Ballan commuters celebrated a significant milestone last month – the 130th anniversary of their train station.
The station was commissioned on December 1886 on a branch line extension to the Ballarat and Melbourne track via Geelong.
The line was later linked to Bacchus Marsh station.
This enabled trains to travel directly to Melbourne from Ballarat. (A typical journey took about three hours then.)
The Ballan station once had four road freight yards, a signal box, goods shed and a turntable. It is now an important stop on the Ballarat line, used by more than 92,000 people a year. To celebrate its 130-year anniversary, rail commuters were served up a bacon and egg breakfast, and set off on their journeys to the tunes of jazz band Hot Potatoes.
Ballan station services officer Paul Young said more than 200 services now stop at the station every week.
“Ballan station has come a long way in its 130-year history,” Mr Young said.
“[And] there’s more in store for the community to look forward to.”
