The Victorian Liberal National Coalition has promised to restore passenger train services to Mildura and Horsham, unveiling a $51.2 million Wimmera Mallee Rail plan that would see trains running on both corridors by mid-2029 if the party wins the upcoming state election.
Mildura currently holds the distinction of being the largest regional city in Victoria without access to a passenger rail service, a situation that has persisted for more than three decades. The pledge marks one of the more significant regional transport commitments of the election campaign.
What the Coalition is Promising for V/Line Services
Under the plan, passenger services would operate three return trips per week on each of two corridors. The Mildura route would serve Red Cliffs, Ouyen, Birchip, Donald, St Arnaud and Dunolly, connecting with Melbourne-bound services at Maryborough. A separate corridor would link Dimboola with Melbourne via Horsham, Murtoa and Stawell, joining the broader network at Ararat.
The coalition said its initial investment would cover infrastructure upgrades, potential train acquisition and four years of operating costs. Liberal leader Jess Wilson said restoring rail would give communities across the Wimmera and Mallee a more affordable way to travel and remain connected to the rest of the state.
Nationals member for Mildura Jade Benham said regional residents had made their wishes clear. "Their voices have been heard and now the Liberals and Nationals have a plan to make it happen," she said.
Decades Without a Train: The History Behind the Promise
Both services were cut in 1993 under then Liberal premier Jeff Kennett, meaning the promise to restore them comes from the same party whose government originally axed them. Mildura's train has been absent for more than 33 years, while Horsham residents have also gone without a direct rail link since that same era.
The loss has had a lasting impact on how locals travel. At present, the nearest passenger train service to Mildura operates from Swan Hill, roughly two and a half hours away. Residents must catch a coach to Swan Hill before boarding a train, or alternatively take an overnight bus direct to Melbourne. Both options take approximately eight hours each way, placing a considerable burden on those who need to travel regularly for work, health or family reasons.
For context on how Victoria's regional transport and land use policy has evolved over the decades, the history of state-managed services across country Victoria reflects broader shifts in government priorities throughout the twentieth century.
What Happens Next
The coalition's commitment is conditional on winning the state election. If successful, the plan targets a mid-2029 start date for passenger services on both the Mildura and Dimboola corridors. No further detail has been provided on which specific trains might be acquired or how the infrastructure upgrades would be staged across the four-year funding period.
The announcement adds to a broader debate about the reliability and reach of regional transport in Victoria. Questions about how regional train services hold up under pressure have featured prominently in recent months, and advocates for country communities say restoring axed routes is long overdue.
For Mildura in particular, the promise represents the first credible political commitment to rail restoration in a generation, though residents will be waiting to see whether an election victory translates into trains on the tracks by the promised deadline.
