143-528: The Western Rail Plan is a proposed metropolitan rail infrastructure project in Melbourne , Australia. The project was initially announced during the 2018 Victorian state election by the State Government. It includes the electrification of two currently existing regional lines to Melton and Wyndham Vale , and other network capacity upgrades. The electrification to Melton is part of Stage 3 of
286-612: A "super-hub" for the Seymour and North East regional lines. The 2021 SRL business case proposed opening SRL North in two stages, the first running from Box Hill to Reservoir and the second between Reservoir and Melbourne Airport. The under-construction Melbourne Airport rail link between the airport and Sunshine station will form the SRL Airport section of the loop, with one intermediate station at Keilor East . Trains will not continue onto Werribee, however, but will run into
429-507: A 32-minute journey between Geelong and Melbourne. Daniel Bowen , spokesman for the Public Transport Users Association , said the high-speed train project would boost regional development, and relieve overcrowding and delays on citybound trains from the west. The Andrews state government gave $ 50 million to develop the business case. The federal government promised to provide $ 2 billion for the project, provided
572-505: A Hansom Cab (1886), the fastest-selling crime novel of the era, is set in Melbourne, as is Australia's best-selling book of poetry, The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke (1915) by C. J. Dennis . Contemporary Melbourne authors who have set novels in the city include Peter Carey , Helen Garner and Gerald Murnane . Melbourne has Australia's widest range of bookstores, as well as the nation's largest publishing sector. The city also hosts
715-631: A campaign for the electrification to Melton in May 2018, around six months before the 2018 state election. Along with electrification, they called for 12 peak-hour electric trains from Melton, and off-peak services every 20 minutes by 2026, as well as 10-car trains and trains every 10 minutes at all non-peak times by 2030. A publication by the City of Brimbank warned that if those measures were not taken, there would be chronic overcrowding. Planning for electrification to Melton and Wyndham Vale started in mid-2021 and
858-673: A campaign to revive the economy with an aggressive development campaign of public works coupled with the promotion of the city as a tourist destination with a focus on major events and sports tourism. During this period the Australian Grand Prix moved to Melbourne from Adelaide . Major projects included the construction of a new facility for the Melbourne Museum , Federation Square , the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre , Crown Casino and
1001-765: A city. On 1 July 1851, the Port Phillip District separated from New South Wales to become the Colony of Victoria, with Melbourne as its capital. The discovery of gold in Victoria in mid-1851 sparked a gold rush , and Melbourne, the colony's major port, experienced rapid growth. Within months, the city's population had nearly doubled from 25,000 to 40,000 inhabitants. Exponential growth ensued, and by 1865 Melbourne had overtaken Sydney as Australia's most populous city. An influx of intercolonial and international migrants, particularly from Europe and China, saw
1144-502: A contributing factor to the Australian economic depression of the 1890s and the Australian banking crisis of 1893 . The effects of the depression on the city were profound, with virtually no significant construction until the late 1890s. At the time of Australia's federation on 1 January 1901 Melbourne became the seat of government of the federated Commonwealth of Australia . The first federal parliament convened on 9 May 1901 in
1287-463: A major renewal of the CBD and St Kilda Road which significantly modernised the city. New fire regulations and redevelopment saw most of the taller pre-war CBD buildings either demolished or partially retained through a policy of facadism . Many of the larger suburban mansions from the boom era were also either demolished or subdivided. To counter the trend towards low-density suburban residential growth,
1430-620: A middle suburb long proposed for the terminus of a new rail line ; Heidelberg station on the Hurstbridge line ; Reservoir station on the Mernda line ; Bundoora , home to the main campus of La Trobe University ; Broadmeadows station on the Craigieburn line ; and the airport itself. This section of the SRL would also be constructed entirely underground, and Broadmeadows would function as
1573-629: A pastoral estate in Bulleen , now the Heide Museum of Modern Art . The city is also home to the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art , as well as numerous independent galleries and artist-run spaces. In the 2000s, street art proliferated in Melbourne , with Banksy saying its graffiti scene "leads the world", and "laneway galleries" becoming major tourist sites; Hosier Lane for example attracts more Instagram hashtags than some of
SECTION 10
#17328025631941716-599: A perceived lack of resources, these settlers relocated to Van Diemen's Land (present-day Tasmania ) and founded the city of Hobart . It would be 30 years before another settlement was attempted. In May and June 1835, John Batman , a leading member of the Port Phillip Association in Van Diemen's Land, explored the Melbourne area, and later claimed to have negotiated a purchase of 2,400 km (600,000 acres) with eight Wurundjeri elders. However,
1859-727: A prominent example of the latter style in the CBD. The 1926 Nicholas Building is the city's grandest example of the Chicago School style, while the influence of Art Deco is apparent in the Manchester Unity Building , completed in 1932. The city also features the Shrine of Remembrance , which was built as a memorial to the men and women of Victoria who served in World War I and is now a memorial to all Australians who have served in war. Residential architecture
2002-456: A rapid clearing trend to sunny and relatively calm weather and the temperature rising back to what it was before the shower. This can occur in the space of minutes and can be repeated many times a day, giving Melbourne a reputation for having "four seasons in one day", a phrase that is part of local popular culture . The lowest temperature on record is −2.8 °C (27.0 °F), on 21 July 1869. The highest temperature recorded in Melbourne city
2145-609: A re-elected Labor government would undertake "the biggest public transport building program in Australian history", in a speech to the Committee for Economic Development of Australia . The comments were interpreted as a hint that as-yet-unannounced projects would be revealed closer to the election, although Andrews provided no detail in his speech. On 27 August, Andrews revealed plans for the Suburban Rail Loop for
2288-539: A similar orbital freeway through the eastern suburbs, opened in 2008, but was less successful, failing to reduce traffic meaningfully on parallel arterials such as Springvale Road . Detailed plans for the North East Link , connecting the Ring Road and EastLink to complete the orbital route, were released in 2018, with construction expected to start in 2020 for an anticipated completion date of 2027. Despite
2431-467: Is Southern Cross station . It also has Australia's most extensive freeway network and the largest urban tram network in the world . Aboriginal Australians have lived in the Melbourne area for at least 40,000 years. When European colonisers arrived in the 19th century, at least 20,000 Kulin people from three distinct language groups – the Wurundjeri , Bunurong and Wathaurong – resided in
2574-545: Is a 26 km (16 mi) underground link from Cheltenham to Box Hill via Monash University . Construction commenced in 2022 and is expected to open in 2035. The second section, SRL North , will be a 34 km (21 mi) underground extension of SRL East from Box Hill to Melbourne Airport , via La Trobe University . Construction is not expected to commence until the 2030s, with completion by 2053. This section may be split into two projects due to its length and cost. The third section, SRL Airport, will be formed by
