Public Transport

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Mrs Audrey Hoffman is the Chairperson of the Wimmera Mallee passenger Train Group. This group has conducted a ten year lobbying exercise to get some passenger train services reinstatedto Ararat, at least.

In 1993 the goverment scrapped most country train services and privatised the system. Buses came in.

Much of the groups' battles were to deal with the fact that Australia has three rail guages. All main lines were converted to standard guage for freight on. The wide guage to Ararat from ballarat was abandoned.

After much work, in 2002, the Government agreed that some limited services could return to use the Ararat/Ballarat line. It could go no further because there would need to be a change of trains to meet the standard guage.

The new service should open in August 2003. The line has been cleaned and repaired, the ballast relaid and many sleepers replaced. The signalling and electrics have been upgraded.

At present, warracknabeal has only one bus service at present toStawell, Ararat and Ballarat, where it meets a train. Cost is against the return of passenger services to Warracknabeal. It is hoped that by using the train from Ararat, half and hour will be cut from the 3 and a half hour tripto Melbourne, reduce traffic on the highway and bring tourists closer to the Grampians. With an aging population, public transport is of increasing importance in rural areas, as many cannot drive long distances.