Ballarat railway station is a
railway station serving the city of
Ballarat in
Victoria,
Australia.
The station is located on the
Ballarat line and serves both freight and passenger functions.
Passenger services originating and terminating at
Wendouree,
Ararat and
Maryborough also pass through the station on the journey to or from
Melbourne.
The railway station buildings are of major architectural and historical significance to Ballarat and Victoria and many of the historic features including the mechanical swing gates and signal boxes have been preserved. It is one of only three in Victoria to have had a 19th century
train shed (along with
Geelong and
St Kilda).
History
Construction on
Ballarat West Railway Station began in 1862 with the original buildings constructed at a cost of almost 22,000 pounds with the original railway line to Melbourne going via
Geelong to service the booming Ballarat goldfields.
A bluestone engine shed was built to the south and the
goods shed to the north were added in 1863. In 1877 the
footbridge and
waiting rooms on the south side were added,.
Age of Greatness
Following the opening of the direct line from Ballarat to Melbourne was established in December 1889 and increase in patronage led to plans to upgrade the station. A grand
portico, stationmasters office and clocktower were added in 1891 however the clock was not added at this time.
With the closure of...
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