2717-484: Is an automated rapid transit system under construction in Melbourne , Victoria , Australia . The system is divided into four distinct sections. The two main sections, SRL East and SRL North, would eventually together form a single 60 km (37 mi) fully automated orbital metro line through the city's middle suburbs, with 13 stations between Cheltenham and Melbourne Airport connecting to eight existing Melbourne rail lines . The first section, SRL East ,
2860-627: Is becoming unaffordable for some. Public housing is managed and provided by the Victorian Government's Department of Families, Fairness and Housing , and operates within the framework of the Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement, by which both federal and state governments provide funding for housing. Melbourne is experiencing high population growth, generating high demand for housing. This housing boom has increased house prices and rents, as well as
3003-471: Is four to five carriages long, allowing shorter platforms. The Premier announced an intention to use private investment to help fund the line, but did not indicate whether the line would be driverless . In 2020, the government committed a further $ 2.2 billion for initial and early works on the loop, with expressions of interest opened for contractors to deliver these works. Jacinta Allan , who in her role as Minister for Transport Infrastructure had overseen
SECTION 20
#17328025631943146-619: Is home to more skyscrapers than any other Australian city , the tallest being Australia 108 , situated in Southbank. Melbourne's newest planned skyscraper, Southbank By Beulah (also known as "Green Spine"), has recently been approved for construction and will be the tallest structure in Australia by 2025. The CBD and surrounds also contain many significant historic buildings such as the Royal Exhibition Building ,
3289-561: Is known for its music, theatre and arts scenes, as well as its diverse range of cultural events and festivals, including the Melbourne International Arts Festival , Melbourne Fringe Festival and Moomba , Australia's largest free community festival. For much of the 2010s, Melbourne topped The Economist Intelligence Unit 's list of the world's most liveable cities , partly due to its cultural attributes. State Library Victoria , founded in 1854,
3432-437: Is largely protected from the ocean, resulting in greater temperature variation across seasons. Melbourne's urban area is approximately 2,704 km , the largest in Australia and the 33rd largest in the world. The Hoddle Grid , a grid of streets measuring approximately 1 by 1 ⁄ 2 mi (1.61 by 0.80 km), forms the nucleus of Melbourne's central business district (CBD). The grid's southern edge fronts onto
3575-693: Is not defined by a single architectural style, but rather an eclectic mix of large McMansion -style houses (particularly in areas of urban sprawl), apartment buildings, condominiums, and townhouses which generally characterise the medium-density inner-city neighbourhoods. Freestanding dwellings with relatively large gardens are perhaps the most common type of housing outside inner city Melbourne. Victorian terrace housing, townhouses and historic Italianate , Tudor revival and Neo-Georgian mansions are all common in inner-city neighbourhoods such as Carlton, Fitzroy and further into suburban enclaves like Toorak . Often referred to as Australia's cultural capital, Melbourne
3718-484: Is often referred to as Australia's garden city, and the state of Victoria is known as the garden state . There is an abundance of parks and gardens in Melbourne , many close to the CBD with a variety of common and rare plant species amid landscaped vistas, pedestrian pathways and tree-lined avenues. Melbourne's parks are often considered the best public parks in all of Australia's major cities. There are also many parks in
3861-543: Is one of the world's oldest free public libraries and, as of 2018, the fourth most-visited library globally. During the 19th-century boom period, Melbourne-based authors and poets Marcus Clarke , Adam Lindsay Gordon and Rolf Boldrewood produced classic visions of colonial life, and many visiting writers recorded literary responses to the city: for Henry Kendall , it was a "wild bleak Bohemia", while Henry Kingsley stated that, in its rapid growth, Melbourne "surpasses all human experience". Fergus Hume 's The Mystery of
4004-569: Is still disputed by people on both sides of the dispute including N'arweet Carolyn Briggs . The name Narrm is commonly used by the broader Aboriginal community to refer to the city, stemming from the traditional name recorded for the area on which the Melbourne city centre is built. The word is closely related to Narm-narm , being the Boonwurrung word for Port Phillip Bay . Narrm means scrub in Eastern Kulin languages which reflects
4147-428: Is the most transformative project for any capital city in Australia". Shorten later called the project the " Holy Grail " of public transport projects. Then opposition treasury spokesman Michael O'Brien said that the SRL was a "plan for the next election rather than a plan for the next generation", and called on the government to send its plans to Infrastructure Victoria for independent costings and analysis. Despite
4290-419: Is ultimately about more than just vision. It’s about having the inventiveness, discipline and fiscal capacity to make that vision reality", and suggested that the true test for the SRL would be the government's ability to complete it. Herald Sun political editor Matt Johnston was less supportive of what he called a "highly political" project, arguing that the comparisons to other major global cities ignored
4433-538: The Australian Dream . This, coupled with the popularity of the private automobile after 1945, led to the auto-centric urban structure now present today in the middle and outer suburbs. Much of metropolitan Melbourne is accordingly characterised by low-density sprawl, whilst its inner-city areas feature predominantly medium-density, transit-oriented urban forms. The city centre, Docklands, St. Kilda Road and Southbank areas feature high-density forms. Melbourne
Western Rail Plan - Misplaced Pages Continue
4576-536: The Australian Grand Prix and the Australian Open , and also hosted the 1956 Summer Olympics . Melbourne ranked as the world's most livable city for much of the 2010s. Melbourne Airport is the second-busiest airport in Australia and the Port of Melbourne is the nation's busiest seaport. Its main metropolitan rail terminus is Flinders Street station and its main regional rail and road coach terminus
4719-513: The Boonwurrung , Woiwurrung and the Wurundjeri peoples. In 1803, a short-lived British penal settlement was established at Port Phillip, then part of the Colony of New South Wales . Melbourne was founded in 1835 with the arrival of free settlers from Van Diemen's Land (modern-day Tasmania ). It was incorporated as a Crown settlement in 1837, and named after the then- Prime Minister of
4862-454: The CityLink tollway . Other strategies included the privatisation of some of Melbourne's services, including power and public transport, and a reduction in funding to public services such as health, education and public transport infrastructure. Since the mid-1990s, Melbourne has maintained significant population and employment growth. There has been substantial international investment in
5005-594: The Empire of Japan , and the government requisitioned the Melbourne Cricket Ground for military use. In the immediate years after World War II , Melbourne expanded rapidly, its growth boosted by post-war immigration to Australia , primarily from Southern Europe and the Mediterranean . While the "Paris End" of Collins Street began Melbourne's boutique shopping and open air cafe cultures,
5148-602: The Heidelberg School of impressionists, named after a suburb where they camped to paint en plein air in the 1880s. The Australian tonalists followed in the 1910s, some of whom founded Montsalvat in Eltham , Australia's oldest surviving art colony. Mid-century Melbourne became a stronghold of figurative modernism through the paintings of the Antipodeans and Angry Penguins ; the latter group often met at
