Little River railway station is a regional railway station on the Warrnambool line, part of the Victorian railway network. It serves the town of Little River, in Victoria, Australia. Little River station is a ground level unstaffed station, featuring two side platforms. It opened on 1 January 1857, with the current station provided in 1981.[1][2]
Initially opened as Little River, the station was renamed two times. It was renamed to Bulban on 2 May 1910, then was renamed back to its original and current name of Little River on 9 December 1912.[1][2]
History
When the Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company constructed the line, it proposed that the station be built on the northern side of Little River. However, the company had trouble negotiating with the relevant land owner, so the first station was located on the south side of the river. The former platform mound of that station was finally removed in 1994, when the Western standard gauge line was being constructed.
The buildings and adjoining goods shed of the current station, on the north side of the river, are some of the earliest station buildings in Victoria. They are constructed of bluestone, to an original design by Frederick Kawerau, for the Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company,[3] and were completed by the Victorian Railways in 1864. Features of note include the basement holding cells and the Victorian Railways plaques on the station gables.[4][5] The buildings layouts have changed over the years, as shown in the State Library drawings,[6][7] and they are listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.[4]
On 25 October 1970, the newly duplicated the line from Werribee to Little River was opened, and the goods siding closed.[1][2] In 1972, a crossover at the up end of the station was abolished.[1] On 4 June 1981, the newly duplicated line to Lara was opened, and a second platform (Platform 1) was provided.[1][2]
In 1995, the Western standard gauge line opened, passing to the north and west of the station. The line is primarily used by freight trains, as well as The Overland passenger service to and from Adelaide. However, it does not stop at the station.[2]
In 2010, the goods shed had started to crumble. Infrastructure owner VicTrack conducted an inspection of the shed, which revealed its doors and windows had been forced open, and, in liaison with the lessee V/Line, VicTrack undertook work to ensure the shed was secured as quickly as possible from further damage.[8]
Disused station Werribee Racecourse is located between Little River and Werribee, as was the now-demolished station Manor.
