Originally published September 14, 1993
THE Sunraysia community was stunned to learn that its regular passenger train service between Mildura and Melbourne — The Vinelander — had been axed.
When the train left the Mildura platform for the last time, not even Transport Minister Alan Brown was aware of its impending demise.
Passengers waiting for the return Melbourne to Mildura leg at Spencer Street Station claimed to have been told by Public Transport Corporation (PTC) staff that a landslide at Ballarat was the reason behind the return service cancellation.
They said luggage had already been loaded onto The Vinelander but were instead ushered on to a coach for the return journey.
The axing had been mooted earlier in 1993 during the Jeff Kennett/Coalition Government reign, prompting the formation of the Save the Vinelander Action Group (STVAG) which fought to retain the district’s only passenger rail service.
In July 1993, the Victorian Premier was told that his Transport Minister has ignored a request for a meeting with the STVAG.
STVAG convenor Fr Dan Murphy said the case for retaining the train was based on sound economic and social equity grounds but Mr Brown had not replied to a request to meet a small delegation from STVAG.
STVAG attacked PTC figures which showed an average of only 60 passengers for each journey of The Vinelander since the renewed campaign to save the train.
Sunraysia Daily figures for the same period showed an average of 87 passengers for each journey.
Community leaders responded to the axing with shock and surprise at the “appalling” decision, branding it as a “total disregard” for the Sunraysia community.
Even the then Transport Minister claimed that he didn’t know the service was earmarked for a premature termination until that Sunday night, a move that was met by surprise and shock by civic leaders.
Just days later, Mr Brown told State Parliament a PTC rail operations manager had concocted the story about the Ballarat mud slide and had been severely reprimanded.
The government issued a press release announcing that new luxury road coaches between Mildura and Melbourne would save Victorian taxpayers $5 million a year.
The government said The Vinelander service was costing it $5.4 million annually, almost $15,000 a day or $84 per passenger.
The axing of The Vinelander weighed heavily on sitting Liberal Party Member for Mildura Craig Bildstein who subsequently lost his seat to Independent Russell Savage whose election campaign was fought largely on fighting for the return of the service.
Savage romped to victory in 1996 and retained his seat in 1999, holding the balance of power with two other Independents.
Labor had promised the return of passenger rail to Mildura and Savage subsequently sided with the Steve Bracks Labor Government, but the proposed timeframe for the train’s return saw delay after delay and the train never returned.
There remains a staunch advocacy for the return of passenger rail to Mildura, however years after the last train rolled out of Mildura, Mr Kennett told Sunraysia Daily the thought of trains taking passengers from Melbourne to Mildura again never crossed his mind.
“Once you remove something, all the infrastructure falls into disrepair and so therefore to replace the track would’ve been very, very expensive,” he said.
“And while there’s been an increase in population, it still hasn’t grown to such an extent that you’re going to be able to justify it economically.
“It would have to be very, very heavily subsidised and I think that’s been the view of every successive government; that it’s just a very costly piece of infrastructure.”
“Did I ever think it was going to be restored? Probably no.”
The end of The Vinelander brought to a close 90 years of passenger rail to Mildura.
The first steam train puffed into the Mildura station on October 3, 1903.
Amid tumultuous celebrations, the then Victorian Governor, Sir George Sydenham Clarke, assured several thousand people at the opening ceremony “there is no line in Victoria which has been so much needed”.
