General News
10 November, 2022
Additional Maryborough weekend rail services to begin next month
Four additional weekend train services will soon be rolling in and out of Maryborough, set to put the town “on the map” and provide a boost to local businesses and tourism. The Victorian Government announced the four additional weekend services...
Four additional weekend train services will soon be rolling in and out of Maryborough, set to put the town “on the map” and provide a boost to local businesses and tourism.
The Victorian Government announced the four additional weekend services in May as part of a $23 million investment in rail services included in the 2022/23 budget.
While originally slated to be rolled out from next year, the additional services will commence from December 4, with two running on Saturday and two again on Sunday, which will stop at Talbot, Clunes and Creswick on the way to Ballarat and vice versa on the return trip to Maryborough, however times for these services have not yet been confirmed.
Central Goldfields Shire mayor Chris Meddows-Taylor welcomed the impending new services, which he described as a “win on all fronts”.
“This is great, these additional services put Maryborough on the map and brings people into the region, supports our businesses and tourism after the pandemic and makes us a destination,” he said.
“The key thing we’ve been pushing for with the pandemic is to support tourism and our local businesses and events and these rail services give us the opportunity to do even more of that.
“We’re thrilled that we actually have a date for the services to start and beyond the benefits coming into the community because of this, it will allow weekend travel by rail to Melbourne which is a great step forward — this is a win on all fronts.”
The new services complement the existing weekend services available in Maryborough, with current trains leaving Maryborough at 7.09 am on Saturday and 8.09 am Sunday bound for Ballarat and returning to Maryborough at 8.44 pm Saturday and Sunday.
Cr Meddows-Taylor said council would continue its advocacy around improvements at the station, particularly in regards to Myki activation and accessibility.
“We recognise there is a difficulty in obtaining tickets and accessing the station early in the morning and we want to work on those things moving forward,” he said.
“We also want to make sure we’re part of the Myki system or whatever its next iteration may be moving forward.
“We will also continue talking to the government about utilising the goods shed at the station to become a Men’s Shed which is on our ask list and we’re working to see the station yard reinstated with additional tracks so we can have changeover crews here which builds our economic development base.”
In her visit to the Maryborough Railway Station on Tuesday to announce the commencement date for the new services, Deputy Premier and Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan said the services would provide locals with more options.
“I have been so proud to be part of that continuum of Labor governments that have not just reopened train lines and train stations, but invested in the tracks, the stations and bought new rolling stock to make sure we’re running a world-class service for our country communities,” she said.