Watergardens railway station

Watergardens railway station is a commuter railway station on the Sunbury line, which is part of the Melbourne railway network. It serves the western suburb of Sydenham, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Watergardens station is a ground level premium station, featuring three platforms, an island platform with two faces and one side platform. It opened on 1 March 1859, with the current station location provided in 2002 and the platforms extension in 2022.<ref name="VicsigWatergardens">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Initially opened as Keilor Road, this station was renamed to Sydenham on 1 April 1887, then was given its current name of Watergardens on 26 January 2002.<ref name=VicsigSydenham/><ref name="waugh"/>

A stabling yard is located at the down (Sunbury) end of the station.

History

Sydenham

Sydenham station originally opened on 1 March 1859, shortly after the railway line was extended from Sunshine to Sunbury.<ref name="VicsigSydenham">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="waugh">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 1926, interlocked gates were provided at the former Melton Highway level crossing, which was located at the down end of the station. In 1987, they were replaced with boom barriers.<ref name="waugh"/> In 1989, a rail siding at the station was abolished, as well as a number of signal posts.<ref name=VicsigSydenham/>

Watergardens

In 2002, as part of the extension of the electrified network from St Albans, Sydenham was closed, and a new station was built approximately Template:Cvt in the up direction.<ref name=VicsigWatergardens/><ref name=VicsigSydenham/> Opening on 26 January of that year, the new station was named Watergardens, after the adjacent Watergardens Shopping Centre.<ref name=VicsigWatergardens/> The new station was to be called Sydenham, with the name being built into the brickwork of the station building. However, naming rights were sold to the shopping centre. The name "Sydenham" can still be seen on the side of the building adjacent to Platform 3.<ref name=VicsigWatergardens/> Around 2012, the Sydenham name was dropped, with the station now generally referred to as Watergardens.<ref name=VicsigWatergardens/>

In late 2002, the Melton Highway level crossing was upgraded, in conjunction with the duplication of the highway.<ref name="newsrailjan03">Template:Cite magazine</ref> In 2015, the Level Crossing Removal Authority announced the grade separation of the highway and railway line. In January 2018, the Melton Highway level crossing (down line) was removed and replaced with a bridge for Melton Highway, with the project completed in October.<ref>Melton Highway, Sydenham - Level Crossing Removal Authority</ref>

In 2022, all three platforms were extended from Template:Cvt to Template:Cvt long.<ref name=VicsigWatergardens/>Template:Better source needed

In July 2025, the nearby Calder Park Drive level crossing was removed as part of the Level Crossing Removal Project.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Platforms and services

Watergardens has one side platform and one island platform with two faces. It is served by Sunbury line trains, as well as a limited number of V/Line services on the Bendigo and Swan Hill lines.<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref><ref>Bendigo - Melbourne timetable Public Transport Victoria</ref><ref>Swan Hill - Melbourne timetable Public Transport Victoria</ref>

Current

colspan="5" style="background:#Template:Rcr;background-image: linear-gradient(to right, #Template:Rcr, #Template:Rcr); " |Watergardens platform arrangement
Platform	Line	Destination	Via	Service pattern
1	Template:RouteBox	Flinders Street	City Loop	All stations and limited express services
	Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Southern Cross
2	Template:RouteBox	Flinders Street	City Loop	All stations and limited express services
3	Template:RouteBox	Sunbury		All stations and limited express services
	Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Bendigo Swan Hill

From 30 November 2025 to 1 February 2026

colspan="6" style="background:#Template:Rcr;background-image: linear-gradient(to right, #Template:Rcr, #Template:Rcr, #Template:Rcr); " |Watergardens platform arrangement
Platform	Line	Destination	Via	Service Type	Notes
1	Template:RouteBox	Flinders Street	City Loop	All stations and limited express services
	Template:RouteBox (weekends only)	Westall, East Pakenham	Town Hall	Limited express services	Between 10:00am and 7:00pm on weekends
	Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Southern Cross
2	Template:RouteBox	Flinders Street	City Loop	All stations and limited express services
3	Template:RouteBox	Sunbury		All stations
	Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Bendigo Swan Hill

From 1 February 2026

colspan="5" style="background:#Template:Rcr;background-image: linear-gradient(to right, #Template:Rcr, #Template:Rcr); " |Watergardens platform arrangement
Platform	Line	Destination	Via	Service pattern
1	Template:RouteBox	East Pakenham, Cranbourne	Town Hall	All stations and limited express services
	Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Southern Cross
2	Template:RouteBox	East Pakenham, Cranbourne	Town Hall	All stations and limited express services
3	Template:RouteBox	Sunbury		All stations and limited express services
	Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Bendigo, Swan Hill

Transport links

CDC Melbourne operates eight routes to and from Watergardens station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

• Template:Color box: to St Albans station<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref>
• Template:Color box: to St Albans station<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref>
• Template:Color box: to St Albans station<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref>
• Template:Color box: to Caroline Springs station<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref>
• Template:Color box: to Caroline Springs Town Centre<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref>
• Template:Color box: to Caroline Springs station<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref>
• Template:Color box: to Hillside<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref>
• Template:Color box: to Moonee Ponds Junction<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref>

Transit Systems Victoria operates three routes to and from Watergardens station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

• Night Bus Template:Color box: to Sunshine station;<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref> normal service during weekdays, and runs at night on Saturday and on Sunday mornings
• Night Bus Template:Color box: to Sunshine station (Saturday and Sunday mornings only)<ref>941 Sunshine Station - Watergardens Station via Keilor Downs Public Transport Victoria</ref>
• Night Bus Template:Color box: to Melton (Saturday and Sunday mornings only)<ref>943 Watergardens Station - Melton via Caroline Springs Public Transport Victoria</ref>

Gallery

• North-west bound view from Platform 2, June 2013
  North-west bound view from Platform 2, June 2013

External links

• Melway map at street-directory.com.au