Kangaroo Flat railway station
Kangaroo Flat railway station is located on the Deniliquin line in Victoria, Australia. It serves the southern Bendigo suburb of Kangaroo Flat, and it opened on 1 February 1874. It was renamed Kangaroo on 9 May 1904, and it was renamed Kangaroo Flat on 17 July 1916.[2]
Kangaroo Flat | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| PTV regional rail station | ||||||||||||||||||||
 Southbound view from Platform 1 in January 2010 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| General information | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | 2B Short Street, Kangaroo Flat, Victoria 3555 City of Greater Bendigo Australia | |||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 36°47′42″S 144°14′55″E | |||||||||||||||||||
| Owned by | VicTrack | |||||||||||||||||||
| Operated by | V/Line | |||||||||||||||||||
| Line(s) | Bendigo Echuca Swan Hill (Deniliquin) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Distance | 157.36 kilometres from Southern Cross | |||||||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Connections |  Bus | |||||||||||||||||||
| Construction | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Structure type | At-grade | |||||||||||||||||||
| Parking | Yes | |||||||||||||||||||
| Bicycle facilities | Yes | |||||||||||||||||||
| Accessible | Yes | |||||||||||||||||||
| Other information | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Operational, staffed part-time | |||||||||||||||||||
| Station code | KFT | |||||||||||||||||||
| Fare zone | Myki Zone 12/13 overlap | |||||||||||||||||||
| Website | Public Transport Victoria | |||||||||||||||||||
| History | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 1 February 1874 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Previous names | Kangaroo (9 May 1904–17 July 1916) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Services | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Official name | Kangaroo Flat Railway Station Complex | |||||||||||||||||||
| Designated | 20 August 1982 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Reference no. | H1565[1] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Location | ||||||||||||||||||||
  Kangaroo Flat Location within Victoria | ||||||||||||||||||||
History
The contract for the construction of Kangaroo Flat was let in 1862. In 1904, it was renamed Kangaroo, resuming its original identity in 1916. By 1926, facilities included a signal frame, a pair of side platforms on the double track line, a goods siding and shed on the eastern side of the line, and a crossover between tracks. In 1938, the stationmaster was withdrawn, with the station being worked by the porter-in-charge, under "caretaker" conditions.[3]
From 1889, the station was a block point, under the Winters Block system, but it could be "switched out" in times of quieter traffic. That status remained until 1980, when the signal box was only "switched in" when required. In 1987, the signal box was closed, and all points and signals removed.[3][4]
After a fire in 1990 that caused extensive damage, the station building was left unused, and only two trains per weekday stopped at the station.[5] In 2002, the exterior of the station building and the former goods shed were restored.[6] The Regional Fast Rail project in 2005 saw the line towards Melbourne singled south of the station.[7]
Following a community-led campaign for better services in Bendigo's southern growth corridor, an upgrade of the station was announced in February 2008, involving the construction of a new booking office, a 50-bay car park and bus interchange, and the refurbishment of the waiting room.[8] In January 2014, the platforms were extended, to accommodate longer trains.[9]
Disused stations Ravenswood and Harcourt are located between Kangaroo Flat and Castlemaine, whilst disused station Golden Square is located between Kangaroo Flat and Bendigo.
Accidents and incidents
On 15 February 2017, V/Line VLocity set VL34 derailed after colliding with a vehicle that had been abandoned on the line near Kangaroo Flat. Two people were taken to hospital.[10]
Platforms and services
Kangaroo Flat has two side platforms. Platform 1 is used by almost all V/Line Bendigo, Echuca and Swan Hill line services travelling in both directions. Platform 2 is used by one Bendigo line service towards Eaglehawk every weekday.[11]
Platform 1:
- Bendigo line services to Bendigo, Epsom, Eaglehawk and Southern Cross
- Echuca line services to Echuca and Southern Cross
- Swan Hill line services to Swan Hill and Southern Cross
Platform 2:
- Bendigo line one weekday service to Eaglehawk
Transport links
Christian's Bus Company operates one route via Kangaroo Flat station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
- 5 : Huntly – Kangaroo Flat[12]
References
- "Kangaroo Flat Railway Station Complex". Victorian Heritage Database. Government of Victoria. Archived from the original on 15 May 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- Kangaroo Flat Vicsig
- Kangaroo Flat Victorian Station Histories
- "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. January 1988. p. 27.
- Kangaroo Flat is back V/Line Voice issue 35 April 2008
- "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. June 2002. p. 186.
- Locals may lose services due to Fast Rail project ABC News 11 June 2004
- Liberals say petition prompts Kangaroo Flat train station revamp ABC News 13 February 2008
- Plan to extend V/Line platforms Bendigo Advertiser 8 January 2014
- "Bendigo train, car collide near Kangaroo Flat". Bendigo Advertiser. 15 February 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
- Bendigo - Melbourne timetable Public Transport Victoria
- 5 Huntly - Kangaroo Flat via Bendigo Station Public Transport Victoria
External links
Media related to Kangaroo Flat railway station at Wikimedia Commons- Victorian Railway Stations gallery
- Melway map at street-directory.com.au