5291-617: The Melbourne Airport rail link . There was also concern that the growing community of Bacchus Marsh would not be included in the electrification proposals. The president of the Rail Futures Institute, John Hearsch, said electrification beyond Melton would be necessary to properly serve the growing populations of Ballarat and Bacchus Marsh. In 2024, there were talks of relaunching the Plan, by using new DMU variant of
5434-617: The Melbourne Bounce genre and the Melbourne Shuffle dance style, both of which emerged from the city's underground rave scene. Established in 1861, the National Gallery of Victoria is Australia's oldest and largest art museum, and houses its collection across two sites: NGV International in Southbank and NGV Australia at Federation Square. Several art movements originated in Melbourne, most famously
5577-586: The Melbourne CBD via the Metro Tunnel . Interchange would be required at Melbourne Airport station and Sunshine station to connect with other sections of the SRL. This section would be mostly constructed along the existing railway corridor at surface level, commencing construction at the same time as the SRL East section in 2022. It was originally planned to open in 2029-2030, however, that date
5720-544: The Melbourne Town Hall and Parliament House . Although the area is described as the centre , it is not actually the demographic centre of Melbourne at all, due to an urban sprawl to the southeast, the demographic centre being located at Camberwell . Melbourne is typical of Australian capital cities in that after the turn of the 20th century, it expanded with the underlying notion of a 'quarter acre home and garden' for every family, often referred to locally as
5863-426: The Melbourne Town Hall , St Patrick's cathedral, though many remained incomplete for decades. The layout of the inner suburbs on a largely one-mile grid pattern, cut through by wide radial boulevards and parklands surrounding the central city, was largely established in the 1850s and 1860s. These areas rapidly filled with the ubiquitous terrace houses, as well as with detached houses and grand mansions, while some of
Western Rail Plan - Misplaced Pages Continue
6006-793: The Melbourne Writers Festival and the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards . In 2008, it became the second UNESCO City of Literature . Melbourne is home to many theatres , eight of which are concentrated in the East End Theatre District , including the Victorian era Athenaeum , Her Majesty's and Princess theatres, as well as the Forum and the Regent . Other heritage-listed theatres include
6149-463: The Otway and Macedon Ranges , which block much of the rainfall arriving from the north and west. Port Phillip is often warmer than the surrounding oceans or the land mass, particularly in spring and autumn; this can set up a "bay effect", similar to the " lake effect " seen in colder climates, where showers are intensified leeward of the bay. Relatively narrow streams of heavy showers can often affect
6292-772: The PTV Network Development Plan . Staging of the works component of the plan are being developed alongside the business case for the Melbourne Airport Rail Link . In 2023, following the cancellation of Geelong Fast Rail, the Victorian Government refuted reports that the project was cancelled, saying instead it was a "work in progress". The plan now places trains on the same tracks as the Regional Rail Link , instead of segregating them. The Western Rail Plan
6435-540: The Regional Rail Link project, including two new stations, Wyndham Vale and Tarneit , opening on 21 June 2015. Since the opening of the two stations there has been patronage growth of 131%. Provision was made for other stations at Truganina , Tarneit West (Sayers Road), Davis Road and Black Forest Road. As with the Melton electrification scheme, quadruplication of the line was proposed, to separate regional and metropolitan services. A link between Wyndham Vale and Werribee
6578-483: The Royal Exhibition Building , subsequently moving to the Victorian Parliament House, where it sat until it moved to Canberra in 1927. The Governor-General of Australia resided at Government House in Melbourne until 1930, and many major national institutions remained in Melbourne well into the twentieth century. During World War II the city hosted American military forces who were fighting
6721-852: The Selwyn fault , which transects Mount Martha and Cranbourne . The western portion of the metropolitan area lies within the Victorian Volcanic Plain grasslands vegetation community, and the southeast falls in the Gippsland Plains Grassy Woodland zone. Melbourne extends northward through the undulating bushland valleys of the Yarra Valley 's tributaries— Moonee Ponds Creek (toward Melbourne Airport ), Merri Creek , Darebin Creek and Plenty River . The city reaches southeast through Dandenong to
6864-597: The World Heritage -listed Royal Exhibition Building (1880), the General Post Office (1867), Hotel Windsor (1884) and the Block Arcade (1891). Comparatively little remains of Melbourne's pre-gold rush architecture; St James Old Cathedral (1839) and St Francis' Church (1845) are among the few examples left in the CBD. Many of the CBD's Victorian boom-time landmarks were also demolished in
7007-453: The World Heritage -listed Royal Exhibition Building , with one of the world's tallest skylines . Additional landmarks include the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the National Gallery of Victoria . Noted for its cultural heritage , the city gave rise to Australian rules football , Australian impressionism and Australian cinema , and is noted for its street art , live music and theatre scenes. It hosts major annual sporting events, such as
7150-549: The X'Trapolis 2.0 . Melbourne Melbourne ( / ˈ m ɛ l b ər n / MEL -bərn , locally [ˈmæɫbən] ; Boonwurrung / Woiwurrung : Narrm or Naarm ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria , and the second-most populous city in Australia, after Sydney . Its name generally refers to a 9,993 km (3,858 sq mi) metropolitan area also known as Greater Melbourne , comprising an urban agglomeration of 31 local municipalities , although
7293-505: The Yarra River . More recent office, commercial and public developments in the adjoining districts of Southbank and Docklands have made these areas into extensions of the CBD in all but name. A byproduct of the CBD's layout is its network of lanes and arcades , such as Block Arcade and Royal Arcade . Melbourne's CBD has become Australia's most densely populated area, with approximately 19,500 residents per square kilometre, and
SECTION 50
#17328025631947436-453: The 1969 Plan were a number of orbital freeways, some of which were constructed over the following decades. The M80 Ring Road through the outer western and northern suburbs was constructed in stages between 1989 and 1999, and, by the time of its completion, was claimed by its advocates to have been partly responsible for a massive economic boom in the western suburbs, centred on its points of intersection with existing radial routes. EastLink ,
7579-640: The 2010s the State Government of Victoria initiated a number of major infrastructure projects designed to reduce congestion in Melbourne and encourage economic growth, including the Metro Tunnel , the West Gate Tunnel , the Level Crossing Removal Project and the Suburban Rail Loop . New urban renewal zones were initiated in inner-city areas like Fisherman's Bend and Arden , while suburban growth continued on
7722-472: The 2012 Network Development Plan , which suggested that the line to Melton should be electrified within the next 15 years. Wyndham Vale electrification was Stage 4, which meant the project would be undertaken within 20 years. However, in the revised plan, it was added to stage 3. Six local councils along the Serviceton line , Brimbank , Melton , Moorabool , Ballarat , Ararat and Pyrenees , initiated
