Clunes railway station, Victoria

Clunes
PTV regional rail station
Southbound view of the station platform and building, June 2023
General information
LocationService Street,
Clunes, Victoria 3370
Shire of Hepburn
Australia
Coordinates37°10′52″S 143°27′55″E / 37.1811°S 143.4653°E / -37.1811; 143.4653
Owned byVicTrack
Operated byV/Line
Line(s)Maryborough (Mildura)
Distance192.55 kilometres from
Southern Cross
Platforms1
Tracks2
ConnectionsRegional coach Coach
Construction
Structure typeAt-grade
ParkingYes
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes
Other information
StatusOperational, unstaffed
Station codeCLU
Fare zoneMyki not available. Paper ticket only.
WebsitePublic Transport Victoria
History
Opened16 November 1874; 150 years ago (1874-11-16)
Key dates
16 November 1874Opened
12 September 1993Closed
3 December 2011Reopened
Services
Preceding station Railways in Victoria V/Line Following station
Creswick
towards Ballarat
 Maryborough line Talbot
towards Maryborough
Creswick
towards Southern Cross
 Maryborough line
One daily service
 Talbot
One-way operation
Location
Clunes is located in Victoria
Clunes
Clunes
Location within Victoria

Clunes railway station is a regional railway station on the Mildura line, part of the Victorian railway network. It serves the town of Clunes, in Victoria, Australia. Clunes station is a ground level unstaffed station, featuring one side platform. It opened on 16 November 1874, with the current station provided in 2011. It initially closed on 12 September 1993, then reopened on 3 December 2011.[1]

History

The station closed on 12 September 1993, when The Vinelander service to Mildura was withdrawn and replaced by road coaches. It was reinstated on 3 December 2011, as an additional station on the reopened passenger service to Maryborough.

The station, along with parts of the main street, were famously used in the 1979 film Mad Max, when the bikie crew pick up the Nightrider's coffin.

In 1987, Clunes was abolished as an electric staff station, with the signal box, interlocking and signals abolished.[1] In March 2010, a new 140-metre siding was provided opposite the platform, to stable track machines.[2]

When rail passenger services to Maryborough resumed in July 2010, Clunes station was not reopened,[3][4] but in June 2010, it was announced that it would be.[5] On 3 December 2011, a ceremony was held to officially reopen the station,[6][7] and regular services began stopping there the following day.[7]

Prior to the reopening, contractors working on the station removed the original cast iron veranda, which was sent for scrap, outraging local residents and the local council.[8] By mid-2012, a replacement veranda had been rebuilt.[9][10]

During 2015, the former station building was refurbished,[11] and was leased out for community use in the same year.[9][12]

Platforms and services

Clunes has one platform. It is served by V/Line Maryborough line trains.[13]

Platform 1:

V/Line operates road coach services via Clunes station, from Ballarat to Donald and Mildura.[14]

  • Southbound view from the station platform prior to the replacement verandah being provided, July 2012
    Southbound view from the station platform prior to the replacement verandah being provided, July 2012

References

  1. ^ a b Clunes Archived 29 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine Vicsig
  2. ^ "Signalling & Infrastructure". Railway Digest. Australian Railway Historical Society (NSW Division): 56. May 2010.
  3. ^ Call to explain Clunes' omission from rail plan Archived 4 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine Ballarat Courier 7 October 2009
  4. ^ No plans for Clunes train Archived 13 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine Ballarat Courier 11 October 2009
  5. ^ Ready for Tomorrow $19 million to Return Passenger Rail to Clunes and Improve North-West Freight Rail Links Archived 18 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine Premier of Victoria June 2010
  6. ^ Community celebrates return of trains to Clunes Archived 28 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine Premier of Victoria 3 December 2011
  7. ^ a b "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. January 2012. p. 24.
  8. ^ Gullifer, Brendan (30 November 2011). "Clunes Train Station historic verandah removal sparks anger". The Courier. Archived from the original on 11 November 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  9. ^ a b Wong, Marcus. "Destroyed heritage at Clunes station". Waking up in Geelong. Archived from the original on 11 November 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  10. ^ "Clunes Railway Station". Commercial Systems Australia. Archived from the original on 11 November 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  11. ^ "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. February 2016. p. 56.
  12. ^ "All aboard Creative Clunes' new cultural hub". VicTrack. Archived from the original on 11 November 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  13. ^ Maryborough - Melbourne via Ballarat Public Transport Victoria
  14. ^ Mildura - Melbourne Public Transport Victoria