. The Regional Rail Link project saw the construction of a new alignment between Sunshine and Southern Cross dedicated to regional trains, separating the line from the Sunbury line. As part of the Regional Rail Revival project, the line was duplicated up to Melton. The Level Crossing Removal Project has grade-separated three level crossings and rebuilt Deer Park station, making the line level-crossing free between Deer Park and Southern Cross. ^[9] In 2026, another four level crossings are planned to be removed, with Melton station to be rebuilt. There are plans for future quadruplication and electrification of the line up to Melton. ^{[10] [11] [12]}

Services

Main article: Ballarat V/Line rail service

V/Line currently operates services on the line towards Ballarat, Ararat and Maryborough (on the Mildura line, which junctions at Ballarat) via the Regional Rail Link. In the future, the line is planned to be electrified as far as Melton. ^[12]

Several services on the line originate and terminate at Melton, with some additional services originating and terminating at Bacchus Marsh. ^[13] Four weekday services and three weekend services are operated to Ararat, ^[1] while only one service is operated each day to Maryborough. ^[14] Myki is available between Southern Cross and Wendouree.

Freight services sometimes also use the line between Ballarat and Melbourne, coming off the Mildura line.

History

20th century

Serviceton railway station lies 2.08 kilometres (1.3 mi) east of the Victoria−South Australia border, the location of which was disputed for 40 years.

The first railway line from Melbourne to Ballarat was via Geelong. Construction of the Geelong–Ballarat railway line began in 1858 and took nearly four years to complete, employing up to 3,000 men and costing approximately £1.5 million. The line officially opened in 1862, with the first train running on the 10th of April. The train took about four and a half hours to reach Geelong, travelling at a maximum speed of 15 miles per hour (24 kilometres per hour) and having to overcome several difficulties, including failing an uphill grade and running out of firewood. The return journey was achieved in two hours and forty minutes. ^{[15] [ better source needed ]}

The line was extended further west from Ballarat to Beaufort in 1874, Ararat in 1875, Stawell in 1876, Murtoa, in 1878, Horsham in 1882, Dimboola in 1882, and lastly Nhill and Serviceton in 1887, where it met with the South Australian Railways line from Adelaide. The direct route from Melbourne to Ballarat opened in 1889, when a branch line from Ballarat to Warrenheip was progressively extended eastwards to Bacchus Marsh, where it met with a line originally constructed from Sunshine to Melton; that line was opened in 1874 and itself extended to Bacchus Marsh in 1887. ^{[16] [17] [18] [19] [ better source needed ]}

In 1994, V/Line passenger rail services beyond Ballarat were withdrawn to allow for the conversion of the line beyond Ararat to standard gauge. ^[20] The Serviceton−Ararat section, now standard gauge, was connected to a section of the Portland line, which in turn connected to the Maroona−Gheringhap line, both also converted to standard gauge as part of the project. In 1995 the completed line opened as the Western standard gauge railway line.

21st century

Restoration of Ararat services

In 2004, passenger services to Ararat were restored. ^{[21] [22]}

Regional Fast Rail

Main article: Regional Fast Rail project

Clocktower at Ballarat station

Major upgrades to the line occurred as part of Regional Fast Rail, a project announced in 2000 by then-Premier Steve Bracks with the aim of shortening travel times between the major Victorian regional centres and Melbourne by upgrading the tracks and introducing V/Line VLocity diesel multiple-unit trains. Heavier tracks and concrete sleepers were laid, ballast was renewed and a new signalling system was installed. Curves and grades on the line were eased by constructing new deviations from the main line and seven new bridges, including the Lal Lal Creek and Moorabool River bridges, which at the time were among the longest in Australia. ^[23] Most of the original alignment remained, serving as crossing loops. ^[24]

The first VLocity train ran on the line to Ballarat on 22 December 2005. ^[25]

