Melton railway station, Melbourne

Melton railway station is a regional railway station on the Ararat line. It serves the outer-western suburb of Melton South, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Melton is a ground level premium station featuring two side platforms. It opened on 2 April 1884, with the second platform added in 1991.

The station is currently being rebuilt as part of the Level Crossing Removal Project, with the new station planned to open in 2026.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The new station will be an elevated premium station with four platforms. Platform 1 and 4 will be side platforms, and Platform 2 and 3 will be an island platform with two faces.<ref name=":0" /> The new station will accommodate 9-carriage VLocity trains, which are planned to be introduced on the line in 2027.<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

History

19th century

Melton Station opened when the railway line from Braybrook Junction (Sunshine) was extended to the suburb. Like the suburb itself, the station was named after Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, England.<ref name="vpmelton">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="heraldsun">Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1886, the line was extended westward to Parwan and, being on a single track section, the station was the site of a crossing loop from that time. By 1889, the station had an interlocked signal box, single passenger platform, and a three-track yard. There was a goods shed opposite the passenger platform.<ref name="vrh">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

20th century

In 1962, flashing light signals were provided at the Exford Road level crossing, located nearby in the up direction from the station.<ref name="VicsigMelton">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1987, the yard was rationalised, being reduced to a main line and crossing loop. Boom barriers were provided at the level crossing in 1990, and a second platform was added in 1991.<ref name="newsrailoct91">Template:Cite magazine</ref> In 1998, the station building was refurbished.

21st century

In 2005, as part of the Regional Fast Rail project, control of the signals was transferred to the Ballarat signal box.<ref name="interlocking">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The station retained the lever frame for historical purposes until the original station was demolished in 2025.

As part of the Regional Rail Revival project, 18 km of track was duplicated between the Deer Park West junction and Melton.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The duplication was completed in late 2019, coinciding with the opening of the newly-built Cobblebank Station.<ref name="VicsigMelton" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On 6 September 2025, the station building on platform 2 was demolished to make way for the new elevated station.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Future

On 6 October 2022, the Andrews Government announced that four level crossings will be removed in Melton and Truganina by the Level Crossing Removal Project. As part of these removals, Melton Station is currently being rebuilt.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The rebuilt station will include four platforms, allowing trains to terminate at Melton without blocking services going further. Platform 1 and 4 will be side platforms, and Platform 2 and 3 will be an island platform with two faces.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The new station will accommodate 9-carriage V/Line VLocity DMUs, set to be introduced to the line in 2027.<ref name=":1" />

Electrification and quadruplication of the Ararat line up to Melton was announced by the Andrews Government in 2018 as part of its Western Rail Plan. After speculation in 2023 that this upgrade had been cancelled,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> in 2025, a track diagram was released showing changes that will be made as part of the major upgrades planned for Sunshine Station. According to the diagram, quadruplication is planned to occur between a junction site near Caroline Springs and Sunshine; the new tracks will run into a new pair of platforms at Sunshine. The tracks at Sunshine will be reconfigured to route the future electrified Melton service through the Metro Tunnel.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Platforms and services

Melton has two side platforms and is served by V/Line Ballarat and Ararat line trains.<ref>Ballarat - Melbourne timetable Public Transport Victoria</ref><ref>Ararat - Melbourne Public Transport Victoria</ref>

colspan="5" style="background:#Template:Rcr;background-image: linear-gradient(to right, #Template:Rcr); " |Melton platform arrangement
Platform	Line	Destination	Service Type	Notes
1	Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Southern Cross	Maryborough line: One daily V/Line service
2	Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Bacchus Marsh, Wendouree, Ararat

Transport links

Transit Systems Victoria operates six bus routes and one route is operated by Christians Bus to and from Melton station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

• Template:Color box: to Eynesbury<ref>[1]</ref>
• Template:Color box: to Melton<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref>
• Template:Color box: to Cobblebank station<ref>454 Melton Station to Cobblebank Station Template:Webarchive Public Transport Victoria</ref>
• Template:Color box: to Micasa Rise/Roslyn Park (Harkness)<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref>
• Template:Color box: to Melton<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref>
• Template:Color box: to Kurunjang<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref>
• Template:Color box: to Arnolds Creek (Melton West)<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref>
• FlexiRide Melton South<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

External links

• Victorian Railway Stations gallery
• Melway map at street-directory.com.au