108-562: Member of the Legislative Assembly for Mulgrave (2002–2023) Premier of Victoria Ministries Elections Royal Commissions [REDACTED] The Level Crossing Removal Project ( LXRP ) is an infrastructure upgrade program by the Government of Victoria , Australia , to remove and grade-separate 110 level crossings and to rebuild 51 railway stations on the metropolitan and regional rail network of
216-531: A business case for its second batch of crossing removals so the economic benefits were unclear. While the LXRP has been broadly popular, local opposition has attracted significant media attention. Elevated rail has been controversial among some local residents and businesses, with protests over the removal of crossings on the Upfield line calling for a rail trench to be used instead. At the same time, polling has found
324-756: A child, 307 convicts, 17 convicts' wives, and seven children). They had been sent from England in HMS ; Calcutta under the command of Captain Daniel Woodriff , principally out of fear that the French, who had been exploring the area, might establish their own settlement and thereby challenge British rights to the continent. In 1826, Colonel Stewart, Captain Samuel Wright, and Lieutenant Burchell were sent in HMS Fly (Captain Wetherall) and
432-474: A combination of rail over and road over, and will include a newly elevated Spotswood station . The crossings at Anderson Street, Yarraville , and Champion Road, Newport will be closed during the project. Pedestrian links will still remain with a plan to upgrade local roads to accommodate the closure of these crossings. The Level Crossing Removal Authority (LXRA) was formed in May 2015 as an administrative office of
540-794: A cooler, mountain climate in the centre of the state. Winters along the coast of the state, particularly around Melbourne , are relatively mild ( see chart ). The coastal plain south of the Great Dividing Range has Victoria's mildest climate. Air from the Southern Ocean helps reduce the heat of summer and the cold of winter. Melbourne and other large cities are located in this temperate region. The Mallee and upper Wimmera are Victoria's warmest regions with hot winds blowing from nearby semi-deserts. Average temperatures exceed 32 °C (90 °F) during summer and 15 °C (59 °F) in winter. Except at cool mountain elevations,
648-413: A few projects have resulted in the amalgamation of stations. Whilst controversial, these instances have usually only occurred due to the close proximity between existing stations, reducing the negative impact on users. Amalgamated stations have allowed for improved station locations, faster journey times, and higher quality facilities. One amalgamation has included Mont Albert and Surrey Hills stations on
756-649: A human hearth excavated in 1971 was radiocarbon-dated to about 31,000 years BP , making Keilor one of the earliest sites of human habitation in Australia. A cranium found at the site has been dated at between 12,000 and 14,700 years BP . Archaeological sites in Tasmania and on the Bass Strait Islands have been dated to between 20,000 to 35,000 years ago when sea levels were 130 metres below present level allowing First Nations Peoples to move across
864-570: A kangaroo hunting ground. Creation stories describe how Bunjil was responsible for the formation of the bay, or the bay was flooded when the Yarra River was created. Victoria, like Queensland , was named after Queen Victoria , who had been on the British throne for 14 years when the colony was established in 1851. After the founding of the colony of New South Wales in 1788, Australia was divided into an eastern half named New South Wales and
972-533: A large new section of open parkland, dubbed a " linear park ". This included 22.5 hectares (56 acres) of new open space, sports courts, playgrounds, new walking and cycling trails, and expanded station forecourts. As part of the project, the Djerring Trail was created, a 17-kilometre (11 mi) shared-use path along the rail corridor. In the year after the elevated rail opened in 2018, the media reported that many residents, including some who were opposed to
1080-538: A majority of Victorians supported the use of elevated rail to remove level crossings. In other examples, such as the Caulfield to Dandenong elevated rail project, local media reported that many residents were supportive of the project's outcomes. Prior to the 2014 state election, the then Labor opposition announced a plan to remove 50 level crossings by 2022, including 20 by 2018. Park Road, Cheltenham, Mascot Avenue, Bonbeach, and Lochiel Avenue, Edithvale were added to
1188-499: A marginal Labor seat, replacing Dandenong North . Labor's Daniel Andrews easily won the seat amid that year's massive Labor landslide , and held it until his resignation in 2023. He was elected as leader of Victorian Labor following its shock defeat in 2010 , and served as Premier from 2014 to 2023. This Victoria (Australia) government-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Victoria (state) Victoria , commonly abbreviated as Vic ,
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#17327728572741296-583: A new multi-member proportional representation system. The State of Victoria was divided into eight electorates with each electorate represented by five representatives elected by Single Transferable Vote . The total number of upper house members was reduced from 44 to 40 and their term of office is now the same as the lower house members—four years. Elections for the Victorian Parliament are now fixed and occur in November every four years. Prior to
1404-522: A number of closures. In September 2022, the premier announced eight crossings would be removed in Brunswick on the Upfield line . The eight crossings would be removed by 2027 and would include the rebuilding of Jewell , Brunswick , and Anstey stations. The government announced elevated rail would be built along the corridor from Royal Park to Moreland Road, meeting the elevated rail built as part of