Regional Rail Revival

Main article: Regional Rail Revival

VLocity train at Ararat, 2022

Another significant round of upgrades occurred to the line as part of the Regional Rail Revival project, beginning in early 2018 with major construction completed in 2021. ^[26] The project, with a budget of $518 million, saw the duplication of 17 kilometres of track between Deer Park and Melton, addition of a second platform and track at Rockbank, Bacchus Marsh and Ballan, the construction of Cobblebank Station, and new a passing loop at Millbrook. ^[27] The upgrades enable future electrification of the line to Melton. The new passing loop at Millbrook also allowed the original line via Bungaree to be decommissioned, with level crossings and railway infrastructure at these crossings removed. ^[28]

Future

Level Crossing Removal Project

Main article: Level Crossing Removal Project

The Level Crossing Removal Project has removed, and is planning to remove, several level crossings along the line. In 2022, the first crossings was removed: Fitzgerald Road in Ardeer, by building a road bridge over the rail line ^[29] The crossing at Robinsons Road in Deer Park was removed by elevating the rail line over the road. ^[30] In 2023, the Mt Derrimut Road level crossing in Deer Park was removed by elevating the rail line; Deer Park Station was rebuilt as part of this removal. ^[31] The line is level-crossing free between Deer Park and Southern Cross.

By 2026, four more crossings are set to be removed. The crossings at Coburns Road and Exford Road in Melton will be removed by elevating the rail line; Melton Station is currently being rebuilt. The crossings at Ferris Road in Melton and Hopkins Road in Truganina will be removed by elevating the road onto a bridge. Concept designs for the new station and bridges were released in 2024. ^[32]

A package of accessibility upgrades at Ballarat Station began in 2025, delivered by the Level Crossing Removal Project. The northern (platform 2) entrance of the station has been modified to fit a wheelchair-accessible ramp. A new pedestrian overpass, accessible with a lift or stairs, will be completed in 2026. ^[33] Currently, the only way to cross the platforms at Ballarat without using stairs is by using the pedestrian level crossing over the tracks. ^{[34] [35]}

Quadruplication and Melton electrification

Electrification to Rockbank was suggested as early as the 1969 Melbourne Transport Plan. In 2013, Public Transport Victoria released the Network Development Plan – Metropolitan Rail, stage 3 of which includes quadruplication and electrification up to Melton. The Western Rail Plan, announced as a key policy of the 2018 Victorian state election by then-incumbent Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews, also included quadruplication and electrification to Melton. ^[36]

In 2023, it was widely speculated that the Western Rail Plan no longer included quadruplication. ^{[10] [11] [12]} However, in 2025, a track diagram was released showing changes that will be made as part of the major upgrades planned for Sunshine Station. According to the diagram, quadruplication is planned to occur between a junction site near Caroline Springs and Sunshine; the new tracks will run into a new pair of platforms at Sunshine. The tracks at Sunshine will be reconfigured to route the future electrified Melton service through the Metro Tunnel. ^[37]

Introduction of 9-car VLocity trains

In 2022, then-Premier Daniel Andrews announced plans to extend the platforms on the line from Bacchus Marsh to Ardeer to allow 9-car VLocity trains to run. ^[38] In 2024, the Level Crossing Removal Project announced plans to "investigate" constructing a train stabling facility in Cobblebank to "support the introduction of 9-car trains". ^[39] In 2025, it was announced that the platform extensions were fast-tracked for completion in 2027, however, Bacchus Marsh and Ardeer will not be included. ^[40] The train stabling facility in Cobblebank will be "future-proofed" for electrification. ^[41]

Planned stations

Several new stations are proposed to be built on the line, primarily to serve new housing estates. In 2016, the Victorian Planning Authority released the Paynes Road Precinct Structure Plan, which included plans for a train station in Thornhill Park (west of Rockbank) to support a new housing development in the area. ^[42]

In 2020, another Precinct Structure Plan released by the Victorian Planning Authority included plans for a station in Mount Atkinson, west of Caroline Springs. ^[43] In 2024, a petition submitted to the Parliament of Victoria calling for the station to be built attracted over 1,700 signatures. ^[44]

Former branch lines

V/Line VLocity train at the junction with the Melbourne-Ballarat line at Warrenheip

Ballarat region

A branch line was built from Ballarat to Newtown and Skipton in 1883. This line closed in 1985. A branch was built between Newtown, Cressy and Irrewarra (east of Colac) about 1910. This line was closed in 1953.