7865-675: The Aboriginal elders was annulled by Richard Bourke , the Governor of New South Wales (who at the time governed all of eastern mainland Australia), with compensation paid to members of the association. In 1836, Bourke declared the city the administrative capital of the Port Phillip District of New South Wales , and commissioned the first plan for its urban layout, the Hoddle Grid , in 1837. Known briefly as Batmania,
8008-424: The Aboriginal people of Victoria, in 1839, but their work was nullified by a land policy that favoured squatters who took possession of Aboriginal lands. By 1845, fewer than 240 wealthy Europeans held all the pastoral licences then issued in Victoria and became a powerful political and economic force in Victoria for generations to come. Letters patent of Queen Victoria , issued on 25 June 1847, declared Melbourne
8151-457: The Airport opening by 2043. This scenario had capital costs of $ 27.1 to $ 45.1 billion, total costs of $ 35.1 to $ 57.6 billion and benefits of $ 54.7 to $ 65.8 billion. The timing and cost would be further refined through the tender and planning process. This gave the project a cost-benefit ratio range between 1.0 and 1.7. The government stated that it expected $ 30 to $ 34.5 billion would be spent on
8294-585: The Andrews government matched that investment. In November 2020, the state government agreed to match the funding and both governments announced Stage 1 of Geelong Fast Rail. The works would include: Construction of the first stage Geelong Fast Rail was expected to begin in 2023, and was to be constructed in conjunction with the Geelong line upgrade as part of Regional Rail Revival program. in November 2023
8437-419: The CBD. Furthermore, a program of freeway construction in the wake of the 1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan reinforced the structure of the suburbs and introduced car dependence to new regions of development not served by the legacy rail network. As a consequence, Melbourne, unlike many cities of comparable size, did not develop any major centres of employment or dense population in its outlying regions over
8580-430: The City for passengers from the growing outer western suburbs such as Tarneit and Wyndham Vale, who had previously had little or no public transport. The project aims to solve that problem by electrifying the lines to Melton and Wyndham Vale to take pressure off crowded regional trains, along with high-speed rail to Geelong cutting down travel times between Geelong and the CBD. The project was welcomed by local councils along
8723-402: The Coalition opposing the SRL, the plan was embraced by influential former Liberal premier Jeff Kennett , who called for bipartisan support for the project immediately after it was announced, despite expressing doubts about the accuracy of the $ 50 billion costing. At the 2018 state election , the traditionally Liberal-held seats of Mount Waverley , Burwood and Box Hill – all falling along
SECTION 60
#17328025631948866-494: The Creation Story of how the Bay was filled by the creation of the Birrarung (Yarra River). Before this, the dry Melbourne region extended out into the Bay and the Bay was filled with teatree scrub where boorrimul (emu) and marram (kangaroo) were hunted. The first British settlement in Victoria , then part of the penal colony of New South Wales , was established by Colonel David Collins in October 1803, at Sullivan Bay , near present-day Sorrento . The following year, due to
9009-409: The Federal Government announced that the funding for the Geelong Fast Rail project would be cut which caused the project to be cancelled. The primary aim of the Western Rail Plan is to deal with the significant demand on the growing western corridor, which had been growing exponentially over the previous decade, particularly following the completion of the Regional Rail Link, which provided a route into
9152-413: The Melbourne CBD in the back-beaches of Rye , Sorrento and Portsea . Melbourne has a temperate oceanic climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfb ), with warm summers and cool winters. Melbourne is well known for its changeable weather conditions , mainly due to it being located on the boundary of hot inland areas and the cool southern ocean. This temperature differential is most pronounced in
9295-410: The Melton line would be quadruplicated, to separate regional and metropolitan services. Two level crossings located in Deer Park would be removed to allow trains to run on the line at a higher frequency. There were plans for a station at Mount Atkinson , as well as a station serving the Paynes Road precinct. The line to Wyndham Vale, connecting with the line to Geelong, was originally built as part of
9438-543: The SRL as policy in the lead up to the 2018 state election . Initial planning for the SRL was carried out in secret prior to its announcement, and, when the plans were released, it received significant attention. The SRL plan has been praised for its long-term vision and ambition, as well as being an innovative solution to the difficulties faced by Melbourne's transport network , but is criticised for its political motives, transparency of business case, prioritisation ahead of other transport projects, and large cost. Although
9581-553: The SRL since its inception, was given the additional role of Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop . The Business and Investment Case of SRL was released in August 2021, primarily focusing on SRL East and North. SRL East will commence building in 2022 and is expected to finish by 2035. The rail line will be fully underground between Cheltenham and the Airport, while SRL West is subject to further investigation, planning and development. The business case modelled two staging scenarios. The first scenario has SRL North opening in two sections,
9724-449: The Suburban Rail Loop if the Coalition was elected, arguing that the project was a waste of money. The SRL became a major and contentious issue during the campaign, with Guy pledging to reallocate the saved money to health infrastructure. Described by some commentators as a politically risky move in Melbourne's eastern suburbs that would be connected by the line, Guy committed to honour the $ 2.2 billion early works contract but reappropriate
9867-534: The Superintendent of the Port Phillip District , Charles La Trobe issued a directive to banish Aborigines from the immediate vicinity of Melbourne. This was enforced later that same year by the mass-arrest and imprisonment of hundreds of Indigenous people during the Lettsom raid . However, Aboriginal people still managed to continue living near the settlement and by January 1844 there were said to be 675 residing in squalid camps around Melbourne. The British Colonial Office had appointed five Aboriginal Protectors for
10010-448: The United Kingdom , William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne . Declared a city by Queen Victoria in 1847, it became the capital of the newly separated Colony of Victoria in 1851. During the 1850s Victorian gold rush , the city entered a lengthy boom period that, by the late 1880s, had transformed it into Australia's, and one of the world's largest and wealthiest metropolises. After the federation of Australia in 1901, Melbourne served as
10153-416: The Victorian government signed the first $ 3.6 billion contract with the Suburban Connect consortium in December 2023 to build the tunnels, the state Liberal/National opposition remains opposed to the system. Opposition Leader John Pesutto has pledged to pause and review the SRL East project if the Coalition wins government in 2026 . Previously, under the leadership of Matthew Guy in 2018 and 2022 ,
10296-606: The airport link would form part of the SRL West, with construction beginning in 2022. In mid-October, Labor federal Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten announced support for the SRL, including a commitment for $ 300 million in initial federal funding should the Labor Party be elected. The state government also indicated that it would be prepared to add additional stops to the loop to those included in
