Moolort railway line
| Moolort | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Type | Cross Country | ||
| Status | Freight only line to Moolort from Maryborough | ||
| Connecting lines | Mildura Line at Maryborough and Bendigo Line at Castlemaine | ||
| Stations | 6 | ||
| Services | Ballast trains to Moolort from Maryborough. | ||
| Operation | |||
| Opened | 7 July 1874 | ||
| Completed | 7 July 1874 | ||
| Closed | 17 December 2004 | ||
| Technical | |||
| Line length | 54.653 km (33.96 mi) | ||
| Number of tracks | Single track | ||
| |||
The Moolort Line is a cross-country line which connects Maryborough and Castlemaine. The last passenger rail service operated between Castlemaine and Maryborough on 31 July 1977,[1] and the line between Moolort and Maldon Junction booked out of use since 2004. The Victorian Goldfields Railway operates on the section between Castlemaine and Maldon Junction. Ballast trains run from Moolort to Maryborough. The railway line is closed from Maldon Junction to Moolort, and all level crossings have been asphalted over, however the rails are in effect still below.
The line, beginning in Castlemaine, passes through Campbells Creek, Yapeen, Guildford, Newstead, Moolort, and Carisbrook, before joining the Mildura line at Maryborough.
One of the policies of the Victorian Coalition government elected in November 2010 was to undertake a study into reintroducing passenger services between Ballarat and Bendigo, which would include running between Maryborough and Castlemaine. A media release in 2011 stated that a review was under way,[2] but nothing further has been heard about the plan.
There has been significant discussion on the re-opening of this rail line for passenger services[3]
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Legend
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References
- ↑ "Traffic". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. August 1977. p. 178.
- ↑ "Rail Revival Study: Geelong – Ballarat – Bendigo investigations underway". Retrieved 2012-05-10.
- ↑ "Rail Revival Study: Geelong – Ballarat – Bendigo [Railpage] forums detailed discussions". Retrieved 2013-12-09.