A branch line was built from Linton junction to the Ballarat Cattle Yards and Redan in 1886. This line was closed in 1997.^{[ citation needed ]}

Ararat region

Until 1993, two daily V/Line services ran from Melbourne to Dimboola, as well as the nightly The Overland service from Melbourne to Adelaide. Under the Kennett Government's economic reforms, the V/Line service to Dimboola was cut back to Ararat, with the towns beyond now served by coaches. The Ararat−Serviceton section was converted to standard gauge and reopened as part of the Western standard gauge railway line in 1995, which makes reinstatement of train services beyond Ararat unlikely.

The Overland service is now operated by Journey Beyond and runs on the Western standard gauge railway line, serving only some stations between Southern Cross and Adelaide Parklands Terminal.

A branch line was built from Lubeck (between Stawell and Murtoa) to Rupanyup in 1887, extended to Marnoo by 1909, and to Bolangum in the 1927. It closed in 1983.

A branch line was opened from Murtoa to Warracknabeal in 1886 and extended to Beulah in 1893, Roseberry and Hopetoun in 1894 and Patchewollock in 1927. The section from Hopetoun to Patchewollock was closed in the 1980s. The line from Murtoa to Hopetoun was converted to standard gauge in 1995. It has not carried passengers for many years and grain services between Roseberry to Hopetoun were suspended in 2005.

A branch line was completed between Horsham, East Natimuk and Noradjuha in 1887, and progressively extended to Balmoral by 1920, where it connected with a line from Cavendish to Hamilton. The whole line, from Noradjuha to Hamilton, was closed in 1979. A branch was opened from East Natimuk to Goroke in 1894, and extended further west to Carpolac in 1927. It closed in 1986.

A branch was opened from Dimboola to Jeparit in 1894 and extended to Rainbow in 1899 and Yaapeet in 1914. The line was converted to standard gauge in 1995. The line was deemed unusable after severe flooding in January 2011. The Victorian Government announced that they would contribute $5.3 million to restoring the line from Dimboola to Rainbow in 2011. ^[45]

In 1905, a branch line was opened from Stawell to the Heatherlie quarry in The Grampians, from which large amounts of high-quality freestone were railed, ^[46] to be used in a number of significant building projects. The branch was closed in 1949. ^[47]

Another branch line, from Jeparit to Lorquon, was opened in 1912, and was extended to Yanac in 1916. It closed in 1986.

A line was built from Ararat to Portland in 1877, via Maroona, Hamilton, and Heywood. A number of branch lines were built from this line, none of which are in use today. This line was converted to standard gauge in 1995; up to Maroona it forms part of the Western standard gauge railway line, where it junctions with section of the line towards North Shore. The Portland line saw further upgrades as part of the Murray Basin Rail Project, connecting it to the Mildura line via the Ararat-, which was converted to standard gauge also as part of the MBRP. ^[48]

References in popular culture

The Tom Waits song Town with No Cheer from the 1982 album Swordfishtrombones refers to Serviceton, The Overland train, and the railway line's disuse. ^[49]