10439-758: The area. It was an important meeting place for the clans of the Kulin nation alliance and a vital source of food and water. In June 2021, the boundaries between the land of two of the traditional owner groups, the Wurundjeri and Bunurong, were agreed after being drawn up by the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council . The borderline runs across the city from west to east, with the CBD , Richmond and Hawthorn included in Wurundjeri land, and Albert Park , St Kilda and Caulfield on Bunurong land. However, this change in boundaries
10582-517: The at-grade and elevated Melbourne Airport rail link and funded separately. The first stage will connect Melbourne's eastern and south-eastern suburbs, including twin 26 km (16 mi) underground tunnels from Cheltenham to Box Hill via Monash University . Construction commenced in 2022 and is expected to open in 2035. Passengers will be able to interchange with the existing metropolitan rail network at Cheltenham, Clayton, Glen Waverley and Box Hill. Construction on SRL East began in mid 2022 and
10725-499: The availability of all types of housing. Subdivision regularly occurs in the outer areas of Melbourne, with numerous developers offering house and land packages. However, since the release of Melbourne 2030 in 2002, planning policies have encouraged medium-density and high-density development in existing areas with good access to public transport and other services. As a result of this, Melbourne's middle and outer-ring suburbs have seen significant brownfields redevelopment. On
10868-760: The avant-garde picture palace The Capitol and St Kilda's Palais Theatre , Australia's largest seated theatre with a capacity of 3,000 people. The Arts Precinct in Southbank is home to Arts Centre Melbourne (which includes the State Theatre and Hamer Hall ), as well as the Melbourne Recital Centre , Malthouse Theatre and Southbank Theatre , home of the Melbourne Theatre Company , Australia's oldest professional theatre company. The Australian Ballet , Opera Australia and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra are also based in
11011-436: The back of the 1850s gold rush and 1880s land boom, Melbourne became renowned as one of the world's great Victorian-era cities, a reputation that persists due to its diverse range of Victorian architecture . High concentrations of well-preserved Victorian-era buildings can be found in the inner suburbs, such as Carlton , East Melbourne and South Melbourne . Outstanding examples of Melbourne's built Victorian heritage include
11154-434: The blocks. The Aboriginal population continued to decline, with an estimated 80% total decrease by 1863, due primarily to introduced diseases (particularly smallpox ), frontier violence and dispossession of their lands. The 1880s saw extraordinary growth: consumer confidence, easy access to credit, and steep increases in land prices led to an enormous amount of construction. During this "land boom", Melbourne reputedly became
11297-492: The buses were operated at a relatively high frequency and along direct routes, in contrast to the existing network of infrequent and circuitous routes. As a result, the SmartBus routes became the most heavily used in Melbourne, and were widely praised as a model for recasting the future public transport network. In August 2018, three months prior to the 2018 Victorian state election , then Premier Daniel Andrews promised that
11440-551: The city centre was seen by many as stale—the dreary domain of office workers—something expressed by John Brack in his famous painting Collins St., 5 pm (1955). Up until the 21st century, Melbourne was considered Australia's "industrial heartland". Height limits in the CBD were lifted in 1958, after the construction of ICI House , transforming the city's skyline with the introduction of skyscrapers. Suburban expansion then intensified, served by new indoor malls beginning with Chadstone Shopping Centre . The post-war period also saw
11583-430: The city's industries and property market. Major inner-city urban renewal has occurred in areas such as Southbank , Port Melbourne , Melbourne Docklands and South Wharf . Melbourne sustained the highest population increase and economic growth rate of any Australian capital city from 2001 to 2004. From 2006, the growth of the city extended into "green wedges" and beyond the city's urban growth boundary . Predictions of
11726-660: The city's population reaching 5 million people pushed the state government to review the growth boundary in 2008 as part of its Melbourne @ Five Million strategy. In 2009, Melbourne was less affected by the Great Recession in comparison to other Australian cities. At this time, more new jobs were created in Melbourne than any other Australian city—almost as many as the next two fastest growing cities, Brisbane and Perth, combined, and Melbourne's property market remained highly priced, resulting in historically high property prices and widespread rent increases. Beginning in
11869-669: The city's traditional destinations, like the Melbourne Zoo . Melbourne's many public artworks range from the Burke and Wills monument (1865) to the abstract sculpture Vault (1978), the latter a popular reference point amongst Melbourne designers. Suburban Rail Loop Member of the Legislative Assembly for Mulgrave (2002–2023) Premier of Victoria Ministries Elections Royal Commissions [REDACTED] The Suburban Rail Loop ( SRL )
12012-441: The city. Nauru 's then booming economy resulted in several ambitious investments in Melbourne, such as Nauru House . Melbourne remained Australia's main business and financial centre until the late 1970s, when it began to lose this primacy to Sydney. Melbourne experienced an economic downturn between 1989 and 1992, following the collapse of several local financial institutions. In 1992, the newly elected Kennett government began
12155-532: The city. The establishment of the Melbourne Hydraulic Power Company in 1886 led to the availability of high-pressure piped water, allowing for the installation of hydraulically powered elevators , which led to the construction of the first high-rise buildings in the city. The period also saw the huge expansion of a significant radial rail-based transport network throughout the city and suburbs. Melbourne's land-boom peaked in 1888,
12298-564: The countryside from the late 1850s. Construction started on further major public buildings in the 1860s and 1870s, such as the Supreme Court , Government House , and the Queen Victoria Market . The central city filled up with shops and offices, workshops, and warehouses. Large banks and hotels faced the main streets, with fine townhouses in the east end of Collins Street, contrasting with tiny cottages down laneways within
12441-579: The course of the 20th century. A number of orbital lines were constructed at the peak of railway development, but most failed to attract the necessary traffic of passengers and goods to remain sustainable into the late 20th century. The Outer Circle , which ran from Oakleigh on the Dandenong line to Fairfield on the Hurstbridge line via the Glen Waverley and Lilydale lines, was constructed between 1888 and 1891 but closed by 1897, though it
12584-572: The days following the proposal, the government revealed that its plan had been under consideration within Development Victoria , a planning agency under the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning for 12 months. Controversially, neither Infrastructure Victoria nor Transport for Victoria , both established by the Andrews government, had been involved in the SRL's planning stages; furthermore, neither agency had identified
12727-660: The decades after World War II, including the Federal Coffee Palace (1888) and the APA Building (1889), one of the tallest early skyscrapers upon completion. Heritage listings and heritage overlays have since been introduced in an effort to prevent further losses of the city's historic fabric. In line with the city's expansion during the early 20th century, suburbs such as Hawthorn and Camberwell are defined largely by Federation and Edwardian architectural styles. The City Baths , built in 1903, are
