The Colac to Ballarat line was a cross-country line that branched from the
Warrnambool line just east of
Colac and ran in a generally northerly direction to join the
Ballarat–Skipton Line at
Newtown, from where it ran to
Ballarat station. The line was 112 km long, passing through an area dotted with lakes at its southern end, and a hilly area in the northern section.
History
Construction of the line began in the late 19th century
with the purpose of transferring produce from the Victoria's
Western District to the industrial centre of
Ballarat
Ballarat ( ) is a city in the Central Highlands (Victoria), Central Highlands of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 Census, Ballarat had a population of 116,201, making it the third largest city in Victoria. Estimated resid ...
. The line was built in sections, from Irrewarra in the south to
Beeac
Beeac is a town in the Western District of Victoria, Australia. The town is located on the shore of the hyper-saline Lake Beeac in the Colac Otway Shire local government area, 160 kilometres southwest of the state capital, Melbourne. At the ...
, and from Ballarat in the north to Newtown, as part of the Skipton Line. The link between Beeac and Newtown was eventually opened in the 1910s, but it passed through very few major settlements.
The track has been removed completely and most of the land returned to adjoining farmers, but the last section of the Skipton to Ballarat line has been converted into the
Ballarat–Skipton Rail Trail
The Ballarat–Skipton Rail Trail in western Victoria, Australia, runs 53 kilometres along the old Skipton railway line from western Ballarat, southwest through Haddon, Smythesdale and Pittong to Skipton. The trail was in poor condition for m ...
.
Line
Illabrook Rail Reserve
The site of Illabrook station, that used to include the station building and a goods shed, is now the Illabrook Rail Line Nature Conservation Reserve.
Cressy Station
Cressy was located where the Colac-Ballarat line junctioned with the
Gheringhap
Gheringhap is a rural township near Geelong, Victoria, Australia, located approximately 83 km southwest of Melbourne, between Geelong and Meredith on the Midland Highway. Gheringhap is located in the Golden Plains Shire.
The town is locat ...
-
Maroona cross-country line, and it became a major station after the two lines opened in the 1910s. Facilities included a large station building with an elevated signal box, and a refreshment room. From the closing of the Colac-Ballarat line in 1953, the station was progressively downgraded, and it was closed in the 1990s. Today almost no trace of the station remains.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Colac Ballarat railway line
Closed regional railway lines in Victoria (state)
Transport in Barwon South West (region)