Let's get the City of Melton Moving

Electrification of the Melton rail line

"Commuting to work is another daily struggle. Like many residents in Mt Atkinson, I work in Melbourne’s CBD. The obvious solution should be public transport - but it isn’t. The Melton corridor is still served by V/Line trains, which were built for regional travel, not for the thousands of suburban commuters who rely on them every day. The trains are crowded, services are less frequent than Metro lines, and peak-hour travel is stressful and unpredictable."
Ace, Truganina

"I commute daily to city for work. Train frequency during peak hours is not adequate, definitely more frequency is more important than having 9 cars. Also frequent disruption and reducing to 3 cars is affecting our travel. The Suburban Rail Loop is not covering the western suburbs - Sunbury, Melton, Wyndham Vale.
Srinivasan, Melton south

New train stations at Mt Atkinson, Thornhill Park and Calder Park

"Public transport is a joke in Bonnie Brook. The closest train station is Rockbank however due to the limited parking I don’t go there. I went to Caroline Springs instead however there’s also a shortage of car parks there. My best alternative to drive 20 mins to Watergardens Station and catch a train there."
Heidi, Bonnie Brook

"With the cost of living going nowhere but up, it's a no brainer that public transport has to be a priority… I commute by train daily to work and school and although work for me and school for my kids doesn't start until 8.30/9am, we leave the house before 7 so we can get a parking space at Watergardens Station. We have since gave up using V/Line because the parking is already full just after 7am and trains are less frequent and are usually standing room by the time it arrives at Rockbank."
Peachy, Fraser Rise

"Currently there is no bus in Bonnie Brook near Plumpton Road leading to any bus or train stations. The lack of public transport makes it very difficult to travel by train to the city without a car."
Monika, Bonnie Brook

"The car parks at Caroline Springs and Rockbank stations fill before many people even arrive. If you’re unlucky, you’re left driving elsewhere or trying to find parking on surrounding streets. It shouldn’t be this difficult just to begin your journey to work.
A new Mt Atkinson Station isn’t a luxury—it has become a necessity.
Every morning, thousands of us leave our homes before sunrise, hoping to beat the traffic. Every evening, we spend precious time sitting in congestion instead of being home with our families."
Ace, Truganina

"The public transport alternatives are broken by design. Cobblebank Station's carpark is entirely full by 7.30am, yet you can't realistically leave the car at home because there's no bus service to get you to the station in the first place. This systemic car dependency is why the Western Highway capacity is completely overwhelmed."
Ethan, Strathtulloh

Western Highway

"The Western Highway (Hopkins Rd) is outdated with only 2 lanes. Each time cars enter the freeway it’s at a much slower speed than 100 and it causes traffic until the next exit and with only 2 lanes it’s a mess."
Heidi, Bonnie Brook

"I live in Melton and I do not like driving much because of the amount of traffic and time it takes me to get places. The Western Highway and Ballarat Road are always congested and especially in peak hour, you do not want to be caught in that traffic. I will not get a job that would require me to travel in that traffic to or from work as it would add too much extra time to my day driving to and from work."
Daniel, Melton

"The Western Freeway is congested almost every day, and the potholes have become impossible to ignore. Every drive feels like you’re dodging hazards while sitting in slow-moving traffic."
Ace, Truganina

"During non peak-hours, driving to the CBD through the Western Freeway takes 40-50 mins. But during peak hours, it takes double that. The Western Freeway becomes a moving parking lot. The bottlenecks seem to be around the merge lanes.
It's absurd that a main freeway only has 2 lanes, while the freeways in the east are 4-5 lanes each way."
Rafael, Thornhill Park

Melton Highway

"In the evenings going home is a different challenge with traffic congestion at Melton Highway, Hume Drive and Taylors Road. Take a pick and there's traffic. Can't win. Don't get me started when public events are scheduled near Melton Highway and Western Highway. The ensuing traffic is just terrible. The last time there was a public event, we just stayed home."
Peachy, Fraser Rise

"I commute for work, daily tasks and family commitments. On Melton Highway - where drivers can go into 2 lanes and need to form 1 lane after passing through the intersection is causing a bottleneck at every intersection in peak hour. The entire Melton Highway should be duplicated all the way from Beattys Road to Leakes Road."
Monika, Bonnie Brook

Hopkins Road

“Road from Hopkins Rd entering Western Freeway is really frustrating in early am times. The booming population needs more road access to address this issue.”
Benz, Truganina

“Hopkins Road between Riding Boundary Road and Hurst Drive is in terrible condition and extremely unsafe. There are plenty of road users including big trucks and trailers. Unfortunately the road is narrow and should be widened. Potholes are everywhere and the intersection of Boundary Road and Hopkins Road is a disaster. I have encountered a few times of near miss by turning my vehicle at the intersection.”
Kawan, Truganina