12870-471: The eastern fringe at Gembrook . Melbourne receives 48.6 clear days annually. Dewpoint temperatures in the summer range from 9.5 to 11.7 °C (49.1 to 53.1 °F). Melbourne is also prone to isolated convective showers forming when a cold pool crosses the state, especially if there is considerable daytime heating. These showers are often heavy and can include hail, squalls, and significant drops in temperature, but they often pass through very quickly with
13013-472: The establishment of slums, including Chinatown and a temporary "tent city" on the southern banks of the Yarra. In the aftermath of the 1854 Eureka Rebellion , mass public support for the plight of the miners resulted in major political changes to the colony, including improvements in working conditions across mining, agriculture, manufacturing and other local industries. At least twenty nationalities took part in
13156-510: The existing Deer Park–West Werribee railway line from Sunshine and extending it to Werribee station . No timeframe for construction has been released. Melbourne will be the second Australian city (after Sydney ) to build a fully-fledged rapid transit system . Several orbital rail schemes have been proposed and some constructed throughout Melbourne's history, but the rail network has remained largely radial. The Victorian Labor state government led by then Premier Daniel Andrews announced
13299-439: The first from Box Hill to Reservoir opening in 2043 and the second between Reservoir and the Airport opening in 2053. This scenario has estimated capital costs of $ 24.1 to $ 40.2 billion and total costs of $ 30.7 to $ 50.5 billion, with estimated benefits of $ 48.5 to $ 58.7 billion. The second scenario is faster but higher cost and has the section from Box Hill to Reservoir opening by 2038 and the full SRL North corridor from Box Hill to
13442-637: The first geotechnical investigations began in July in Box Hill. The state government announced the formation of a Suburban Rail Loop Authority in September, at the same time as confirming station precincts for SRL East. In November 2019, the government announced that the loop would be an operationally independent, standalone line using different rail technology from the existing suburban rail network . The system would use new, smaller metro rollingstock that
13585-892: The first services are scheduled to start in 2035. In August 2023, a preferred bidder was announced for the first package of 16 km (9.9 mi) of SRL East tunnels between Cheltenham and Glen Waverley. The Suburban Connect consortium consisted of the Australian construction firm CPB Contractors , Italian civil engineering company Ghella and the Spanish construction company Acciona . The SRL will ultimately consist of four sections. SRL East and SRL North will form one continuous metro line stretching 60 km (37 mi) from Cheltenham to Melbourne Airport. The two western sections, SRL Airport and SRL West, are separate lines formed by distinct projects that would require an interchange to access. The SRL Strategic Assessment produced by Development Victoria in 2018 identified four distinct sections of
13728-421: The first time: a 90 km (56 mi) orbital line for Melbourne's rail network, connecting 11 of the city's existing rail lines and serving new regions of the middle and outer suburbs at an estimated cost of $ 50 billion. The government committed $ 300 million to complete a business case and feasibility study should it be re-elected, noting that the project would take several terms of government to complete. In
13871-547: The government began a series of controversial public housing projects in the inner city by the Housing Commission of Victoria , which resulted in the demolition of many neighbourhoods and a proliferation of high-rise towers. In later years, with the rapid rise of motor vehicle ownership, the investment in freeway and highway developments greatly accelerated the outward suburban sprawl and declining inner-city population. The Bolte government sought to rapidly accelerate
14014-557: The growth corridor of Pakenham towards West Gippsland . In the west, it extends along the Maribyrnong River and its tributaries north towards Sunbury . Melbourne's major bayside beaches are in the various suburbs along the shores of Port Phillip Bay, in areas like Port Melbourne , Albert Park , St Kilda , Elwood , Brighton , Sandringham , Mentone , Frankston , Altona , Williamstown and Werribee South. The nearest surf beaches are 85 km (53 mi) south of
14157-486: The interim seat of government of the new nation until Canberra became the permanent capital in 1927. Today, Melbourne is culturally diverse and, among world cities, has the 4th largest foreign born population . It is a leading financial centre in the Asia-Pacific region, ranking 28th globally in the 2024 Global Financial Centres Index . The city's eclectic architecture blends Victorian era structures, such as
14300-524: The investment in orbital road transport from 1990, little changed in the structure of the public transport network. No new suburban railway lines were built after 1930, and trams were increasingly delayed by traffic congestion on key routes. From 2002, the SmartBus program introduced three orbital bus routes in an attempt to meet the city's burgeoning need for outer suburban public transport. In addition to serving new corridors previously without mass transit,
14443-580: The late 1970s and early 1980s, including the Little Band scene and St Kilda 's Crystal Ballroom scene, which gave rise to Dead Can Dance and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds . More recent independent acts from Melbourne to achieve global recognition include The Avalanches , Gotye and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard . Melbourne is also regarded as a centre of EDM , and lends its name to
14586-406: The line to Geelong via Wyndham Vale and Tarneit was constructed. The idea involved more frequent and more reliable regional services, dedicated rolling stock capable of speeds around 250–300 km/h (155–186 mph), far greater than anything operating in Victoria, and a new transport superhub at Sunshine to facilitate better integration of rail services. The high-speed service would entail
14729-419: The lines affected, as well as public transport advocates such as the Rail Futures Institute and the Public Transport Users Association . However, the project has been criticised for its slow pace, with some saying the projected 2032 completion date was too far into the future. Geelong and Wyndham councils were concerned that they would be under-served if new suburban services have to share tracks with trains on
14872-532: The locations in the project's possible alignment being within safe electorates for the Victorian Labor Party . Following the plan's original announcement, then federal Liberal Infrastructure Minister Alan Tudge said that the Suburban Rail Loop's "big vision is great" but said the federal government would withhold its support until further details and costings of the plan were provided. Then federal Labor leader Bill Shorten said that he "liked
15015-662: The major roads developed as shopping streets. Melbourne quickly became a major finance centre, home to several banks, the Royal Mint , and (in 1861) Australia's first stock exchange . In 1855, the Melbourne Cricket Club secured possession of its now famous ground, the MCG . Members of the Melbourne Football Club codified Australian football in 1859, and in 1861, the first Melbourne Cup race
15158-430: The modernisation of Melbourne. Major road projects including the remodelling of St Kilda Junction , the widening of Hoddle Street and then the extensive 1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan changed the face of the city into a car-dominated environment. Australia's financial and mining booms during 1969 and 1970 resulted in establishment of the headquarters of many major companies ( BHP and Rio Tinto , among others) in
15301-561: The most famous Melburnian of the Edwardian era. The Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Kings Domain hosted the largest crowd ever for a music concert in Australia when an estimated 200,000 attendees saw Melbourne band The Seekers in 1967. Airing between 1974 and 1987, Melbourne's Countdown helped launch the careers of local acts as diverse as AC/DC and Kylie Minogue . Several distinct post-punk scenes flourished in Melbourne during
