Australia’s Federal Government has announced a AUD 2 billion (USD 1.25 billion) investment to enable the works at Victoria’s Sunshine station, a key gateway to Melbourne’s west that will provide easy connections to Victoria’s regions, the metropolitan network and Melbourne Airport.
Besides the federal investment, the Victorian Government will also bring forward its investment for this station which includes extra platforms and a dedicated spur line that will transform it into a hub for regional rail services connecting to Melbourne Airport.
This funding will also go towards track, bridge and signalling improvements to enable future upgrades to service Melbourne’s north and west, including enabling the commencement of work on the electrification of the Melton Line.
“Reconfiguring Sunshine station will not only create more capacity for more services, but also marks the first stage of works for Melbourne Airport Rail and paves the way for future upgrades to electrify the Melton Line,” the Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams, said.
In September 2024, the two governments launched the works to rebuild the station which will create capacity for a rail connection to Melbourne airport, and more frequent and reliable services in Melbourne’s growing west.
Both governments have each committed AUD 5 billion (USD 3.15 billion) to the Melbourne Airport Rail Link, and upgrading Sunshine station is the critical first part of the project.
The new Sunshine station will include additional platforms, while track and bridge works and signalling improvements will untangle this complex junction which services both freight, and more than 70% V/Line’s network, including the Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat lines.
The major upgrade will increase capacity for additional services from Wyndham Vale and allow for future electrified trains to run from Melton. It will also enable six trains per hour to the airport.
Sunshine station is set to transform into a transport superhub and be the link between Melbourne Airport and Melbourne CBD, with transport connections to the Suburban Rail Loop and regional rail network.
In 2022, the Victorian Government completed station’s masterplan which has six key projects, including:
- The Sunshine spurline – which will transform of the northern traffic lane of Hampshire Road Bridge in to a new route for walking and cycling;
- New integrated bus interchange – developing a new bus interchange to the east of the train station with direct and safe access to the train station, acting like an additional platform;
- People-focused streets and junctions – helping to make walking and cycling safer, easier and more attractive with direct routes to the superhub;
- New station entrances – helping to ensure a more accessible and attractive superhub and improve wayfinding, with clear sight lines from surrounding streets;
- Trees and greening – helping green Sunshine with more tree canopy cover, improving biodiversity and helping create shaded streets and spaces; and
- New public open space – a new, spacious green public open space helping link the superhub with the centre of Sunshine, activated and made safe by new development on the current interchange site.
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