Geelong station was built as the terminus of the Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company line. It was a dead-end terminus, located on the site of the present law courts complex. In November 1876, the railway was extended south to Winchelsea,[2] necessitating the relocation of the station to the west, and between 1877 and 1881, the current station building was constructed.[6]
In 1975, the station received a minor upgrade to the refreshment rooms, and was also provided with a waiting room around this time.[7] In 1988, the station received an upgrade,[8] and included new passenger waiting areas and booking offices.[8]
Until the 1990s, there was a goods yard, including a large goods shed, located on the eastern side of the station.[9] It is now the site of Geelong's law courts and police station. A locomotive depot remains to the north, and carriage stabling sidings are to the west.
In March 2015, a further upgrade to the station was completed, which included the installation of a new DDA-compliant pedestrian overpass to connect all platforms, which included lifts, avoiding the need to use the original heritage-protected pedestrian bridge, which only has stairs.[10]
Geelong has one island platform with two faces, and one side platform. Prior to the opening of the Regional Rail Link in 2015, almost all trains used Platform 1. Platforms 2 and 3 were only used when Platform 1 was occupied;
Platform 2: Up and down Warrnambool services, terminating services and other services if Platform 1 was occupied.
Platform 3: Terminating services, special heritage services and other services if Platform 1 was occupied.
After the opening of the Regional Rail Link, Geelong now has three times as many services running, requiring trains to cross at Geelong on a regular basis. The platforms have now been divided into up and down platforms;
Platform 1: Down services to South Geelong, Marshall, Waurn Ponds, and Warrnambool
Platform 2: Up services when Platform 3 is occupied, special heritage services
Platform 3: Up services to Southern Cross, terminating services
It is common for a trains to be in all three platforms e.g.
Platform 1: Down Waurn Ponds service
Platform 2: Up service, stopping all stations
Platform 3: Up express service from Warrnambool
It is serviced by V/LineGeelong and Warrnambool line services.[11][12] Some services terminate at Geelong, although most continue south.