"The freeway entry from Hopkins Road was rated one of the most dangerous intersections in Victoria. They need to install traffic lights there so cars can safely enter and exit the freeway. It’s devastating to see how many accidents there are there."
Heidi, Bonnie Brook

"Hopkins Road worries me... It still feels like a rural road despite serving one of the fastest-growing urban communities in Victoria. Poor lighting, increasing traffic, and a history of serious accidents make every drive feel unnecessarily risky. As a father, I think differently now. I don’t just worry about getting to work—I worry about getting home safely to my wife and our two children."
Ace, Truganina

Palmers Road Corridor (Robinsons Road, Westwood Drive and Calder Park Drive)

"Westwood Drive from Ballarat Road needs urgent upgrades/double lanes. During peak hours and a lot of other times traffic is at a standstill. It can take over 30min to travel 100m. This problem is causing traffic to divert to the estates for shortcuts, and people speeding and rushing on residential roads. It’s scary for our kids and families."
Kelly, Burnside

Taylors Road

"Taylors Road … requires duplication all the way from Leakes Road to Kings Road - this is urgent given the number of new estates and traffic flow."
Monika, Bonnie Brook

"Not only has Taylor’s Road been neglected, it’s quite disappointing that the west region has not seen the duplication of Taylor’s road in the last 12 years. Taylor’s Road … is the most congested road without fail in the west. A 5km trip from Fraser Rise to Keilor Plains (where my elderly parents reside) should not take 30 minutes driving down that road."
Amanda, Fraser Rise

The growing suburbs along the Melton rail corridor are currently serviced by diesel regional trains, with commuters relying on already overcrowded Ballarat services. Extending metropolitan rail services to Melton has long been identified as a critical next step in supporting Melbourne’s western growth corridor, consistent with the 2018 commitment to the Western Rail Plan

The Victorian and Australian Governments have invested in upgrades to the Melton rail line, including works to enable nine-car VLocity trains, level crossing removals and a stabling yard at Cobblebank. These investments are important, but they are not a substitute for electrification. Electrifying the line from Sunshine to Melton and separating services from the Ballarat corridor would substantially increase capacity, improve frequency, shorten travel times and better connect growing communities to the metropolitan network. 

The electrification of the Melton Line with additional train stations will get the City of Melton Moving: 

92,000+ people 
Over 92,000 people will live within the catchment of the Sunbury Rail line, near Watergardens Station by 2046. 

10km gap 
There is a 10km gap between Diggers Rest Station and Watergardens Station. Yet there are four stations within 10km of beyond Watergardens. 

Congestion 
A new station at Calder Park Drive would reduce congestion on Melton Highway and at Watergardens Station. 

Timely investment 
A new stabling yard has been built and the level crossing has been removed. With planning underway for the Calder Park Interchange, it’s timely to deliver the new station concurrently. 

25,000 new residents 
Are expected to move into the Mt Atkinson estate by 2051, resulting in a total population of 32,000. 

10,000 commercial jobs 
The Mt Atkinson town centre is expected to create 10,000 jobs. 

19,000 industrial jobs 
New employment precincts, including the Melbourne Business Park, are projected to create 19,000 jobs. 

6km gap 
The closest train stations are five and six kilometres away in Caroline Springs and Rockbank. 

18,447 new residents 
Thornhill Park is expected to increase by 18,447 new residents by 2046. 

Reduce pressure 
A new train station on the existing Ballarat line will help ease pressure on nearby Rockbank station and reduce car dependency. 

11,500 entry and exit 
It is estimated that the station would have 11,500 entries and exits, daily by 2041. 

Connected community 
A new train station at Thornhill Park will service a suburb that is lacking road connection to the Western Highway and get commuters off the road and onto trains. 

• Carries over 86,000 vehicles per day, projected to increase to over 110,000 vehicles per day by 2031. 
• 225,000 new residents are expected to move in along the Western Highway by 2046. Ten per cent of traffic is freight transport. 
• In the five-year period from October 2019 to September 2024, there were 423 traffic accidents, including eight fatalities and 112 serious crashes. 
• $1 billion investment by the Australian Government is welcome but not enough to deliver on the upgrades required and seek additional funding. 

WORKS REQUIRED

• Urbanisation 
• Increased capacity 
• New and upgraded interchanges 

INVESTMENT OUTCOMES

• 23,000 vehicles per day. This will increase to 45,000 vehicles per day by 2031.
• 67,000 new residents are expected to move in along the Melton Highway by 2046. 
• In the five-year period between October 2019 to September 2024, there were 83 traffic accidents, including 29 serious injuries. Estimated cost to the community was $25,356,682 over the five years. 
• Small works completed now additional works required to urbanise the Highway. 

