Maryborough railway station, Victoria

Maryborough railway station is a regional railway station on the Mildura line, part of the Victorian railway network. It serves the town of Maryborough, in Victoria, Australia. Maryborough is a ground level premium station, featuring one side platform. It opened on 7 July 1874, with the current station provided in 2010. It was initially closed on 12 September 1993, then reopened on 25 July 2010 with the reintroduction of V/Line passenger services to the station.[2]

Maryborough
PTV regional rail station
Station building and entrance, June 2007
General information
LocationVictoria Street,
Maryborough, Victoria 3465
Shire of Central Goldfields
Australia
Coordinates37°03′04″S 143°44′33″E / 37.0510°S 143.7426°E / -37.0510; 143.7426
Owned byVicTrack
Operated byV/Line
Line(s)Maryborough
(Mildura
Distance224.04 kilometres from
Southern Cross
Platforms1
Tracks4
Train operatorsV/Line
Connections
  • Regional bus Bus
  • Regional coach Coach
Construction
Structure typeAt-grade
ParkingYes
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes
Other information
StatusOperational, staffed part-time
Station codeMBY
Fare zoneMyki not available. Paper ticket only.
WebsitePublic Transport Victoria
History
Opened7 July 1874; 150 years ago (1874-07-07)
Key dates
7 July 1874Opened
12 September 1993Closed
2006–2007$1.9 million restoration
25 July 2010Reopened
Passengers
2013–20149,172[1]
2014–20159,431[1]Increase 2.82%
2015–20167,571[1]Decrease 19.72%
2016–20178,360[1]Increase 10.42%
2017–2018Not measured[1]
2018–20199,350[1]Increase 11.84%
2019–20207,550[1]Decrease 19.25%
2020–20213,600[1]Decrease 52.31%
Services
Preceding station Railways in Victoria V/Line Following station
Talbot
towards Ballarat
Maryborough line Terminus
Talbot Maryborough line
One daily service
Former services
Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
Dunolly   Mildura line   Line open
Terminus   Moolort line   Carisbrook
Homebush   Avoca line   Terminus
Official nameMaryborough Railway Station
Designated20 August 1982
Reference no.H1577
Location
Maryborough is located in Victoria
Maryborough
Maryborough
Location within Victoria

Maryborough is a major junction, with cross country routes to Moolort and Ararat. The Avoca line from Ararat is a standard gauge line that becomes a dual gauge track when passing through Maryborough, with the dual gauge track operating as far north as Dunolly. There are the remains of dock platforms at both ends of the main platform.

History

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Maryborough station opened on 7 July 1874, when a railway line from Castlemaine was provided.[2] On 6 October of that year, the line was extended to Dunolly and, on 2 February 1875, the line from Clunes was extended.[2] Like the town itself, the station was named after Maryborough in Ireland, which was suggested by James Daly, who was Assistant Gold Commissioner.[3]

The current station building was erected in 1890, with 25 rooms and a clock tower, of red brick with stucco trimming.[4] In 1895, Mark Twain visited Maryborough, which he dryly observed as being: "A railway station with a town attached".[5] Some people believe bureaucratic error led to the station being built from plans for the station intended for Maryborough, Queensland (a much larger town), and others from Melbourne's Spencer Street station (now Southern Cross), as it was a much larger station than Spencer Street, in the state's capital city.[6]

The station clock was provided in the clocktower in 1914.[7]

In 1967, a rail overpass replaced a level crossing at Tuaggra Street (Pyrenees Highway), located in the down direction of the station.[2] In 1969, boom barriers replaced interlocked gates at the Inkerman Street level crossing, located nearby in the up direction of the station.[2]

In 1988, track "A" and siding "C" was abolished, as well as a number of signal posts.[2] A number of signals and crossovers were provided at the same time.[2]

On 12 September 1993, the station was closed to passenger traffic, when The Vinelander service to Mildura was withdrawn and replaced by road coaches.

During 2006–2007, the station was restored by RBA Architects and Conservation Consultants, with repairs to the towers, clock, facade, portico, roof and guttering. Stage Two included slating, rendering, glazing and moulding repairs, to match the works conducted during the first stage of works.[8]

In December 2008, as part of the Victorian Transport Plan, the State Government announced passenger rail services to Maryborough would resume.[9][10] On 25 July 2010, services between Maryborough and Ballarat commenced.[11][12][13]

In 2011, restoration works occurred on the station platform verandah.[14]

Platforms and services

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Maryborough has one platform. It is serviced by V/Line Maryborough line services.[15]

Platform 1:

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Maryborough Transit operates three routes via Maryborough station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

  •  1 : Maryborough (Napier Street) – Hedges[16]
  •  2 : Maryborough (Napier Street) – Princes Park/Whirrakee[17]
  •  3 : Maryborough (Napier Street) – Pascoe[18]

V/Line operates road coaches via Maryborough station, from Melbourne and Ballarat to Donald and Mildura.[19]

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Railway station and tram stop patronage in Victoria for 2008-2021 Philip Mallis
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Maryborough". vicsig.net. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  3. ^ "Maryborough". Victorian Places. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  4. ^ Travel: Maryborough Sydney Morning Herald 10 October 2007
  5. ^ The Official Australian Mark Twain Society website
  6. ^ Myths & Rumours: Maryborough Railway Station Culture Victoria
  7. ^ Maryborough Advertiser (April 1974). "Station Repaint". Newsrail. Vol. 2, no. 04. Vic: ARHS Victoria Division. p. 89. ISSN 0310-7477. OCLC 19676396.
  8. ^ Regional railway station projects Archived 4 June 2009 at the Library of Congress Web Archives Department of Infrastructure
  9. ^ "General News". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. February 2009. p. 38.
  10. ^ Archived version of the Victorian Transport Plan
  11. ^ Maryborough Rail Services Victorian Transport Plan
  12. ^ Passenger trains return to Maryborough Ballarat Courier 25 July 2010
  13. ^ "General News". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. September 2010. p. 261.
  14. ^ "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. February 2011. p. 57.
  15. ^ Maryborough - Melbourne via Ballarat Public Transport Victoria
  16. ^ 1 Maryborough - Hedges Public Transport Victoria
  17. ^ 2 Maryborough -Princes Park-Whirrakee Public Transport Victoria
  18. ^ 3 Maryborough - Pascoe Public Transport Victoria
  19. ^ Mildura - Melbourne Public Transport Victoria
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