Mildura was the passenger terminus for the Mildura railway line in Victoria, Australia. Located in the city of Mildura it is located on the eastern side of the town centre, alongside the Murray River. Although there has not been a passenger rail service since 1993, the Victorian Labor Government promised to return the service in 1999, though it has yet to return as of 2023.
Agitation for a railway to Mildura commenced as far back as 1888, but it was not until 1898 that the Victorian Parliament recommended the extension of the Ultima line to Mildura, however this was overturned and the Woomelang line extended north instead.[1] The turning of the first sod at the station site was held in November 1901, by October 1903 rails had been laid up to Mildura, the official opening being on 13 November. Between 1922 and 1928 a railmotor service operated between Red Cliffs and Mildura stations to serve local passengers.[2] Major freight consigned from the region included bulk grain, sheep and cattle, and locally grown fruit.[1]
In 1923, a series of sidings were placed between the Mildura railway station and the wharves on the Murray River. These included a zig-zag section to enable trains to travel between the different elevations. These sidings were removed in 1973.[3] Mildura was once the destination of The Vinelander, the only Victorian intrastate passenger train to have both motorail and sleeping car facilities for passengers.[1][4] The current station building dates to November 1979.[5]
In late 2009, removal of the station yard at Mildura commenced, with only a single track and the station buildings and platform retained. All other buildings and additional rail infrastructure, including additional tracks and the refuelling area were demolished. The project was carried out by the Rural City of Mildura along with Regional Development Victoria to open up the riverfront area, with $8 million in funding provided by the State Government.[6] As part of the work a new rail freight facility will be constructed to the west of the existing Merbein terminal, as well as refurbishment of the sidings at Red Cliffs for the storage of maintenance equipment.
TrafficEdit
The main freight traffic on the line is export grain and containerised wine, grapes, citrus, dried fruit and juice, totalling around 1.5 million tonnes per year. Containers are dispatched to Melbourne from a terminal at Merbein (north of the station) operated by Seaway Intermodal[7] which handles approximately 13000 export containers a year, as well as 500 import containers.[8] Cement was also despatched to Mildura from Waurn Ponds (near Geelong) until 2016, oil and LCL containers were carried until 2007.[9]
Today, Mildura lacks passenger rail services, but it is a stop on a number of V/Line operated coach routes, with the station building utilised as a waiting room and a location to purchase coach tickets. A service review was announced by the Bracks Government in 2000,[10] in part due to the independent politician Russell Savage enabling the formation of a minority Labor government in the 1999 Victorian state election.[11] The service has yet to be returned, but as recently as 2007 the Labor Party was stating that the freight upgrade as the "first stage in the reintroduction of passenger rail to Mildura".[12] In July 2009 the government announced that it would start another transport study into the return of passenger rail services "soon", though to date, passenger services have only returned as far as Maryborough.[13]
GalleryEdit
Station entrance in June 2023
Waiting room area in June 2023.
X43 in the now removed station yard in 1992
ReferencesEdit
^ abc(PDF). Royal Historical Society of Victoria. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
^(PDF). Building our National Transport Future. 74.125.153.132. Department of Transport and Regional Services. June 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
^ . Media Release: MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT. www.legislation.vic.gov.au. 9 March 2000. Archived from the original on 13 February 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
^ . australianpolitics.com. 18 October 1999. Archived from the original on 5 October 2007. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
^ALP Victoria (October 2007). . www.alpvictoria.com.au. Archived from the original on 12 September 2009. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
^"Study to determine Mildura rail return". ABC News. www.abc.net.au. 31 July 2009. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
External linksEdit
Melway map at street-directory.com.au
October 15, 2023
mildura, railway, station, mildura, passenger, terminus, mildura, railway, line, victoria, australia, located, city, mildura, located, eastern, side, town, centre, alongside, murray, river, although, there, been, passenger, rail, service, since, 1993, victoria. Mildura was the passenger terminus for the Mildura railway line in Victoria Australia Located in the city of Mildura it is located on the eastern side of the town centre alongside the Murray River Although there has not been a passenger rail service since 1993 the Victorian Labor Government promised to return the service in 1999 though it has yet to return as of 2023 MilduraView of the station in June 2023General informationCoordinates34 10 55 S 142 09 48 E 34 1820 S 142 1632 E 34 1820 142 1632Line s MilduraPlatforms1Tracks1Other informationStatusClosedHistoryOpened13 