15444-604: The name is also used specifically for the local municipality of City of Melbourne based around its central business area . The metropolis occupies much of the northern and eastern coastlines of Port Phillip Bay and spreads into the Mornington Peninsula , part of West Gippsland , as well as the hinterlands towards the Yarra Valley , the Dandenong Ranges , and the Macedon Ranges . As of 2023,
15587-440: The nation's largest city in 2029–30 at just over 5.9 million, exceeding 6 million people the following year. Melbourne is in the southeastern part of mainland Australia, within the state of Victoria . Geologically, it is built on the confluence of Quaternary lava flows to the west, Silurian mudstones to the east, and Holocene sand accumulation to the southeast along Port Phillip . The southeastern suburbs are situated on
15730-416: The nature of the treaty has been heavily disputed, as none of the parties spoke the same language, and the elders likely perceived it as part of the gift exchanges which had taken place over the previous few days amounting to a tanderrum ceremony which allows temporary, not permanent, access to and use of the land. Batman selected a site on the northern bank of the Yarra River , declaring that "this will be
15873-433: The need for a similar project in their long-term plans for the transport network. Andrews defended the decision to develop the SRL independently of infrastructure authorities, arguing that while Infrastructure Victoria "have lots of good ideas, they don't have every good idea". The tender process for the Melbourne Airport rail link project was launched in mid-September, and the state government confirmed that it anticipated
16016-446: The north and Dandenong Ranges National Park to the east. There are also a number of significant state parks just outside Melbourne. The extensive area covered by urban Melbourne is formally divided into hundreds of suburbs (for addressing and postal purposes), and administered as local government areas, 31 of which are located within the metropolitan area. Melbourne has minimal public housing and high demand for rental housing, which
16159-432: The opposition had pledged to abandon the project. The Melbourne transport network was substantially developed in the late 19th century, when the newly available technology of the railway enabled population growth away from the city centre. The result was the development of a largely radial network, which, over the following century, reinforced a model of urban development focused on heavy daily commuter flows into and out of
16302-479: The original announcement, particularly in the western suburbs. Days later, a leaked document from Transport for Victoria showed that the SRL had not been included in the transport authority's long-term plan for the rail network. $ 300 million was allocated to planning works for the SRL in the 2019 state budget. Rail Projects Victoria announced registrations of interest for potential contractors were open in June, and
16445-472: The path of the SRL proposal – were claimed by the Labor Party after large swings, leading to speculation among Labor MPs and electoral commentators that the SRL announcement had contributed significantly to the government being returned with an increased majority. The phenomenon was also replicated in a number of safe Labor seats which would benefit from the line. In the lead-up to the 2022 state election , then Opposition Leader Matthew Guy promised to shelve
16588-411: The place for a village" before returning to Van Diemen's Land. In August 1835, another group of Vandemonian settlers arrived in the area and established a settlement at the site of the current Melbourne Immigration Museum . Batman and his group arrived the following month and the two groups ultimately agreed to share the settlement, initially known by the native name of Dootigala. Batman's Treaty with
16731-464: The population of the metropolitan area was 5.2 million (19% of the population of Australia ); inhabitants are referred to as "Melburnians". The area of Melbourne has been home to Aboriginal Victorians for over 40,000 years and serves as an important meeting place for local Kulin nation clans. Of the five peoples of the Kulin nation, the traditional custodians of the land encompassing Melbourne are
16874-563: The precinct. Many of Melbourne's theatres join the Melbourne Town Hall in hosting the annual Melbourne International Comedy Festival , one of the world's three largest comedy festivals. Melbourne has been called "the live music capital of the world"; one study found it has more music venues per capita than any other world city sampled, with 17.5 million patron visits to 553 venues in 2016. Australia's first global music star, opera singer Nellie Melba , took her stage name from her hometown. Composer Percy Grainger followed her in becoming
17017-409: The principle" of the SRL, but would not immediately commit to supporting it with federal funding. He announced federal Labor's official support in mid-October 2018, committing $ 300 million in business case funding and saying the project responded to an "old map of Melbourne... [that] simply doesn't work any more". His infrastructure spokesman, Anthony Albanese , said that "this project here in Melbourne
17160-425: The project over the 14 years to the opening of the first stage in 2035, with significant works on SRL North taking place as part of that expenditure. An Environmental Effects Statement (EES) process for SRL East was initiated in late 2021 that provided more detail on the station locations, the precinct designs, the local effects of the project and the design of the train system. Community and stakeholder consultation
17303-637: The rebellion, giving some indication of immigration flows at the time. With the wealth brought in from the gold rush and the subsequent need for public buildings, a program of grand civic construction soon began. The 1850s and 1860s saw the commencement of Parliament House , the Treasury Building , the Old Melbourne Gaol , Victoria Barracks , the State Library , University of Melbourne , General Post Office , Customs House ,
17446-479: The remaining $ 9.6 billion allocated to the SRL by the government. During the campaign, there was significant debate in the media over the project's cost and value for money. After the Labor government won a third term at the election with an increased majority, then Premier Daniel Andrews said the result was the second clear endorsement of the project by Victorian voters. As of 2024, the project remains opposed by
17589-667: The richest city in the world, and the second-largest (after London) in the British Empire . The decade began with the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880, held in the large purpose-built Exhibition Building . A telephone exchange was established that year, and the foundations of St Paul's were laid. In 1881, electric light was installed in the Eastern Market , and a generating station capable of supplying 2,000 incandescent lamps
17732-594: The role of SRL West could be undertaken by electrifying the Deer Park – West Werribee line to Wyndham Vale station as an extension of the radial suburban network, and extending the Werribee line to meet it at Wyndham Vale. Later documents released by the government confirmed that Wyndham Vale would become an interchange station. Currently, SRL West has no estimated construction and completion date, with doubts on whether it would ever be constructed as well as many of
17875-421: The route, some of which are formed by other projects or existing rail corridors. The overall corridor selected was originally identified as a "middle" corridor, and was assessed against other routes closer to and further from the CBD before being prioritised for further investigation. SRL North between Box Hill station and Melbourne Airport would be constructed after SRL East, and include stops at Doncaster ,