1512-602: A rate of 8,227 per 100,000 people, up 4.4% on the previous year. While there have been some dips along the way, the rate of recorded offences have increased year on year since 2011, when the figure was 6,937.7 offences per 100,000 people. Victoria has a parliamentary form of government based on the Westminster System . Legislative power resides in the Parliament consisting of the Governor (the representative of
1620-434: A trench, such as the planned level crossing removals near Glen Huntly station , which have required significant mature tree removal along the planned one-kilometre (0.6 mi) rail trench. An elevated rail design was chosen to remove the level crossings near Rosanna station in part to minimise the loss of native trees, as a proposed rail trench would have required the removal of hundreds of mature river red gum trees along
1728-519: A western half named New Holland , under the administration of the colonial government in Sydney. The first British settlement in the area later known as Victoria was established in October 1803 under Lieutenant-Governor David Collins at Sullivan Bay on Port Phillip. It consisted of 402 people (five government officials, nine officers of marines, two drummers, and 39 privates, five soldiers' wives and
1836-401: Is a state in southeastern Australia. It is the second-smallest state (after Tasmania ), with a land area of 227,444 km (87,817 sq mi); the second-most-populated state (after New South Wales ), with a population of over 6.9 million; and the most densely populated state in Australia (30.6 per km ). Victoria's economy is the second-largest among Australian states and
1944-518: Is at 39°12' S, which passes through Boundary Islet in the Bass Strait for 85 metres. Victoria contains many topographically, geologically and climatically diverse areas, ranging from the wet, temperate climate of Gippsland in the southeast to the snow-covered Victorian alpine areas which rise to almost 2,000 m (6,600 ft), with Mount Bogong the highest peak at 1,986 m (6,516 ft). There are extensive semi-arid plains to
2052-399: Is divided into distinct geographic regions , most commonly for the purposes of economic development , while others for land management (agriculture or conservation) and for censusing (statistical or meteorological) or electoral purposes. The most commonly used regions are those created by the state government for the purposes of economic development . In addition to Greater Melbourne ,
2160-828: Is heavier. Rainfall is most reliable in Gippsland and the Western District , making them both leading farming areas. Victoria's highest recorded daily rainfall was 377.8 mm (14.87 in) at Tidal River in Wilsons Promontory National Park on 23 March 2011. At March 2024 Victoria had a population of 6,959,200. The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that the population may well reach 10.3 million by 2051. Victoria's founding Anglo-Celtic population has been supplemented by successive waves of migrants from Southern and Eastern Europe , Asia and, most recently, Africa and
2268-541: Is highly diversified, with service sectors predominating. Victoria is bordered by New South Wales to the north and South Australia to the west and is bounded by the Bass Strait to the south (with the exception of a small land border with Tasmania located along Boundary Islet ), the Great Australian Bight portion of the Southern Ocean to the southwest, and the Tasman Sea (a marginal sea of
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#17327728572742376-425: Is located 10 km (6 mi) south of Bendigo . Due to its central location and the region's historical ties to the gold rush, the town is widely regarded as the "Heart of Gold". The state's capital, Melbourne, contains about 70% of the state's population and dominates its economy, media, and culture. For other cities and towns, see list of localities (Victoria) and local government areas of Victoria . Victoria
2484-459: Is particularly strong in Bendigo and its environs. In 1854 at Ballarat, an armed rebellion against the government of Victoria was made by miners protesting against mining taxes (the " Eureka Stockade "). This was crushed by British troops, but the confrontation persuaded the colonial authorities to reform the administration of mining concessions (reducing the hated mining licence fees) and extend
2592-495: Is situated in the south-east of the Melbourne Metropolitan Region. The electorate contains the suburbs of Mulgrave and Noble Park North . It also contains parts of the suburbs of Dandenong North , Noble Park , Springvale and Wheelers Hill . The seat previously existed from 1958 to 1967 as a safe Liberal seat. It was abolished in 1967 and replaced by Syndal . Mulgrave was recreated in 2002 as
2700-471: The Australian Bureau of Statistics as being a population cluster of 1,000 or more people. The below figures broadly represent the populations of the contiguous built-up areas of each city: Victoria has a varied climate that ranges from semi-arid temperate with hot summers in the north-west, to temperate and cool along the coast. Victoria's main land feature, the Great Dividing Range, produces
2808-708: The Australian Senate . At state level, the Parliament of Victoria consists of the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council . The Labor Party , led by Jacinta Allan as premier , has governed Victoria since 2014. The Governor of Victoria , the representative of the monarch in the state, is currently Margaret Gardner . Victoria is divided into 79 local government areas , as well as several unincorporated areas which
2916-600: The Middle East . Victoria's population is ageing in proportion with the average of the remainder of the Australian population. About 72% of Victorians are Australian-born. This figure falls to around 66% in Melbourne but rises to higher than 95% in some rural areas in the north west of the state. Less than 1% of Victorians identify themselves as Aboriginal . More than 75% of Victorians live in Melbourne, located in
