Following a months-long dispute over funding entitlements, the Ararat-Ballarat line will receive $39 million in stablisation works.

Member for Western Victoria and regional development minister Jaala Pulford said 19 new weekday passenger services would be added to the V/line schedule in a month’s time.

“With funding now secured, the Labor Government will get on with planning and delivering these major upgrades, which will deliver better services for passengers in Ararat,” she said.

“We promised to deliver these upgrades and now we’ve secured the funding – we’re getting on with the job,” Ms Pulford said.

“This is the biggest investment in rail for this region in decades, and will mean more frequent, reliable services and for Ararat and Maryborough.”

The state and federal government also announced the successful tender for works on the Murray Basin Rail Network.

The McConnell Dowell Martinus Rail joint venture will start work to revitalise more than 1000 kilometres of Victoria’s rail freight network within weeks

The upgrade will include works to reopen the 87-kilometre rail line between Maryborough and Ararat.

The project will improve Victoria’s rail freight network and provide the Murray Basin area with better rail freight services, increased rail access and greater reliability, and increase the volume of products that can be transported to market.

The main project office will be established in Maryborough, with other sites located across the region, including Ararat.

Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Darren Chester said the project would have a huge benefit to the economy through greater port access and freight competition. 

“Once the Murray Basin Rail Project is completed, trains on the freight network will be able to carry more product, more often,” he said.

State Member for Ripon Louise Staley said she was really pleased with the federal government’s funding.

“It’s a lot of money and it’s good to see they are spending it in our part of the world,” she said.

Ms Staley said there had been delays in providing the new Ararat V/Line services.