18018-399: The same places (usually the eastern suburbs) for an extended period, while the rest of Melbourne and surrounds stays dry. Overall, the area around Melbourne is, owing to its rain shadow, nonetheless significantly drier than average for southern Victoria. Within the city and surrounds, rainfall varies widely, from around 425 mm (17 in) at Little River to 1,250 mm (49 in) on
18161-450: The separate Melbourne Airport Rail project. This 15 km (9.3 mi) section will run from Melbourne Airport via Sunshine into the central business district via the Metro Tunnel . Despite significant delays, early construction commenced in 2023 and is expected to open in 2033. The fourth and final section, SRL West, has not been defined in detail but would connect the city's outer western suburbs and may be formed by electrifying
18304-508: The settlement was named Melbourne on 10 April 1837 by Bourke after the British Prime Minister , William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne , whose seat was Melbourne Hall in the market town of Melbourne , Derbyshire . That year, the settlement's general post office officially opened with that name. Between 1836 and 1842, Victorian Aboriginal groups were largely dispossessed of their land by British colonists. In 1840,
18447-416: The spring and summer months and can cause strong cold fronts to form. These cold fronts can be responsible for varied forms of severe weather from gales to thunderstorms and hail , large temperature drops and heavy rain. Winters, while exceptionally dry by southern Victorian standards, are nonetheless drizzly and overcast. The lack of winter rainfall is owed to Melbourne's rain shadowed location between
18590-546: The state Liberal/National opposition. Opposition Leader John Pesutto has pledged to pause and review the project if the Coalition wins government in 2026 , citing concerns about large state debt, cost uncertainty, and the lack of funding available for other transport projects. The Age , in its editorial the day following the announcement, wrote that "there are so many reasons to endorse this proposal that it’s easy to get carried away", but observed that "good government
18733-510: The surrounding suburbs of Melbourne, such as in the municipalities of Stonnington , Boroondara and Port Phillip , southeast of the central business district. Several national parks have been designated around the urban area of Melbourne, including the Mornington Peninsula National Park , Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park and Point Nepean National Park in the southeast, Organ Pipes National Park to
18876-560: The urban periphery in Melbourne's outer west and east in suburbs like Wyndham Vale and Cranbourne . Middle suburbs like Box Hill became denser as a greater proportion of Melburnians began living in apartments. A construction boom resulted in 34 new skyscrapers being built in the central business district between 2010 and 2020. In 2020, Melbourne was classified as an Alpha city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network . Out of all major Australian cities, Melbourne
19019-473: The year it hosted the Centennial Exhibition. The brash boosterism that had typified Melbourne during that time ended in the early 1890s. The bubble supporting the local finance and property industries burst, resulting in a severe economic depression. Sixteen small land banks and building societies collapsed, and 133 limited companies went into liquidation. The Melbourne financial crisis was
19162-548: Was 46.4 °C (115.5 °F), on 7 February 2009 . While snow is occasionally seen at higher elevations in the outskirts of the city, and dustings were observed in 2020, it has not been recorded in the Central Business District since 1986. The sea temperature in Melbourne is warmer than the surrounding ocean during the summer months, and colder during the winter months. This is predominately due to Port Phillip Bay being an enclosed and shallow bay that
19305-517: Was also part of the project, with the potential for that link to become part of the Suburban Rail Loop . Prior to the 2022 Victorian state election , the Andrews Labor Government announced that Tarneit West would be built and planning works for Truganina would begin. The Geelong Fast Rail project was a proposal for high-speed rail to Geelong which came a few years after the completion of the Regional Rail Link , as part of which,
19448-674: Was announced by the Andrews Labor government just over a month before the 2018 state election, as one of a number of rail projects promised during the election campaign. However, one aspect of the plan, high-speed rail to Geelong, had been proposed by the Victorian Liberal Party on 3 October 2018, about two weeks before the Andrews Government revealed its Western Rail Plan. Plans for electrification were originally developed by Public Transport Victoria in
19591-410: Was held. Melbourne acquired its first public monument, the Burke and Wills statue, in 1864. With the gold rush largely over by 1860, Melbourne continued to grow on the back of continuing gold-mining, as the major port for exporting the agricultural products of Victoria (especially wool) and with a developing manufacturing sector protected by high tariffs. An extensive radial railway network spread into
19734-499: Was in operation by 1882. The Melbourne cable tramway system opened in 1885 and became one of the world's most extensive systems by 1890. In 1885, visiting English journalist George Augustus Henry Sala coined the phrase "Marvellous Melbourne", which stuck long into the twentieth century and has come to refer to the opulence and energy of the 1880s, during which time large commercial buildings, grand hotels, banks, coffee palaces , terrace housing and palatial mansions proliferated in
19877-884: Was launched as part of this process. In October 2021, the Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan introduced legislation to the Victorian Parliament to establish the Suburban Rail Loop Authority as a statutory government body and grant it a number of transport and planning powers. SRL East and North will take more than 25 years to construct and together are estimated by the project's business case to cost between $ 30.7 and $ 57.6 billion depending on project staging, of which capital costs would be between $ 24.1 and $ 45.1 billion. SRL East and North will be built entirely underground along new rail alignments, while SRL Airport will be formed by
20020-498: Was partly reopened as the Alamein branch line . The Inner Circle linking the modern-day Upfield and Mernda lines, was opened in 1888 but closed to passengers in 1941. The Albion-Jacana line and Newport-Sunshine line in the city's west, though performing a similar purpose, were never intended to carry passenger traffic. In the late 20th century, interest grew in enabling orbital journeys between Melbourne suburbs. Included in
20163-575: Was pushed back to 2033 following a dispute over whether to construct the airport station above ground or underground. Apart from the termini at Sunshine and Werribee , the Strategic Assessment did not identify specific routes, intermediate stations or connections to other lines for SRL West, and suggested it would be the final section constructed. The Western Rail Plan published by Transport for Victoria in October 2018 suggested that
20306-492: Was scheduled to be completed by mid-2023. Part of the line between Melton and Deer Park was duplicated during the Regional Rail Revival Project, which made provision for electrification and a future increase in services. Electrification to Melton would potentially triple the carrying capacity of the line, and will allow up to 1500 people to travel on a single train. As part of the electrification,
20449-476: Was the worst affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and spent a long time under lockdown restrictions, with Melbourne experiencing six lockdowns totalling 262 days. While this contributed to a net outflow of migration causing a slight reduction in Melbourne's population over the course of 2020 to 2022, Melbourne is projected to be the fastest growing capital city in Australia from 2023–24 onwards, overtaking Sydney as
#193806