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Rockbank railway station

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Coordinates: 37°43′45″S 144°39′03″E / 37.7291°S 144.6508°E / -37.7291; 144.6508
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Rockbank
PTV regional rail station
Eastbound view from Platform 1, February 2024
General information
LocationLeakes Road,
Rockbank, Victoria 3335
City of Melton
Australia
Coordinates37°43′45″S 144°39′03″E / 37.7291°S 144.6508°E / -37.7291; 144.6508
Owned byVicTrack
Operated byV/Line
Line(s)Ballarat Ararat Maryborough
(Ararat)
Distance30.19 kilometres from
Southern Cross
Platforms2 side
Tracks2
ConnectionsList of bus routes in Melbourne Bus
Construction
Structure typeGround
Parking350
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes
Other information
StatusOperational, unstaffed
Station codeRBK
Fare zoneMyki Zone 2
WebsitePublic Transport Victoria
History
Opened2 April 1884; 141 years ago (1884-04-02)
Rebuilt26 August 2019
Previous namesMount Atkinson (1884-1889)
Passengers
2013–20146,477[1]
2014–20157,469[1] Increase 15.31%
2015–201610,019[1] Increase 34.14%
2016–201719,312[1] Increase 92.75%
2017–2018Not measured[1]
2018–201941,450[1] Increase 114.63%
2019–202057,650[1] Increase 39.08%
2020–202157,900[1] Increase 0.43%
Services
Preceding station Railways in Victoria V/Line Following station
Caroline Springs
towards Southern Cross
 Ballarat line Cobblebank
towards Wendouree
Ballarat line
(Melton line)
 Cobblebank
towards Melton or Bacchus Marsh
Ararat line Cobblebank
towards Ararat
Maryborough line
One daily service
 Cobblebank
One-way operation

Rockbank railway station is a regional railway station on the Ararat line, located in the western suburb of Rockbank, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.[2][3][4] The station initially opened as "Mount Atkinson", then it was given its current name of Rockbank in November 1889.[5]

The station is a ground level unstaffed station,[6] featuring two side platforms. It opened on 2 April 1884, with the current station provided in 2019 by the Regional Rail Revival project. [7][8] The station complies with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and is accessible, utilising a pedestrian overpass, lifts, and ramps for platform access.

Rockbank station serves the Ballarat, Ararat, and Maryborough lines, which are part of V/Line's regional passenger network. The station is served by the 444 bus route to Aintree.[9] The journey to Southern Cross railway station is approximately 30.2 kilometres long (18.7 miles).

Description

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Rockbank station is at Leakes Road, Melbourne, which forms the station's eastern boundary. The station is located in proximity to Rockbank's primary school, general store, and housing estates. The station is owned by VicTrack, a state government agency, and the station is primarily operated by V/Line. The station is approximately 30.2 kilometres, or 18.7 mi, away from Southern Cross railway station. The adjacent stations are Caroline Springs station up towards Melbourne and Cobblebank station down towards Ballarat, Ararat, or Maryborough.[2]

Outside view of Rockbank Station looking at carpark and station concourse in the distance, February 2024

The station consists of two side platforms with a total of two platform edges. Standard in Victoria, the platform has an asphalt surface with concrete on the edges. The station features a pedestrian bridge linking both platforms together, which was delivered by Kyriacou Architects. The bridge's brown colour represents the earth surrounding the station.[10]

The current station is entirely different from its original state, as both platforms were demolished for the new station's construction.[11] 350 car parking spaces are available at the station, with 26 Parkiteer facilities also available.[12] The station is accessible, with lifts and ramps provided.[7]

History

[edit]
Old Rockbank station before its demolition, October 2010

The station opened as Mount Atkinson on 2 April 1884, at the same time as when the Serviceton line was extended,[13] and was renamed Rockbank in 1889. Being on a single track railway line, it was used as a crossing loop, and continued to be used as such until 2021, when tracks from Deer Park West to Melton were duplicated.[14] By 1914, it had a three-road yard, a passenger platform on the southbound track, a goods shed on the northbound track, and an interlocked signal box.[5][15] The station was established to serve the local farming communities of Rockbank. With a chaff mill established in the 1890s, and a recreation reserve and tennis club located nearby, the station became the focus of the Rockbank community.[16]

In 1960, the crossing loop was extended to accommodate for longer trains of up to 730 metres long, and a short platform was provided on the loop road. In 1976, Centralised Traffic Control was provided on the line from Sunshine to Rockbank. Also in that year, flashing light signals were provided at the Leakes Road level crossing, located nearby in the up direction of the station.[5] In the 1970s, the mill was disused, with the station building being demolished in 1985.[16][17] A year later, in 1986, the yard was simplified to a main line and crossing loop. In 1990, the mechanical signals and points were removed, and replaced by remotely controlled signalling, operated from the signal box at Bacchus Marsh railway station.[18] The former northern platform (was Platform 2, now Platform 1) was not provided until 1992,[19] replacing the former short platform.