3024-727: The South Pacific Ocean ) to the southeast. The state encompasses a range of climates and geographical features from its temperate coastal and central regions to the Victorian Alps in the northeast and the semi-arid northwest. The majority of the Victorian population is concentrated in the central-south area surrounding Port Phillip , and in particular within the metropolitan area of Greater Melbourne , Victoria's state capital and largest city and also Australia's second-largest city , where over three-quarters of
3132-609: The Victoria State Government has divided Victoria into five regions covering all parts of the state. The five regional Victoria divisions are: The Australian Bureau of Meteorology defines regions for its own purposes, some of which share names with the economic regions, even though the exact boundaries may not correlate. As of November 2014, they are: This is a list of places in the Australian state of Victoria by population. Urban centres are defined by
3240-647: The Victorian state election , VicRoads compiled a report of the most dangerous level crossings in Victoria and handed it to the Napthine Liberal-Nationals government . In its 2014 state election manifesto, the then Labor opposition announced that, if elected, it would remove 50 level crossings by grade separation , with 20 to be removed by 2018. Although the majority of crossings announced by Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews were included in
3348-627: The Yorta Yorta . There were more than 30 Aboriginal languages spoken in the area prior to European colonisation. In 1770 James Cook claimed the east coast of the Australian continent for the Kingdom of Great Britain . The first European settlement in the area occurred in 1803 at Sullivan Bay . Much of Victoria was included in 1836 in the Port Phillip District of New South Wales. Named in honour of Queen Victoria , Victoria
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3456-674: The electoral franchise . The following year, the Imperial Parliament granted Victoria responsible government with the passage of the Colony of Victoria Act 1855. Some of the leaders of the Eureka rebellion went on to become members of the Victorian Parliament. In 1857, reflecting the growing presence of Irish Catholic immigrants, John O'Shanassy became the colony's second Premier with the former Young Irelander , Charles Gavan Duffy as his deputy. Melbourne's Protestant establishment
3564-505: The pink heath (state flower), Leadbeater's possum (state animal) and the helmeted honeyeater (state bird). Ecological communities include Victorian Volcanic Plain grasslands , Northern Plains Grassland and Gippsland Plains Grassy Woodland , all of which are critically endangered. According to Geoscience Australia , the geographic centre of Victoria is located in Mandurang at 36° 51' 15"S, 144° 16' 52" E. The small rural locality
3672-546: The population growth peak of 1969–72. In 2017, Victoria recorded a TFR of 1.724. The "average Victorian" according to the demographic statistics may be described as follows: In the year ending September 2020, the statistics were skewed by the introduction of six new public safety offences relating to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia . Total offences numbered 551,710, with 32,713 of these being breaches of Chief Health Officer Directions. The total offences occurred at
3780-410: The 2016 census, 72.2% of Victorians speak English at home. Speakers of other languages include Mandarin (3.2%), Italian (1.9%), Greek (1.9%), Vietnamese (1.7%), and Arabic (1.3%). In the 2016 Census, 47.9% of Victorians described themselves as Christian , 10.6% stated that they followed other religions and 32.1% stated that they had no religion or held secular or other spiritual beliefs. In
3888-440: The 2016 census, the most commonly nominated ancestries were: 0.8% of the population, or 47,788 people, identified as Indigenous Australians ( Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders ) in 2016. At the 2016 census, 64.9% of residents were born in Australia. The other most common countries of birth were England (2.9%), India (2.9%), Mainland China (2.7%), New Zealand (1.6%) and Vietnam (1.4%). As of
3996-566: The 2022 level crossing removal works, and would include an upgrade of the Upfield Bike Path . In October 2022, the government committed to removing an extra four level crossings on the Ballarat line between Caroline Springs and Melton stations by 2028. Proposed removal methods for the level crossings at Exford Road and Coburns Road is by constructing a rail trench (since revised to a rail bridge) and lowering Melton station, while
4104-715: The Andrews government announced an additional two level crossing removals for the Sunbury line and one on the Hurstbridge line . These crossings are located at Old Calder Highway and Watsons Road, Diggers Rest , and Ruthven St, Macleod . These crossings will be removed by 2026 via the construction of a road bridge for the Sunbury line removals and a rail bridge for the Hurstbridge line. At the conclusion of these removals,
4212-597: The Andrews government announced the removal of an additional 25 level crossings by 2030, bringing the total to 110. Previously its own administrative agency, in 2019 the LXRP became a project within the Major Transport Infrastructure Authority , an office of the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning . As of August 2024, 84 crossings have been removed and 48 train stations have been built or rebuilt as part of
4320-637: The Auditor-General stated the new process has improved the project’s cost-effectiveness because it uses delivery efficiency as one of the criteria for site selection. The Auditor-General noted the Department and the Major Transport Infrastructure Authority had fully addressed seven of its recommendations, partially addressed one and was working to address two more, but warned that the project had not completed
