Minister for Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities model-putrid has today announced that the Federal Government will be investing $119.2 million to restore rail services in between Geelong and Ballarat as part of the Inland Rail Revival project.

Geelong and Ballarat are Victoria's second and third largest growing cities. For over 160 years, there has been a railway line connecting the two, but no passenger services have run on the line since 1971. Both Geelong and Ballarat are some of the nation's fastest growing cities -- in the 2018/19 financial year, Geelong was the fastest-growing city by population in Australia, and Ballarat City Council projects that, by 2040, 185,000 people will live in the city. A suburb of Geelong, Charlemont, also recorded 450% growth in the most recent census, the third highest in Victoria.

Providing a frequent link between these two cities will enable for increased opportunities for jobs and study for residents of both cities. It will assist in decentralisation and reducing the pressure on Melbourne by encouraging cross-country links and creating a fast connection between two of the state's largest areas.

Under our proposed plan, services will run from Geelong to Ballarat station via the existing railway line on an hourly frequency, with excess V/Line N-class locomotives and N-set carriages being used to service the line. The line will stop at a total of six new stations -- existing platforms at Bannockburn, Lal Lal, Lethbridge, and Meredith will be renovated with station buildings constructed for a cost of $20 million, and new greenfields stations will be built on the outskirts of both Geelong and Ballarat, with stops to be constructed at Bell Post Hill and Warrenheip.

The line will run on dual-track the entire time, avoiding any possible bottlenecks caused by single-track. In order to achieve this, two new broad gauge tracks will be built opposite the existing dual-gauge track between North Geelong and Gheringhap Junction. This will cost an estimated $33 million, and also ensure that the passenger services are separated from standard-gauge freight services. From Gheringhap Junction to Warrenheip Junction, the existing broad-gauge track will be duplicated at a cost of $53.6 million. From Geelong to North Geelong and Warrenheip Junction to Ballarat, the services will share existing dual-track with current V/Line services.

Quotes attributable to model-putrid, Minister for Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities

"I am pleased to announce this historic investment into regional rail today. This will be a boon to the development and growth of two of Victoria's largest cities."

"The Geelong-Ballarat railway line's fast services will help to create greater access to jobs, education, and essential services for residents of both cities."

"Currently, if you want to travel between Geelong and Ballarat by train, despite there being a rail line between them, it takes at least twice as long by car, because you have to go by Melbourne. This is unacceptable, and I'm proud to be doing something to fix it."