INVESTMENT OUTCOMES

• Carries approximately 28,000 vehicles per day, projected to increase to over 51,000 vehicles per day by 2031. An additional 68,000 new residents are expected to be added near Hopkins Road by 2051. 
• Over 20,000 jobs are projected to be created at industrial zones near Hopkins Road. 
• Between 2020 and 2024, there were 105 traffic accidents recorded on Hopkins Road between the Western Highway and Boundary Road intersections, including two fatalities, 27 serious crashes. 

WORKS REQUIRED 

• Road duplication 
• Signalised intersections 

INVESTMENT OUTCOMES

• Westwood Drive, Calder Park Drive and Robinsons Road carry over 34,000 vehicles daily, increasing to over 38,500 by 2031. 
• 22,000 new residents are expected to move in along this corridor by 2046, adding to the 85,478 people who currently live in this north south corridor. 
• Between October 2019 and September 2024, there were 148 traffic accident-related injuries recorded on the corridor, including one fatality and 39 serious injuries. 

WORKS REQUIRED 

• Declaration and duplication 
• Build Calder Park Interchange 
• Upgrade intersections 

INVESTMENT OUTCOMES

• Carries approximately 34,000 vehicles per day, projected to increase to over 40,720 vehicles per day by 2031. 
• 70,000 new residents are expected to be added along Taylors Road by 2046. 
• Over 11,421 jobs are expected to be created by 2051. 
• Between 2020 and 2024, there were 38 traffic accidents recorded including seven serious crashes. 

WORKS REQUIRED 

• Duplication of Taylors Road from Kororoit Creek to City Vista Court, and four lanes from City Vista Court to Westwood Drive. 
• Signalised intersections at Taylors Road, Westwood Drive, Gourlay Road, City Vista Court, Sinclairs Road, Plumpton Road and Leakes Road. 
• Ultimate extension of Taylors Road to Federation Drive in Melton. 
• New pedestrian and cycling paths. 

INVESTMENT OUTCOMES

ABC News Wednesday 7 October 2026

After 12 years in power, Labour is facing a challenge in November's state election. Watch the video 

abc.net.au/news Thursday 8 October 2026

Public-private partnership among options mooted for Melton train stations
A council in Melbourne's outer west has floated the prospect of a public-private partnership to deliver two train stations that residents in the booming area have demanded for years. Read more

Melton and Moorabool Star Weekly | Friday 2 October 2026

Council seeks Western Freeway timeline
Melton council has called for a firm timeline of works for the Western Freeway upgrade while pushing for walking and cycling links to be included in the major project. Read more

Melton and Moorabool Star Weekly | Wednesday 23 September 2026

Buses a “low hanging fruit”
Both the state government and the opposition have turned their attention to transport infrastructure in Melbourne’s booming west, but a public transport advocacy group says Melton’s neglected bus network remains a “low hanging fruit”. Read more

Melton and Moorabool Star Weekly | Wednesday 23 September 2026

Road duplication “falls short”
The state government has pledged $170 million to duplicate Taylors Road between Kings Road and Kurung Drive in Brimbank if re-elected at November’s state election, but Melton council says the commitment falls short. Read more

7.30 Report ABC | Wednesday 23 September 2026

Is Labor’s stronghold in Melbourne’s west starting to crumble?
For decades, Melbourne’s outer west has been a Labor stronghold – but after 12 years in government the polls are showing a shift away from Labor. Read more

melton.vic.gov.au | Friday 18 September 2026

Council calls for commitment to full upgrade of Taylors Road
Melton City Council says the Victorian Labor Government's recent commitment to declare and duplicate part of Taylors Road falls short of the investment needed to upgrade a critical east-west link in the City of Melton - Australia’s fastest growing area. Read more

melton.vic.gov.au | Thursday 17 September 2026

Western councils unite behind vision for Western Highway
The Western Highway Action Committee (WHAC), representing 10 municipalities across Victoria's west, has released a new advocacy prospectus outlining a shared vision and investment priorities for the Western Highway corridor from Melton to the South Australian border. Read more

Melton and Moorabool Star Weekly | Saturday 12 September 2026

Freeway funding welcomed
Melton council has welcomed the state government’s announcement of a further half a billion dollars to upgrade the Western Freeway and has called on the Opposition to also back the commitment. Read more

The Age | Wednesday 9 September 2026

Almost half of Victoria’s roads in poor condition, as decline outpaces repairs
Almost half of the state’s government-managed roads are in poor or very poor condition, with decline outpacing repairs, according to a new report from the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office. Read more

melton.vic.gov.au | Tuesday 8 September 2026

Council welcomes Western Highway upgrade announcement
Melton City Council has welcomed the announcement by the Victorian Government to invest a further $550 million to upgrade the Western Highway, between Melton and Caroline Springs. Read more

ABC News | Sunday 6 September 2026

Labor commits $550m for Western Freeway upgrade in Melbourne growth corridor
Traffic congestion in Melbourne's outer west is the target of Labor's latest commitment ahead of the state election, with a pledge to spend $550 million upgrading the Western Freeway. Read more