4428-510: The Bass Strait islands became separated from mainland Australia around 12,000 BP, when the sea level was approximately 50m below present levels. Port Phillip was flooded by post-glacial rising sea levels between 8,000 and 6,000 years ago. Oral history and creation stories from the Wada wurrung , Woiwurrung and Bun wurrung languages describe the flooding of the bay. Hobsons Bay was once
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4536-524: The Belgrave and Lilydale lines. In 2023, these two stations were closed and amalgamated into the new Union station located in-between the two former locations as part of the removals of Mont Albert and Union roads project. This amalgamation has received criticism, with opponents highlighting how the increased distances from the two shopping centres on Union Road and Hamilton Street will negatively impact local mobility. Despite community criticism, this project
4644-565: The Infrastructure Sustainability Council (ISC), the highest rating ever awarded in Australia. Some of the most significant changes to Melbourne's urban structure from the LXRP have resulted from the construction of large sections of elevated rail, something that was relatively rare in Melbourne. In 2016, the government announced that 8.3 kilometres (5.2 mi) of elevated rail would be built in Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs to remove nine level crossings on
4752-596: The King), the executive (the Government), and two legislative chambers. The Parliament of Victoria consists of the lower house Legislative Assembly , the upper house Legislative Council and the monarch . Eighty-eight members of the Legislative Assembly are elected to four-year terms from single-member electorates. In November 2006, the Victorian Legislative Council elections were held under
4860-467: The LXRP surpassed the State Government's 2014 election commitment of removing 20 level crossings by 2018, having officially removed 29 crossings. In the lead up to the 2018 state election , Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews pledged to remove a further 25 level crossings across Melbourne at a cost of $ 6.6 billion by 2025. The locations of the additional removals were announced progressively over
4968-512: The LXRP's original fifty level crossing removals found that the speed and cost of the project carried significant risks. The report criticised the Level Crossing Removal Authority for its haste in delivering the program, and found that the rapid pace of the project had contributed to a failure to properly assess the merits of each grade separation. In 2017, the project's cost was found to have increased to $ 8.3 billion,
5076-558: The LXRP, including its urban design opportunities and how it has contributed to the revitalisation of public transportation in Melbourne. Other academics such as Monash University researcher Graham Currie have been critical of the project, arguing the travel time savings resulting from the project were low and did not justify the cost. A report released in December 2017 by the Victorian Auditor-General's Office in
5184-545: The Pakenham and Cranbourne rail corridor and build five new elevated stations at Carnegie , Murrumbeena , Hughesdale , Clayton and Noble Park . Dubbed "sky rail" by opponents and some media outlets, the LXRP spurred significant local opposition due to concerns over visual and noise impacts, and lack of consultation. The project became a political issue in the 2018 state election, although one opinion poll commissioned by The Age newspaper found 60% of Victorians supported
5292-695: The Sunbury line will be fully level crossing free. The government announced an additional three removals and two closures on the Werribee line on 27 October 2022. Along with the four already removed on the Werribee line, these removals would make the line level crossing free by 2030, and allow for additional services and the construction of the Geelong Fast Rail project. The crossings at Hudsons Road, Spotswood , Maddox Road, Newport , and Maidstone Street, Altona . These crossings will be removed with
5400-414: The brigs Dragon and Amity , took a number of convicts and a small force composed of detachments of the 3rd and 93rd regiments. The expedition landed at Settlement Point (now Corinella ), on the eastern side of Western Port Bay, which was the headquarters until the abandonment of Western Port at the insistence of Governor Darling about 12 months afterwards. Victoria's next settlement was at Portland , on
5508-470: The building within the precinct, although the extent of the retention is not clear. Other crossing removals have had their heritage structures restored for reuse. At Moreland station , the original heritage station building that opened in 1884 was restored and turned into additional station facilities. Heritage restorations are common across the removals, with other examples including the signals box at Gardiner railway station turning into bike parking, and
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#17327728572745616-612: The categories of sustainability , architecture , and urban design . The Reservoir station project was presented the 'Special Prize Exterior' award in the Passenger Stations category at the World Architecture and Design Award at the 2021 Prix Versailles. The Toorak Road level crossing removal topped the infrastructure category of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects awards due to
5724-484: The centre of Victoria. Average temperatures are less than 9 °C (48 °F) in winter and below 0 °C (32 °F) in the highest parts of the ranges. The state's lowest minimum temperature of −11.7 °C (10.9 °F) was recorded at Omeo on 15 June 1965, and again at Falls Creek on 3 July 1970. Temperature extremes for the state are listed in the table below: Rainfall in Victoria increases from south to
5832-417: The conclusion of the project. In response, the government has stated more trees were planted than were there originally, as part of expanded parkland at the site. The state opposition has highlighted and campaigned on tree loss due to major infrastructure projects. The loss of heritage railways stations and the impact on heritage architecture has been a source of controversy and a key design consideration for
