YARRIAMBIACK Shire Council has called on the State Government to upgrade 16 kilometres of rail line between Rainbow and Yaapeet.
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The State Government completed a $6.3-million upgrade to the Dimboola to Rainbow rail line last month.
Council's infrastructure and planning director James Magee said an upgrade would cost about $1 million.
He said he, councillor Helen Ballentine and chief executive Ray Campling met Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Edward O'Donohue, Member for Northern Victoria Damien Drum and Member for Mildura Peter Crisp in February to request the upgrade.
"Council's question was received quite well,'' he said. "We had about half a dozen members of the Yaapeet community there with us. The politicians heard their thoughts and council's thoughts.''
Mr Magee said GrainCorp had indicated it would use rail when the market allowed if the line was upgraded.
"The better the condition of the line, the easier and more efficient it is,'' he said.
"The State Government has funded other lines in the area, from Dimboola to Rainbow, but not the last 16 kilometres. We want them to finish it off.''
Mr Magee said council worked with GrainCorp, the Victorian Farmers Federation and the community to develop a partnership package to put to the State Government.
Council sent the letter with an official request for the upgrade to the government last week.
Letters of support from the Victorian Farmers Federation, Hopetoun CWA and progress and community associations will also be sent to relevant ministers.
Another concern for council is its $1-million upgrade of the Yaapeet-Rainbow Road.
Mr Magee said using rail in favour of trucks would help preserve the road.
"The Yaapeet Grain Receival Centre has received 25,000 to 30,000 tonnes of grain for the past two years,'' he said.
He said school buses also used the road and needed it to be safe.
"For the past year we've been working on the Yaapeet-Rainbow Road,'' he said.
"We'll be continuing to do it this year, doing stage two. It will be completed in June.
"We will have a good standard road there. We want to keep it in as good condition for the next 50 years, not just for the next five.''
