Colac–Ballarat railway line

38°04′30″S 143°38′13″E / 38.07500°S 143.63694°E / -38.07500; 143.63694 The Colac to Ballarat line was a cross-country line that branched from the Warrnambool line just east of Colac and ran in a generally northerly direction to join the Ballarat–Skipton Line at Newtown, from where it ran to Ballarat station. The line was 112 km long, passing through an area dotted with lakes at its southern end, and a hilly area in the northern section.

Construction of the line began in the late 19th century^[1] with the purpose of transferring produce from the Victoria's Western District to the industrial centre of Ballarat. The line was built in sections, from Irrewarra in the south to Beeac, and from Ballarat in the north to Newtown, as part of the Skipton Line. The link between Beeac and Newtown was eventually opened in the 1910s, but it passed through very few major settlements.

The track has been removed completely and most of the land returned to adjoining farmers, but the last section of the Skipton to Ballarat line has been converted into the Ballarat–Skipton Rail Trail.

Colac–Ballarat railway line
Legend
To Melbourne Ballarat Station Wendouree Station Linton Junction Cardigan Haddon Nintingbool Smythesdale Scarsdale Newtown Skipton Line Berringa Illabarook Rokewood Werneth < To Maroona – Cressy – To Geelong > Barpinba Beeac Ondit Irrewarra To Geelong Colac To Warrnambool

The site of Illabrook station, that used to include the station building and a goods shed, is now the Illabrook Rail Line Nature Conservation Reserve.^[2]

Cressy was located where the Colac-Ballarat line junctioned with the Gheringhap-Maroona cross-country line, and it became a major station after the two lines opened in the 1910s. Facilities included a large station building with an elevated signal box, and a refreshment room. From the closing of the Colac-Ballarat line in 1953, the station was progressively downgraded, and it was closed in the 1990s. Today almost no trace of the station remains.