5940-582: The conclusion of these additional 35 removals, the Pakenham , Cranbourne , and Lilydale lines will have no road level crossings for their entire length, with these announcements pushing the number of crossing removals to 85 by 2025. In the lead up to the 2022 state election , the Andrews government announced a further 25 level crossing removals, bringing the total number of removals to 110 by 2030. Many of these removals will be delivered together and include
6048-402: The corridor. According to a newspaper report, more than 10,000 trees have been cut down since 2014 to allow for the construction of Victorian infrastructure projects—including hundreds of trees for the LXRP. During the level crossing removal at Moreland Road, a campaign against the removal of 100 mature trees was unsuccessful, with a local councillor claiming only three or four trees remained at
6156-602: The country's first federal capital. Victoria's northern border follows a straight line from Cape Howe to the start of the Murray River and then follows the Murray River as the remainder of the northern border. On the Murray River, the border is the southern bank of the river. This precise definition was not established until 1980, when a ruling by Justice Ninian Stephen of the High Court of Australia settled
6264-479: The course of 2018 through a new prioritisation framework based on safety, congestion , and proximity to emergency services . In July 2021, the State Government announced the removal of an additional ten level crossings and four closures by the end of 2025 at a cost of $ 2.5 billion. These removals will include the reconstruction of five stations across the network, with stations to be rebuilt at Croydon , Keon Park , Narre Warren , Parkdale , and Ringwood East . At
6372-874: The culturally diverse population live (35.1% of inhabitants being immigrants ). The state is also home to four of Australia's 20 largest cities : Melbourne , Geelong , Ballarat and Bendigo . Victoria is home to numerous Aboriginal groups, including the Boonwurrung , the Bratauolung , the Djadjawurrung , the Gunai , the Gunditjmara , the Taungurung , the Wathaurong , the Wurundjeri , and
6480-470: The denser inner- and middle-suburbs, have involved lowering the rail line into a trench or elevating the rail line above the road. Some projects in outer suburbs, such as Gap Road near Sunbury station or Station Street near Beaconsfield station , have involved lowering or raising the road without altering the existing rail corridor. This is enabled by the additional space surrounding the railway line. As noted by University of Melbourne researchers in 2016,
6588-420: The design of the new public parkland, cycling paths, and open space. The elevated rail project from Moreland to Coburg stations saw landscape architects Tract win the Infrastructure Award of Excellence for their landscape and urban design work on the project, with the judging panel "particularly impressed with the urban renewal of the area". The Bell to Moreland project was also awarded a score of 98 points from
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#17327728572746696-404: The dinging sound of boom gates coming down and the frustration that comes with it, that’s why we’re getting rid of them – saving lives, easing congestion and getting you home sooner." But controversy over design choices and the cost of the project has also prompted opposition. Liberal MP Brad Rowswell criticised the Andrews government for a lack of community consultation and local feedback on
6804-445: The end of the Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP), 66 level crossings will remain. Over two-thirds of these grade separations were constructed between 1863 and 1918, with fewer than one level crossing removal per year between 1918 and 2015. The commitment by the government to remove 110 level crossings over sixteen years, by 2030, represents the fastest rate of crossing removals in Melbourne's history. In June 2014, five months prior to
6912-411: The first year of the Andrews government’s term and several were completed before the 2018 election. Commuters benefited from more trains, drivers from less traffic." The government's messaging on the project has focused on these localised benefits, public safety, and the prevalence of level crossings within Melbourne. Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan said in 2021: "Every Victorian knows
7020-403: The heritage Parkdale railway station buildings. This request has been denied by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning as well as Heritage Victoria on grounds that the structure is "not of state-level cultural heritage significance". Nonetheless, in response to the local campaign to preserve the original heritage station building, the LXRP announced it would retain and repurpose
7128-437: The inland monthly temperatures are 2–7 °C (4–13 °F) warmer than around Melbourne (see chart). Victoria's highest maximum temperature of 48.8 °C (119.8 °F) was recorded in Hopetoun on 7 February 2009, during the 2009 southeastern Australia heat wave . The Victorian Alps in the northeast are the coldest part of Victoria. The Alps are part of the Great Dividing Range mountain system extending east–west through
7236-402: The local public health positive and negative impacts from the removal of level crossings on the Upfield line, including significant construction impacts. The study found that by improving road connections the project could help induce more car usage, but that this could be offset by improving pedestrian and cycling connections. The LXRP has received numerous awards for their different projects in
7344-409: The national capital in 1927. The state continued to grow strongly through various periods of the 20th and 21st centuries due to high levels of international and interstate migration. Melbourne hosts a number of museums, art galleries, and theatres; in 2016 a sports marketing company named it the world's sporting capital. Victoria has 38 seats in the Australian House of Representatives and 12 seats in
