'Third world' no more: $150m rail line investment a win for south-west

The train line, described as third world by Port of Portland chief Greg Burgoyne in 2023, had been neglcted for decades.

The Rail Freight Alliance (RFA) chair Glenn Milne welcomed the funding announcement, which was contained in Tuesday night's 2024-25 federal budget.

"We always knew the need to invest in this line was imperative, given the mineral sands 900,000-ton annual freight task to commence within two years," Mr Milne said.

"If this freight was to go by road, it would have been devastating for the communities along the route.

"Safety, amenity and road longevity matter to all Victorians as well as to the Victorian economy in getting reliable freight paths to export."

Southwest Victoria Alliance chair and Warrnambool mayor Ben Blain said he hoped the speed limit on the 173 kilometre-long track, which was currently 20kmh, could be returned to 60kmh.

"The 173 kilometre-long track connects the western half of Victoria to the national rail freight system and to the deep-sea Port of Portland, which is vital for the SWVA region's export trade."

Cr Blain said increasing the speed limit to 60kmh would halve the six-hour journey to and from Portland.

"We hope that the upgrade will significantly cut the number of freight trucks using the region's roads, taking some pressure off roads that are already substandard," Cr Blain said.

The previous Coalition government funded a business case for the track upgrades.

Roads Minister Catherine King told ABC radio on Wednesday morning sleepers, which were in some areas "just absolute dust", would be replaced.

She said the funding would bring the Port of Portland into the national freight network in a way that it had not been before.

"It's a huge initiative, I know that's been called for, for a long time out west," Ms King said.

Member for Western Victoria Jacinta Ermacora spoke about the budget announcement in state parliament on Wednesday.

"I am very thrilled and excited to talk about today the Albanese Labor government's $150 million commitment to the upgrade of the Maroona rail freight line in Western Victoria in my electorate," Ms said.

"This has been a project that has been advocated for for the last 20 to 30 years and I am just so thrilled."

Ms Ermacora said the announcement was a game-changer for the region.

"This connects Portland to the national rail freight grid; it connects Portland to the international markets," she said.

"It will create jobs. It will take us through the carbon neutrality journey. It will take trucks off the roads, it will save lives and it will mean much safer travel for communities in Western Victoria."

Ms Ermacora said there had been a lot of people who had lobbied for the upgrade.

"I want to congratulate every single person over the last 20 or 30 years, including local government councillors that are long gone from their roles, who has sat at the Rail Freight Alliance table and given their time in advocating for this project.

"I also want to thank Senator Raff Ciccone and thank the advocacy of ministers Horne and Pearson in this government, all the other current councillors, including Greg Burgoyne, Matt Eryurek and Reid Mather and all current members."\

There has been intense lobbying for an upgrade to the line for a number of years.

In 2019, then-Senator Derryn Hinch described the line as "antique, antiquated and rusting".

Anita Rank, who was deputy chair of the Rail Freight Alliance at the time, said the line had a 19 tonne axle loading, which was three tonnes lower than the lines linking to the Port of Geelong and Melbourne.

"Senator Hinch has previously raised this matter in the Senate and has today walked away with a deeper understanding of the impact this is placing on the local economy, putting greater pressure on our already crowded freight corridors," she said.