Past success can enable future opportunity. Our central role within the gold rush is one example, the central role Maryborough played in rail history is another.
At Council’s meeting tonight, Council will formally note and discuss Council’s rail and station advocacy to the Government ahead of the State election in November.
We warmly welcomed the announcement in this year’s state budget for funding to enable four new weekend services into Maryborough both mornings and returning to Ballarat and Melbourne in the late afternoons. Hopefully these services will commence soon. Council has lobbied for Myki activation to accompany this and also marketing promotion of our Shire and region to encourage added visitation.
A key priority is added weekday services to better enable travel for education and medical purposes as well as social activity.
We are mindful of major value-added regional rail projects which may be actively considered to support the Commonwealth Games and its legacy. Connecting Geelong to Ballarat through to Maryborough is one such proposal, with a subsequent stage to connect Maryborough to Bendigo through Dunolly, Inglewood and Eaglehawk. Council had some involvement in a regional study to extend passenger services to Mildura and should that ever eventuate there would be clear benefits.
Freight enhancement through development of the Maryborough yard, V/line crew changeover depot and a refuelling capacity would bring economic benefits.
Utilising Maryborough Station as world-class gold interpretive centre would make our Shire a global destination of choice.
Our glorious rail past can become a brilliant future.