7452-461: The northeast, with higher averages in areas of high altitude. Mean annual rainfall exceeds 1,800 millimetres (71 inches) in some parts of the northeast but is less than 280 mm (11 in) in the Mallee. Rain is heaviest in the Otway Ranges and Gippsland in southern Victoria and in the mountainous northeast. Snow generally falls only in the mountains and hills in the centre of the state. Rain falls most frequently in winter, but summer precipitation
7560-423: The original 50 level crossing removals after further community consultations. This pushed the number of level crossing removals to 53. These removals were completed on the Glen Waverley , Frankston , Sunbury , Belgrave , Lilydale , Upfield , Pakenham , Cranbourne , Werribee , Craigieburn , and Mernda lines by May 2022. Electoral district of Mulgrave (Victoria) The electoral district of Mulgrave
7668-423: The original 50 removals were featured in the top 50 of a 2008 list by the Department of Transport of the state's most dangerous level crossings. 28 of these were prioritised on a 2013 VicRoads removal list which was handed to the Napthine government . Since these findings, the LXRP has developed and applied a transparent process to select sites for the additional level crossing removals. In a follow-up 2020 report,
7776-529: The priority list, ten of the crossings highlighted by VicRoads were not on the opposition's list. The sites of all 50 level crossing removals were progressively announced over the following two years after the election of the Andrews government in November 2014. In September 2016, the Port of Melbourne lease concluded, providing $ 9.7 billion for infrastructure, including funding for the remaining 30 level crossing removals to be completed by mid-2022. In October 2018,
7884-407: The program "transformational" and "suburb moulding" in comments about the Andrews government's infrastructure projects. Other local newspapers, such as The Age and Herald Sun , have been critical of the project and have highlighted local opposition in their reporting. The Public Transport Users Association has campaigned for level-crossing removals, and has welcomed the LXRP and its benefits to
7992-531: The project and claimed that the government was out of touch with the community. Shadow Minister for Transport Infrastructure David Davis criticised the project for its cost, arguing that “without a comprehensive business case, there is simply no proper economic justification for the Level Crossing Removal Program". The ongoing disruption of roadworks for the project was also an issue in some suburbs. The Guardian Australia has called
8100-417: The project is more than 38% more expensive than its initial $ 5–6 billion estimated price tag. The Auditor-General criticised the selection of crossings, stating that the value of the project was compromised by the apparent political motivation for some crossing removals at the expense of more dangerous or congested intersections. In their report, the Auditor-General found that only 32 of the crossings chosen in
8208-409: The project, were happy with the outcome and utilised the new open space. The removal of mature trees for level crossing removal works has been a source of controversy with some local residents and project critics. Due to the nature of the LXRP, trees need to be cut down or relocated from the site to allow for construction works. This is a particular issue for projects where the rail line is lowered into
8316-469: The project. When Melbourne's rail network was built, many road-railway crossings were via level crossing rather than bridges or underpasses due to the city's flat topography and sparse population. As traffic levels increased, these became bottlenecks for road and rail traffic, limiting the speed and frequency of train services. In 1954, the State Government established a committee to look at
8424-489: The project. During the removal of a level crossing or rebuild of a railway station, heritage station buildings or existing railway infrastructure may be impacted. Some heritage buildings have been demolished, while others have been retained, moved or adapted for other uses, such as at Clayton and Mentone stations. At the Warrigal Road level crossing removal, Kingston Council have called for heritage protection for
8532-405: The project. Rebuilt stations have subsequently delivered improve facilities for passengers, including new toilet facilities, drinking fountains, increased levels of accessibility, better integration with surrounding transport connections, and higher quality architectural designs, amongst other benefits. Whilst the majority of stations demolished as part of the project have been rebuilt and reopened,
8640-408: The public transport system, with spokesman Daniel Bowen highlighting how the projects "bring a lot of pluses to the wider community, and [how] it’s good to finally see progress on them." The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria have also campaigned for level crossing removals, and have welcomed announcements of crossing removals. Academics Ian Woodcock and John Stone have highlighted the benefits from
8748-561: The question as to which state had jurisdiction in the unlawful death of a man on an island in the middle of the river. The ruling clarified that no part of the watercourse is in Victoria. The border also rests at the southern end of the Great Dividing Range , which stretches along the east coast and terminates west of Ballarat. It is bordered by South Australia to the west and shares Australia's shortest land border with Tasmania . The official border between Victoria and Tasmania
8856-580: The region of southern Victoria and onto the land bridge of the Bassian plain to Tasmania by at least 35,000 years ago. During the Ice Age about 20,000 years BP , the area now the bay of Port Phillip would have been dry land, and the Yarra and Werribee rivers would have joined to flow through the heads then south and south west through the Bassian plain before meeting the ocean to the west. Tasmania and