November 1903Closed12 September 1993ServicesPreceding station Disused railways Following stationIrymple Mildura line Yelta List of closed railway stations in Victoria LocationMilduraLocation within Victoria Contents 1 History 2 Traffic 3 Gallery 4 References 5 External linksHistory EditAgitation for a railway to Mildura commenced as far back as 1888 but it was not until 1898 that the Victorian Parliament recommended the extension of the Ultima line to Mildura however this was overturned and the Woomelang line extended north instead 1 The turning of the first sod at the station site was held in November 1901 by October 1903 rails had been laid up to Mildura the official opening being on 13 November Between 1922 and 1928 a railmotor service operated between Red Cliffs and Mildura stations to serve local passengers 2 Major freight consigned from the region included bulk grain sheep and cattle and locally grown fruit 1 In 1923 a series of sidings were placed between the Mildura railway station and the wharves on the Murray River These included a zig zag section to enable trains to travel between the different elevations These sidings were removed in 1973 3 Mildura was once the destination of The Vinelander the only Victorian intrastate passenger train to have both motorail and sleeping car facilities for passengers 1 4 The current station building dates to November 1979 5 In late 2009 removal of the station yard at Mildura commenced with only a single track and the station buildings and platform retained All other buildings and additional rail infrastructure including additional tracks and the refuelling area were demolished The project was carried out by the Rural City of Mildura along with Regional Development Victoria to open up the riverfront area with 8 million in funding provided by the State Government 6 As part of the work a new rail freight facility will be constructed to the west of the existing Merbein terminal as well as refurbishment of the sidings at Red Cliffs for the storage of maintenance equipment Traffic EditThe main freight traffic on the line is export grain and containerised wine grapes citrus dried fruit and juice totalling around 1 5 million tonnes per year Containers are dispatched to Melbourne from a terminal at Merbein north of the station operated by Seaway Intermodal 7 which handles approximately 13000 export containers a year as well as 500 import containers 8 Cement was also despatched to Mildura from Waurn Ponds near Geelong until 2016 oil and LCL containers were carried until 2007 9 Today Mildura lacks passenger rail services but it is a stop on a number of V Line operated coach routes with the station building utilised as a waiting room and a location to purchase coach tickets A service review was announced by the Bracks Government in 2000 10 in part due to the independent politician Russell Savage enabling the formation of a minority Labor government in the 1999 Victorian state election 11 The service has yet to be returned but as recently as 2007 the Labor Party was stating that the freight upgrade as the first stage in the reintroduction of passenger rail to Mildura 12 In July 2009 the government announced that it would start another transport study into the return of passenger rail services soon though to date passenger services have only returned as far as Maryborough 13 Gallery Edit nbsp Station entrance in June 2023 nbsp Waiting room area in June 2023 nbsp X43 in the now removed station yard in 1992References Edit a b c The Mildura Story The Battle of the Routes PDF Royal Historical Society of Victoria Archived from the original PDF on 19 July 2008 Retrieved 30 August 2008 Andrew Waugh Redcliffs Mildura signalling history PDF 74 125 153 132 Retrieved 3 November 2009 Mildura s Riverfront Railways Maclean Bruce Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin February 1978 pp33 38 Robin Bromby 2004 The Railway Age in Australia Lothian Press p 99 ISBN 0 7344 0715 7 Vincent Adams Winter 1990 VR and VicRail 1962 1983 p 206 ISBN 0 9592069 3 0 Mildura Rural City Council 5 September 2008 Mildura Freight Gate Removal Progresses www mildura vic gov au Archived from the original on 30 September 2009 Retrieved 3 November 2009 Seaway Intermodal Retrieved 21 06 22 Melbourne Mildura Corridor Strategy PDF Building our National Transport Future 74 125 153 132 Department of Transport and Regional Services June 2007 Archived from the original PDF on 27 October 2009 Retrieved 3 November 2009 Wongm s Rail Gallery Mildura freight wongm railgeelong com Retrieved 3 November 2009 MINISTER ANNOUNCES MILDURA PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE REVIEW Media Release MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT www legislation vic gov au 9 March 2000 Archived from the original on 13 February 2012 Retrieved 30 August 2008 Russell Savage Statement Supporting A Minority Labor Government australianpolitics com 18 October 1999 Archived from the original on 5 October 2007 Retrieved 30 August 2008 ALP Victoria October 2007 Funding Roads and Public Transport www alpvictoria com au Archived from the original on 12 September 2009 Retrieved 3 November 2009 Study to determine Mildura rail return ABC News www abc net au 31 July 2009 Retrieved 3 November 2009 External links EditMelway map at street directory com au Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mildura railway station amp oldid 1161558953, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
