Works set to begin on rails

Railway upgrades around Longwarry and Bunyip will be the first to get underway when construction swings into action on the Gippsland line later this year.

Duplication of the line between the two towns and new second platforms at both are among major works planned under Victoria’s Regional Rail Revival project.

RRR director Mark Havryluk said that as part of legislated environmental approvals actions would be taken to protect Southern Brown Bandicoot, a listed protected species, that inhabits the area.

A new bridge over the Avon River at Stratford, some level crossing works between Sale and Bairnsdale and improvements at three stations, including Trafalgar, have already been completed as part of the estimated $450 million Gippsland component of the RRR project that, statewide, is expected to cost some $4 billion.

Premier Daniel Andrews visited Warragul four years ago, in May 2017, to announce the Gippsland works that would enable passenger services to run more frequently during offpeak times.

As well as the major upgrades in the Longwarry-Bunyip area track duplications are also ear-marked for sections between Moe and Traralgon and the second platform at Traralgon re-activated after being closed for many years.

Government appointed contractor for the Gippsland line upgrade VicConnect, a consortium of three companies, late last month held industry briefings for local contractors and suppliers detailing opportunities for them to participate in the works.

About 75 firms from the region attended. VicConnect, that will establish a project office at Morwell later this year, has also been undertaking detailed design work and site investigations.

No forecast completion dates have been stated for the Gippsland works or sections of it.

Initially the government had predicted a 2022 completion.