8964-657: The removal of level crossings at Clifton Hill , Elsternwick , Footscray , Moorabbin , and Newport . These projects were completed by 1960. In 1983, the level crossing at Station Street, Box Hill , was removed. Other level crossing removals include Dorset Road, Boronia , in 1998 and Middleborough Road, Laburnum , in 2007. In the early 2010s, level crossings were removed at Nunawading (2010), Springvale (2014), Sunshine (2014) and Mitcham (2014). As of 2014, there were 176 level crossings left on metropolitan Melbourne's rail network (5 of which involved tram lines ) and 228 places where railways had been separated from roads; by
9072-499: The road closures, arguing there would be significant impacts to local car journeys. Similar objections were raised during the 2022 state election by the state opposition over the closure of Latrobe Street in Cheltenham , which similarly is located close to two other grade separated crossings completed in 2020. Due to a large portion of level crossings also having adjacently located stations, many stations have been rebuilt as part of
9180-574: The roads will be elevated over tracks to get rid of the Hopkins Road and Ferris Road level crossings. Seven more crossing removals and two closures were announced in October 2022 for the Frankston line . These level crossings would be removed by 2029 and would make the line level crossing free for its entire length. Four stations will be rebuilt as part of the removals at Highett , Mordialloc , Aspendale and Seaford . On 21 and 25 October 2022,
9288-410: The sale proceeds from the privatisation of the Port of Melbourne . Prior to the 2018 state election , the government committed to remove a further 25 level crossings, using a new prioritisation framework. In 2021, the government announced a further ten level crossing removals and four level crossing closures would occur by 2025, bringing the total planned level crossing removals to 85 by 2025. In 2022,
9396-503: The same time as the rail line will be elevated above Hudsons Road in nearby Spotswood and at Maddox Road in Newport with new grade-separated pedestrian and cycling crossings also built. According to the government, this solution is required is due to the constrained site, significant heritage impacts that would arise from grade separation, and the relatively low level of car traffic on the roads. Some local residents, however, have objected to
9504-401: The scale of the project had significant urban renewal implications for the city: Each crossing removal affects, on average, at least a kilometre of rail corridor and, within the urban area, this usually includes a station. In some instances, topography has required the removal of more than one crossing to meet rail engineering requirements as well as longer sections of corridor becoming part of
9612-622: The south west coast of what is now Victoria. Edward Henty settled Portland Bay in 1834. Melbourne was founded in 1835 by John Batman , who set up a base in Indented Head , and John Pascoe Fawkner . From settlement, the region around Melbourne was known as the Port Phillip District, a separately administered part of New South Wales. Shortly after, the site now known as Geelong was surveyed by Assistant Surveyor W. H. Smythe, three weeks after Melbourne. And in 1838, Geelong
9720-493: The state administers directly. The state of Victoria was home to many Aboriginal Australian nations that had occupied the land for tens of thousands of years before European settlement . According to Gary Presland , Aboriginal people have lived in Victoria for about 40,000 years, living a semi-nomadic existence of fishing, hunting and gathering, and farming eels. At the Keilor Archaeological Site ,
9828-474: The state capital Melbourne . The project aims to improve network efficiency, rail safety, and reduce traffic congestion . After pledging the removal of 50 level crossings at the 2014 Victorian state election , the Andrews Government committed $ 2.4 billion in the 2015–2016 budget to remove the first 20 crossings by 2018. The next 30 crossings were notionally funded through the hypothecation of
9936-666: The state's south. The greater Melbourne metropolitan area is home to an estimated 5,207,145 people. Urban centres outside Melbourne include Geelong , Ballarat , Bendigo , Shepparton , Mildura , Warrnambool , Wodonga and the Latrobe Valley . Victoria is Australia's most urbanised state: nearly 90% of residents living in cities and towns. State Government efforts to decentralise population have included an official campaign run since 2003 to encourage Victorians to settle in regional areas, however Melbourne continues to rapidly outpace these areas in terms of population growth. At
10044-453: The station building at North Williamstown railway station being restored into community and station facilities. The use of road closures to remove level crossings has been a source of controversy. The government has used crossing closures in select cases where there are nearby crossing removal projects or existing grade-separated major roads. For example, the crossings at Anderson Street, Yarraville, and Champion Road, Newport will be closed at
10152-523: The survey, 31.7% of Victorians stated they had no religion, Roman Catholics were 23.2%, 9.4% did not answer the question, 9% were Anglican and 3.5% were Eastern Orthodox . In 2017 the proportion of couples marrying in a civil ceremony in Victoria was 77.3%; the other 22.7% were married in a religious ceremony. The government predicts that nearly a quarter of Victorians will be aged over 60 by 2021. The 2016 census revealed that Australian median age has crept upward from 35 to 37 since 2001, which reflects
10260-551: The then-new Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources to deliver the project. Later, the LXRA led delivery of other rail projects, including extension of the South Morang line to Mernda , upgrades of the Hurstbridge and Cranbourne lines, as well as a rebuilt Frankston station . The authority also delivered a new stabling facility north of Wyndham Vale station and train storage at Kananook . The LXRA
