Regional Rail Revival

Location	Victoria, Australia
Proposer	Government of Victoria
Status	Under Construction
Type	Railway upgrade
Cost estimate	$1.8 billion
Start date	October 2017
Completion date	Late 2021
Stakeholders	Government of Australia (major funding partner) Government of Victoria (minor funding partner) V/Line (operator)

The Regional Rail Revival is a joint initiative between the Australian federal government and the Victorian state government to upgrade all regional railway lines in Victoria. The project has an estimated total cost of A$4 billion.^[1] A$2.3 billion of the project's total cost is being funded by the Australian Government.^[2] It is being delivered by Rail Projects Victoria (RPV). The project is guided by the 2016 Regional Network Development Plan, which outlines the short, medium and long-term priorities for a modernised regional rail network.^[3]

Projects

Regional Rail Revival is made up of multiple projects:^[4]

• Ararat Stabling
• Ballarat Line Upgrade (completed early 2021)^[5]
  • track duplication between Deer Park West and Melton (length of 18 kilometres (11 mi)), and at Bacchus Marsh
  • new Cobblebank station between Rockbank and Melton
  • reconstruction of Rockbank Station
  • upgrades to Bacchus Marsh, Ballan and Wendouree stations, including new platforms
  • new train stabling facility at Maddingley
  • passing loops at Ballan and Millbrook
  • signal and track upgrades
• Bendigo and Echuca Line Upgrade^[6]
  • modernised electronic train order (ETO) system from Bendigo to Swan Hill and Echuca
  • upgrades to ten level crossings between Eaglehawk and Bendigo with improved train detection technology
  • track upgrades on the Echuca Line, which will increase the maximum train speed on the line.
  • new stations at Huntly, Goornong, and Raywood. Goornong and Raywood stations were previously closed in 1979 and 1981 respectively.
  • potential reopening of Harcourt railway station (planning)
• Donnybrook upgrade (completed August 2020)
  • 150 new car parking spaces
  • New platform shelters
  • Improved pedestrian access
  • Improved security with addition CCTV and new platform lighting
  • An extension of the city-bound platform
• Geelong Line Upgrade^[7]
  • track duplication between South Geelong and Waurn Ponds
  • upgrades to South Geelong, Marshall and Waurn Ponds stations
  • new train maintenance and stabling facility at Waurn Ponds
  • level crossing removals
  • Armstrong Creek corridor extension (planning)
• Gippsland Line Upgrade^[8]
  • new rail bridge over the Avon River in Stratford (completed)
  • upgrades to Bunyip, Longwarry, Morwell and Traralgon stations, including new platforms
  • track duplication at Bunyip and Longwarry
  • extension of the Morwell crossing loop
  • level crossing and signalling upgrades
  • drainage structure upgrades
• Murray Basin Rail Project
• North-East Line Upgrade (completed December 2020)
  • introduction of VLocity trains on the line for the first time
• Shepparton Line Upgrade
• Wallan station upgrade (completed August 2020)
  • An extension of the existing waiting room
  • New toilets in the waiting room
  • New platform shelters
  • Two new bus bays with shelters
  • Improved security with addition CCTV and new platform lighting
  • Additional bicycle parking
  • An extension of the city-bound platform
• Warrnambool Line Upgrade (Stage 1)^[9]
  • upgrades to 12 level crossings with improved train detection technology (completed)
  • signalling upgrades
  • new crossing loop at Boorcan
• Warrnambool Line Upgrade (Stage 2)
  • upgrades to more than 50 level crossings with improved train detection technology
  • stabling upgrade at Warrnambool station
  • introduction of VLocity trains on the line for the first time

Construction

Timeline

• 27 October 2017 – Construction as part of Ballarat Line Upgrade commences.^[10]
• 3 November 2017 – New station at Toolern (now Cobblebank), on Melton Line, announced.^[11]
• 20 December 2017 – Wendouree Station upgrade announced.^[12]
• 14 March 2018 – Geotechnical investigations begin to be carried out on the Gippsland Line.^[13]
• 19 July 2018 – Ballan station upgrade plans revealed.^[14]
• 22 October 2018 -Construction commences on Shepparton Station stabling facility.^[15]
• 30 May 2019 – Construction begins as part of Donnybrook Station and Wallan Station upgrades.^[16]
• Early July 2019 – Total work time as a part of the Ballarat Line Upgrade hits 1,000,000 hours.^[17]
• 26 August 2019 – Construction at Rockbank Station finishes, and the station is opened up to the public.^[18]
• 20 November 2019 – Construction of the new Avon River railbridge in Stratford commences.^[19]
• 1 December 2019– New station at Toolern, named Cobblebank, opens to public.^[20]
• 6 December 2019 – Construction begins on stabling facility at Ararat.^[21]
• 28 January 2020 – Construction begins on the upgrade of four level crossings on the Warrnambool Line.^[22]
• 23 April 2020 – Donnybrook Station Upgrade completed, with addition of 150 new car parking spaces, new platform shelters and the city bound platform extended, improved pedestrian access, improved security with CCTV and lighting on platforms and in the car park.^[23]
• 24 April 2020 – Works completed on four new level crossing boom gates along the Warrnambool Line.^[24]
• 31 July 2020 – 3 new stations, named Huntly, Goornong, and Raywood, announced to be constructed on the Bendigo railway line, to be completed by 2022.^[25]
• 12 December 2021 – Construction at Goornong Station finishes, and the station opens to the public.^[26]
• 16 July 2022 – Construction at Huntly Station finishes, and the station opens to the public.^[27]
• 17 July 2022 – Construction at Raywood Station finishes, and the station opens to the public.^[27]