References

1. "Melbourne to Ararat via Ballarat". V/line. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
2. Wong, Marcus (19 February 2024). "Farewell to V/Line's H type carriage sets". Waking up in Geelong.
3. Maryborough-Avoca-Ararat railway: a brief history, Turton, K W, McLean, D C
4. Maryborough-Avoca-Ararat railway: a brief history, Turton, K W, McLean, D C
5. The Golden Steam of Ballarat, King, D & Dooley, N, 1973
6. Waugh, Andrew (24 September 1992). "Sunshine Ballarat Station Notes: SRS Tour" (PDF). p. 21.
7. "VLine Bungee Signalling Diagram No: 18/13" (PDF). VLine. 26 July 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 July 2016.
8. Waugh, Andrew (2005) [1995-06-26]. "Victorian Signalling Histories: Bacchus Marsh" (PDF).
9. "Mt Derrimut Road, Deer Park". Victoria's Big Build. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
10. Visontay, Elias (6 August 2023). "Meet Melton, officially part of Melbourne, but crying out for city services". The Guardian.
11. "Confusion and plummeting confidence in rail promises for regional Victoria". ABC News. 5 August 2023 – via www.abc.net.au.
12. Hatch, Patrick (1 August 2023). "New train lines to Melton and Wyndham axed from rail plans". The Age.
13. "Ballarat timetable". www.vline.com.au. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
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16. "VICSIG". vicsig.net.
17. "VICSIG". vicsig.net.
18. "Ballarat". www.victorianrailways.net.
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20. "VictorianRailways.net – VR Timeline". Archived from the original on 30 May 2008. Retrieved 14 November 2007.
21. "Ararat sleepers awake to new sound - the train". The Age. 10 July 2004.
22. "Still no start date for Ballarat-Ararat rail services". ABC News. 12 May 2004 – via www.abc.net.au.
23. "Transport planning and projects – Regional Fast Rail". State Government of Victoria, Department of Infrastructure. 15 May 2006. Archived from the original on 30 August 2006. Retrieved 17 July 2006.
24. Train Operating Data: Deer Park to Ararat Archived 27 March 2015 at the Wayback Machine V/Line 21 October 2014
25. "V/Line – First Day of VLocity Revenue Operation (Ballarat)". Archived from the original on 18 May 2007.
26. "Ballarat Line Upgrade website". Ballarat Line Upgrade. 24 July 2017. Archived from the original on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
27. Pollock, Michael (27 April 2016). ""$518m commitment to Ballarat rail line"". The Ballarat Courier. Archived from the original on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
28. "Last train travels over the Bungaree loop". Victoria's Big Build. 27 December 2020. Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
29. "Fitzgerald Road, Ardeer". Victoria's Big Build. 7 July 2023.
30. "Robinsons Road, Deer Park". Victoria's Big Build. 7 July 2023.
31. "Mt Derrimut Road, Deer Park". Victoria's Big Build. 19 February 2024.
32. "Melton level crossing removals". Victoria's Big Build. 31 May 2024.
33. Build, Victoria’s Big (20 August 2025). "Pedestrian overpass steels the show at Ballarat Station". Victoria’s Big Build. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
34. "Ballarat Station Upgrade". Victoria's Big Build. 12 June 2024.
35. "Ballarat Station Upgrade community update – June 2024". Victoria's Big Build. 4 June 2024.
36. "A Real Plan For Fast Regional Rail And Metro Rail For The West | Premier of Victoria". www.premier.vic.gov.au.
37. Build, Victoria’s Big (2 June 2025). "Your new Sunshine Station Superhub". Victoria’s Big Build. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
38. Hatch, Patrick (6 October 2022). "Andrews admits Metro upgrades to outer west at least six years away". The Age. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
39. "New Melton Station designs as part of massive upgrades". Victoria's Big Build. 23 March 2024.
40. Build, Victoria’s Big (29 August 2025). "Melton Line Upgrade fast tracked". Victoria’s Big Build. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
41. Build, Victoria’s Big (29 August 2025). "Melton Line Upgrade". Victoria’s Big Build. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
42. "Paynes Road Precinct Structure Plan" (PDF). Metropolitan Planning Authority. February 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
43. "Mt Atkinson & Tarneit Plains Precinct Structure Plan" (PDF). Victorian Planning Authority. June 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
44. "The proposed Mt Atkinson Train Station".
45. "Money for rail". ABC News. 21 September 2011 – via www.abc.net.au.
46. "Heatherlie Quarry". Grampians Guide. Archived from the original on 3 October 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
47. Harrigan, Leo J. (1962). Victorian Railways to '62. Melbourne: Victorian Railways Public Relations and Betterment Board. p. 284. ASIN   B0007JJ26C. OCLC   945951383.
48. "Murray Basin Rail Project Business Case Review" (PDF). bigbuild.vic.gov.au. April 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
49. Tom Waits. "Town With No Cheer". Archived from the original on 25 February 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2015.

External links

• Statistics and detailed schematic map at Vicsig