10368-566: The treaty is unknown, although it is believed to have been by the Merri Creek . According to historian Meyer Eidelson, it is generally believed to have occurred on the Merri near modern-day Rushall Station. On 1 July 1851, writs were issued for the election of the first Victorian Legislative Council, and the absolute independence of Victoria from New South Wales was established proclaiming a new Colony of Victoria. Days later, still in 1851 gold
10476-505: The use of elevated rail to remove level crossings, and the government was returned at the election with an increased majority. Prior to the election, the government announced more sections of elevated rail on the Pakenham line. Some experts argued elevated rail offered a better urban outcome than trenched rail, providing opportunities for more open space, economic development, better local connections and less disruption from construction. The Caulfield to Dandenong level crossing removals created
10584-521: The west and northwest. There is an extensive series of river systems in Victoria. Most notable is the Murray River system. Other rivers include: Ovens River , Goulburn River , Patterson River , King River , Campaspe River , Loddon River , Wimmera River , Elgin River, Barwon River , Thomson River , Snowy River , Latrobe River , Yarra River , Maribyrnong River , Mitta River , Hopkins River , Merri River and Kiewa River . The state symbols include
10692-472: The works. On the face of it, this means that the current seventy-five crossing removals could result in seventy-five kilometres of transformed rail corridors and fifty-seven new stations – more than a quarter of Melbourne’s total. The researchers emphasised the urban benefits from new elevated rail over trenched rail, including the creation of new parkland and open space, arguing wider benefits could be achieved beyond reducing traffic congestion. One study examined
10800-496: The world" and the largest gold nugget . In the decade 1851–1860 Victoria produced 20 million ounces of gold, one-third of the world's output. In 1855 the Geological Survey collected and determined the major ion chemistry for groundwater in Victoria. Immigrants arrived from all over the world to search for gold, especially from Ireland and China. By 1857, 26,000 Chinese miners worked in Victoria, and their legacy
10908-463: Was abolished as an independent administrative office following the 2018 state election, and its functions were absorbed into the newly formed Major Transport Infrastructure Authority at the Department of Transport . The LXRP has used several different design approaches to removing level crossings, tailoring designs to different urban settings around Melbourne. Most projects, particularly those in
11016-497: Was briefly Premier. In 1893 widespread bank failures brought to an end a sustained period of prosperity and of increasingly wild speculation in land and construction. Melbourne nonetheless retained, as the legacy of the gold rush, its status as Australia's primary financial centre and largest city. In 1901, Victoria became a state in the Commonwealth of Australia . While Canberra was being built, Melbourne served until 1927 as
11124-433: Was completed in 2023 with the removal of two level crossings and the opening of the new Union station. The LXRP has generally been seen as a political success for the Andrews government . Journalist Benita Kolovos argued it was the quick rollout of the program and the visible, tangible benefits it delivered to communities that drove its electoral success. She wrote: "It was promised at the 2014 election, construction began in
11232-523: Was declared void as Batman did not have permission from the Crown to establish Melbourne. Today, the meaning and interpretation of this treaty is contested. Some argue it was a pretence for taking Aboriginal land in exchange for trinkets, while others argue it was significant in that it sought to recognise Aboriginal land rights . The exact location of the meeting between Batman and the Kulin men with whom he made
11340-434: Was discovered near Ballarat , and subsequently at Bendigo . Later discoveries occurred at many sites across Victoria. This triggered one of the largest gold rushes the world has ever seen. The colony grew rapidly in both population and economic power. In 10 years, the population of Victoria increased sevenfold from 76,000 to 540,000. All sorts of gold records were produced, including the "richest shallow alluvial goldfield in
11448-531: Was ill-prepared "to countenance so startling a novelty". In 1858–59, Melbourne Punch cartoons linked Duffy and O'Shanassy to the terrors of the French Revolution . In 1862 Duffy's Land Act attempted, but failed, through a system of extended pastoral licences, to break the land-holding monopoly of the so-called "squatter" class . In 1871, having led, on behalf of small farmers, opposition to Premier Sir James McCulloch 's land tax , Duffy, himself,
11556-657: Was officially declared a town, despite earlier European settlements dating back to 1826. On 6 June 1835, just under two years before Melbourne was officially recognised as a settlement, John Batman, the leader of the Port Phillip Association presented Wurundjeri Elders with a land use agreement. This document, now referred to as the Batman treaty , was later given to the British government to claim that local Aboriginal people had given Batman access to their land in exchange for goods and rations. The treaty itself
11664-466: Was separated from New South Wales and established as a separate Crown colony in 1851, achieving responsible government in 1855. The Victorian gold rush in the 1850s and 1860s significantly increased Victoria's population and wealth. By the time of Australian Federation in 1901, Melbourne had become the largest city in Australasia , and was the seat of Federal government until Canberra became
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