Rally for Rail Services

There will be a rally in St Arnaud this coming Sunday, May 31, calling for the reintroduction of passenger rail services on the Mildura line. The rally is to take place at 11 a.m. and will be held at the St Arnaud Railway Station.

Rail Revival Alliance president, Noel Laidlaw said that Mildura and the communities of the North West had suffered a transport drought since the Vinelander was cut out in the 1990s. The bus services were inadequate and failed to suit many of the needs of the travelling public.

The original decision to cut the service was not based on lack of patronage. It was a budget cut, made by the Nennett government in 1993 for financial purposes.
“It’s time now to reinstate the passenger rail and 2026 is a very good time to be campaigning for this service.

“With an election coming up and a very fluid political climate, now is the time to get commitments from all of the parties on the train.”

Representatives of all of the major political parties have been invited to this rally.
“The Mildura train not only provides the city of Mildura with a much needed service, it also caters for the smaller communities along the line such as St Arnaud, Donald and Birchip”, Mr. Laidlaw said.

“The Mallee has missed out for over thirty years; 2026 is the year in which this lack of train service can be rectified.”