Wendouree railway station

Wendouree railway station is located on the Serviceton line in Victoria, Australia. It serves the north-western Ballarat suburb of Wendouree, and opened on 12 June 2009.^[2]

Wendouree
PTV regional rail station
Eastbound view from Platform 1, with a Southern Cross-bound VLocity train departing, December 2021
General information
Location	Gillies Street North, Wendouree, Victoria 3355 City of Ballarat Australia
Coordinates	37°32′30″S 143°49′48″E
Owned by	VicTrack
Operated by	V/Line
Line(s)	Ballarat Ararat (Serviceton)
Distance	123.13 kilometres from Southern Cross
Platforms	2 side
Tracks	2
Connections	Bus
Construction
Structure type	Ground
Parking	200 bays
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Accessible	Yes
Other information
Status	Operational, staffed
Station code	WED
Fare zone	Myki Zone 8
Website	Public Transport Victoria
History
Opened	12 June 2009; 15 years ago (2009-06-12)
Passengers
2013–2014	85,508[1]
2014–2015	101,117[1]  18.25%
2015–2016	116,143[1]  14.86%
2016–2017	131,407[1]  13.14%
2017–2018	Not measured[1]
2018–2019	158,150[1]  20.35%
2019–2020	108,050[1]  31.67%
2020–2021	43,550[1]  59.69%
Services
Preceding station V/Line Following station Ballarat towards Southern Cross Ballarat line Terminus Ararat line Beaufort towards Ararat Ballarat Terminus Ararat line One daily shuttle service Beaufort One-way operation
Location Wendouree Location within Victoria

History

20th century

The original Wendouree station opened on 9 December 1901 as Ballarat Gardens, and was renamed Wendouree on 1 August 1905.^[3] It was located just west of the Forest Street level crossing, 750 metres east of the present station, and was closed to passenger traffic on 4 October 1981, as part of the New Deal for Country Passengers timetable.^[4] Prior to its closure, the only train timetabled to stop at Wendouree was a Horsham service on Sundays.^[4]

In 1992, boom barriers replaced interlocked gates at the Gillies Street level crossing, in the up direction from the present station.^[5]

At Gillies Street, near the site of the current station, there was a 19th-century signal box, which controlled the Ballarat Cattle Yards junction. After falling into disrepair, the Public Transport Corporation was approached by Kim Lynden, who successfully tendered to move the building to Blampied in 1998, where it is used as a bed and breakfast facility.^[6]

21st century

On 8 September 2006, then Victorian Premier, Steve Bracks, announced a new station would be built to relieve congestion at Ballarat, following a passenger boom after the completion of the Regional Fast Rail project.^[7][8]

The station was the subject of a naming competition, which closed in April 2007.^[9] Construction work started in May 2008,^[10][11] with the station originally due for completion in that year.^[12]

On 11 June 2009, the station was opened by the then Minister for Public Transport, Lynne Kosky, with services commencing on 14 June.^[13] The cost of the station and associated works was initially projected to be $11 million, but eventually cost $18.7 million.^[14]

In 2021, as part of the Regional Rail Revival project, Platform 2 and its refuge siding was opened opposite Platform 1,^[2] allowing terminating Ballarat trains to not block Ararat trains that use Platform 1, with a footbridge, lifts, ramps and stairs connecting the platforms. There was also an upgrade to the station forecourt.^[15]

Platforms and services

Wendouree has two side platforms, and is served by Ballarat and Ararat line trains.^[16][17]

Platform 1:

•  Ballarat line  terminating services; services to Southern Cross
•  Ararat line  services to Ararat and Southern Cross, one daily shuttle service to Ballarat

Platform 2:

•  Ballarat line  terminating services; services to Southern Cross

Transport links

CDC Ballarat operates four bus routes via Wendouree station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

•  10 : Ballarat station – Alfredton^[18]
•  11 : to Ballarat station^[19]
•  12 : to Ballarat station^[20]
•  31 : to Miners Rest^[21]

Gallery

• 
  Station building and entrance, March 2009

References

1. Railway station and tram stop patronage in Victoria for 2008-2021 Philip Mallis
2. "Wendouree". vicsig.net. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
3. "Wendouree [1st]". vicsig.net. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
4. "Attachment A: Other historical notes on the Ballarat - Ararat line". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. April 2007. p. 117.
5. "Linton Junction". vicsig.net. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
6. "Sweet slumber signals change". The Courier. 16 November 1998. p. 9.
7. Ballarat to Get a Second Train Station Premier of Victoria 8 September 2006
8. Banger, Chris (April 2007). "Notes on the Ballarat - Ararat Rail Corridor". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society: 106–115.
9. Ballarat Station Naming Competition Closes Soon Minister for Public Transport 11 April 2007
10. "Wendouree train station contract set, work started". Ballarat Courier. 20 May 2008.
11. Major Milestones for New Wendouree Station Premier of Victoria 19 May 2008
12. "Train station runs late". Ballarat Courier. 3 June 2008.
13. "Ballarat's new train station to officially open". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 12 June 2009. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
14. Rail Service Upgrade: Costs increase more than $7m, 8 November 2008, retrieved 8 September 2014
15. "Wendouree Station". Victoria's Big Build. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
16. Ballarat – Melbourne timetable Public Transport Victoria
17. Ararat – Melbourne Public Transport Victoria
18. 10 Ballarat Station - Alfredton via Wendouree Public Transport Victoria
19. 11 Ballarat Station - Wendouree Station via Howitt St Public Transport Victoria
20. 12 Ballarat Station - Wendouree Station via Forest St Public Transport Victoria
21. 31 Wendouree Station - Miners Rest Public Transport Victoria

External links

• Rail Geelong gallery
• Melway map at street-directory.com.au