In 2002, boom barriers were provided at the Leakes Road level crossing.[5] In 2005, control of the signals was transferred to the Ballarat signal box, as part of the Regional Fast Rail project.[15]

In March 2018, as part of the Regional Rail Revival project, work began on the reconstruction of the station.[20][21] The two side platforms were completely rebuilt to fit six-carriage VLocity trains, and an accessible pedestrian overpass was installed over the tracks, accessed by lifts, ramps and stairs. The upgraded station had a new car park having the capacity for up to 350 cars, a new bus interchange, secure bike storage areas (Parkiteers), and drop-off zones.[22] On 26 August 2019, the rebuilt station was opened to passengers.[7] The project also involved 18 km of track duplication between Deer Park West and Melton. It was provided in late 2019, coinciding with the opening of Cobblebank railway station.[23][24] The Regional Rail Revival saw a 114.63% increase in passenger movements at the station.[25]

First announced by the Andrews State Government in 2018, the station is set to be integrated into the metropolitan railway network, as part of the Western Rail Plan.[26] However, there have been no confirmations regarding the integration since the announcement in 2018.[27]

The station has garnered media attention in and around January 2025, where flaws at Rockbank were noticed by Melton councillor Dr. Phillip Zada, particularly around parking capacity concerns, access to amenities like toilets, and lack of Protective Services Officers.[28][29][30] The "Moving Melton" transport prospectus released by the Melton City Council also calls for the removal of four level crossings around Rockbank station.[31]

Platforms and services

[edit]

Rockbank has two side platforms. It is served by V/Line Ballarat, Ararat, and Maryborough line trains. The Ballarat line runs between Ballarat railway station and Southern Cross railway station in the Melbourne CBD.[32] The Ararat line takes a similar route, but continues beyond Ballarat to Ararat railway station. The Maryborough line diverges from Ballarat to Maryborough railway station.

Platform 1:

Platform 2:

[edit]

Rockbank station has an accessible bus interchange with six bus bays. The bus interchange also serves as a train replacement coach stop.[22]

Rockbank station has one bus connection, which is operated by Transit Systems Victoria, under contract to Public Transport Victoria.

Bus routes via Rockbank station
[edit]
  •  444 : to Aintree[9]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Railway station and tram stop patronage in Victoria for 2008-2021 Archived 17 December 2022 at the Wayback Machine Philip Mallis
  2. ^ a b "Rockbank Railway Station". Public Transport Victoria. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  3. ^ "Rockbank | Victorian Places". www.victorianplaces.com.au. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  4. ^ The Australian handbook (incorporating New Zealand, Fiji, and New Guinea) and shippers' and importers' directory. Gordon and Gotch. 1903. p. 463.
  5. ^ a b c d "Rockbank". vicsig.net. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  6. ^ Victoria, Public Transport. "Staffed stations". Public Transport Victoria. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  7. ^ a b c "Rockbank Station". Victoria’s Big Build. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  8. ^ "New And Improved Rockbank Station". www.premier.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  9. ^ a b "444 Rockbank Station to Aintree". Public Transport Victoria. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  10. ^ "ROCKBANK STATION". karch - Aug 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  11. ^ "Accolade Rockbank Station" (PDF).
  12. ^ "Locations". Parkiteer. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  13. ^ "Victorian Railways History". www.victorianrailways.net. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  14. ^ "Ballarat Line Upgrade | ACCIONA | Business as unusual". www.acciona.com. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  15. ^ a b "Victorian Station Histories - Rockbank" (PDF). www.vrhistory.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 26 May 2008.
  16. ^ a b "ROCKBANK STATION AND WARD'S CHAFFMILL SITE". Victorian Heritage Database.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ "Rockbank - Stations Past". Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  18. ^ NETWORK: Australian Railways Journal, Volume 27. 1990. p. 24.
  19. ^ "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. October 1992. p. 331.
  20. ^ Minister for Public Transport (1 March 2017). "$518 Million Ballarat Line Upgrade Released To Market". Premier of Victoria website. Archived from the original on 19 April 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  21. ^ "Ballarat Line Upgrade". Rail Projects Victoria. 2 February 2019. Archived from the original on 30 January 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  22. ^ a b "Rockbank - Rockbank station". V/Line - Regional public transport for Victoria. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  23. ^ "Cobblebank Station opening community event". Victoria's Big Build. 24 June 2021. Archived from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  24. ^ "Celebrating Cobblebank Station opening". Victoria's Big Build. 24 June 2021. Archived from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  25. ^ Mallis, Philip (9 March 2022). "Railway station and tram stop patronage in Victoria for 2008-2021 | Philip Mallis". philipmallis.com. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  26. ^ "A Real Plan For Fast Regional Rail And Metro Rail For The West". Archived from the original on 9 April 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  27. ^ "Confusion and plummeting confidence in rail promises for regional Victoria". ABC News. 5 August 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  28. ^ "'Pressing need' for station upgrade". Melton & Moorabool. 10 January 2025. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  29. ^ "'Lost and forgotten' : Melbourne's west needs more in terms of infrastructure". www.9news.com.au. 13 August 2024. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  30. ^ Hatch, Patrick (29 December 2024). "Long walks on gravel along dangerous roads: The fast-growing Melbourne suburbs waiting for buses and trains". The Age. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  31. ^ "Level Crossing Removals". Moving Melton. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  32. ^ "Ballarat-Wendouree - Melbourne via Melton". Public Transport Victoria. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
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