Melton and Moorabool Star Weekly | Thursday 3 September 2026

Need for electrification remains
The Victorian Opposition’s promise to bolster the west’s train network has been welcomed, but stakeholders say electrification and a repurposed bus network remain top priorities. Read more

melton.vic.gov.au | Wednesday 2 September 2026

Hybrid trains welcomed but need for electrification remains
Melton City Council has welcomed the commitment by the Victorian Liberal and National Parties to invest $1.7 billion to deliver 25 new hybrid electric trains for the Melton and Wyndham Vale lines if elected, as an interim measure to increase rail capacity in Melbourne’s growing west. Read more

Melton and Moorabool Star Weekly | Tuesday 1 September 2026

Hybrid trains for the west
The state opposition is promising new hybrid trains for Melbourne’s west if it wins November’s state election. Read more

The Age | Tuesday 1 September 2026

Opposition goes loco with $1.7 billion transport pitch
A new fleet of hybrid trains that can run on suburban and country tracks would finally deliver a long-promised boost to rail services for people living in Melbourne’s booming west under a $1.7 billion public transport pitch to be announced by the Coalition. Read more

Melton and Moorabool Star Weekly | Monday 31 August 2026

Melton’s growth warning
Melton council has called on the state government to deliver critical transport, education and community infrastructure following the announcement of the approval of the new 12,000-home Melton East precinct. Read more

melton.vic.gov.au | Wednesday 26 August 2026

Melton East must be matched with infrastructure investment
Melton City Council is calling on the Victorian Government to deliver the critical transport, education and community infrastructure needed to support the newly approved Melton East precinct. Read more

The Age | Tuesday 25 August 2026

These suburbs may never be the same as Melbourne’s population soars to 10 million
We asked planners what Melbourne would look like if it went up or out by 2101. Explore our interactive tool of projections for the city’s future. Read more

Melton and Moorabool Star Weekly | Friday 24 July 2026

Western councils push election priorities
Councils representing Melbourne’s western suburbs are demanding more infrastructure investment, a dedicated precincts plan, and a housing strategy for the region as part of a list of priorities they’ve released ahead of November’s state election. Read more

The Age | Friday 21 August 2026

Australia’s fastest-growing region gets 200,000 homes. But will it get what it needs?
Melbourne’s west will need 200,000 new homes over the next 15 years, and the Allan government has tasked the region’s infrastructure players, councils and developers to map out a plan to keep pace. Read more(PDF, 422KB)

Melton and Moorabool Star Weekly | Friday 21 August 2026

Campaigning begins at MTF
Campaigning for this year’s state election got off to a start in Melton on Wednesday 19 August, as candidates faced the community at the Metropolitan Transport Forum (MTF). Read more

ABC Radio Melbourne Breakfast | Thursday 20 Aug 2026

Metropolitan Transport Forum Wrap Up
Hosts Bob Murphy and Richelle Hunt talking to reporter, Margaret Paul.

Melton and Moorabool Star Weekly | Monday 10 August 2026

No Steam Ahead
After three hours stuck on a stalled, cramped, and claustrophobic train, Mt Atkinson resident Jaksha Shah has had enough. V/Line passengers travelling from Melton towards Melbourne this morning were stranded for hours amid significant delays caused by a track fault near Footscray. Read more

Herald Sun | Tuesday 4 August 2026

Melton Council submits major demands for new train stations, electrification by 2030
Commuters in Melbourne's west liken fighting it out to get a carpark at overcrowded train stations to the “Hunger Games” — and with the population booming, they are demanding the state government take urgent action. Read more(PDF, 989KB)

Melton and Moorabool Star Weekly | Wednesday 29 July 2026

Transport forum in Melton
A free public forum will give Melton residents the chance to put their transport concerns directly to candidates ahead of this year’s state election. Read more

Melton and Moorabool Star Weekly | Friday 24 July 2026

Urgent investment needed in Melton
Melton council has called for urgent investment in the lead up to the November state election. The council has launched its ‘Let’s Get the City of Melton Moving’ state election campaign, calling on all major parties to commit to investing in critical transport and road upgrades required to support a rapidly growing population. Read more

melton.vic.gov.au | Thursday 23 July 2026

Urgent investment needed for Australia's fastest growing area
The City of Melton is Australia’s fastest growing area, but years of underinvestment in roads and public transport have left residents facing congested roads, overcrowded trains and lengthy daily commutes. Read more

abc.net.au | Wednesday 22 July 2026

Train station car parking in Melbourne's west becomes election issue
Melton Council is calling on both sides of politics to commit to two new train stations in the fast-growing municipality. Council data shows 86 per cent of the local workforce leave the area for work every day — and many complain transport links are inadequate. Read more