{"id":134917,"date":"2024-09-30T15:55:50","date_gmt":"2024-09-30T05:55:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=134917"},"modified":"2024-09-30T15:56:33","modified_gmt":"2024-09-30T05:56:33","slug":"the-bellarine-railway-is-on-track-for-the-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=134917","title":{"rendered":"The Bellarine Railway is on track for the future"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Infrastructure upgrades have secured the 145-year-old railway\u2019s future, helping volunteers create an unforgettable visitor experience.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

They say time changes all things. 

But, with a bit of know-how and a lot of love, some things can endure the passing of years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take The Bellarine Railway, for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Constructed in 1879, the tracks were first laid when the Kelly Gang still roamed the bush and decades before Geelong officially became a city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1979, after 100 years of service, the railway passed into the custody of generations of dedicated volunteers from the Geelong Steam Preservation Society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From there, it has grown into the beloved local icon that puts smiles on thousands of faces each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protecting the past, securing the future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

But how do you run modern services on 145-year-old, Victorian-era tracks?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That’s where a Victorian Government grant of more than $3 million, provided through Regional Development Victoria, came into play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to this investment, the railway has undergone major infrastructure works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These have included the upgrade of rails, sleepers and ballasts along the 16.5 kilometre track from Queenscliff to Drysdale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sourcing surplus materials from the Yarra Valley and Melbourne’s metropolitan train network, the project:<\/p>\n\n\n\n