THE rail line between Ararat and Maryborough is reopening.
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Wannon MP Dan Tehan announced the news on Friday, with the works expected to create hundreds of jobs in Ararat and the surrounding area.
It is an important step in the construction of the Murray Basin Rail Project, which is set to deliver upgrades to the rail freight network. The project commenced in 2016 and is due for completion in 2018.
The Ararat-Maryborough line restoration and reopening is a vital component of the project. Having the link reopened will see the Port of Portland connected to the Murray Basin.
“As we know, this line had laid dormant in recent years and we’re going to see it moving again,” Mr Tehan said.
“This will create local jobs, which is very, very important. Also, we will see freight being delivered into the Port of Portland and Port of Geelong much more efficiently and effectively, which will create more jobs in the region.”
Mr Tehan outlined the challenge that lies ahead with the reopening of the rail link.
“My view is there will be hundreds of jobs created from this announcement. There is a significant amount of work needed to standardise and upgrade the network,” he said.
“The rail line has trees growing through it, and we’ll need to strengthen the bridges. Obviously, a lot of work needs to be done.”
Mr Tehan has worked tirelessly in the past six months to make the rail line reopening a reality, and it is something the community has waited for.
“It’s something that I’m passionate about and the community has spoken loudly and clearly on this. It is a fantastic result.”
The reopening of the Ararat-Maryborough rail line is also a win for local businesses. With freight rates dropping due to the higher volume of products being carted, owners will be able to reinvest the money spent on going to market back into their own business.
The federal government announced on Friday it has committed $220 million to the Basin Rail project.
In addition, it has allocated $345 million to improve rural and regional roads. Mr Tehan welcomed the cash injection and called on the state government to match the figure.
“We could potentially have nearly $700 million going into rural and regional roads,” Mr Tehan said.
“We need it to make sure the community can work and carry out its business safely. Again, it creates jobs and local investment which is absolutely vital. It would be an enormous win.
“My hope is the state government will come out today and say yes to matching the figure. It is a huge investment made by the federal government and it would be significant if the state is prepared to match it.”