General News
9 March, 2026
Plans underway to celebrate rail milestone
AVOCA Arts and Gardens committee is gearing up for a celebration later this year to mark the 150th anniversary of rail to Avoca. The first 24 kilometres of the line connecting Avoca to Maryborough was complete in October 1876 when over 3,000 people attended the opening of the new Avoca Railway Station.
The line was further extended another 62 kilometres to Ararat in November 1890, forming a through route between two main lines.
Committee member Margaret Pilgrim said the arrival of rail to Avoca was an incredible coup for Avoca.
‘It was massive. I’ve been reading there were 5,000 people here for the opening. It was a huge pageant, the whole town was decorated and the Governor of Victoria was here. It was bigger than Ben Hur.
Mrs Pilgrim said the committee was working towards a celebration that combines Avoca’s annual art show with the railway milestone.
“It happens the same time as our art show and we are working towards a celebration that marks the importance of rail to Avoca.
Mrs Pilgrim said the committee was still working on plans for the celebration which will hopefully include a rail art display from local children.
“The local primary schools did those beautiful murals of endangered animals last year so I’m looking at going back to Sue Blackie and asking can the kids do artwork that relates to rail and maybe we’ll have their artwork on show at the gallery for that week and transfer it to the art show on the Friday.
The Avoca line has had a patchy history.
It closed in July 1959 but reopened in 1966.
It was converted to standard gauge in 1996, but was then closed again for 13 years until being revived as part of the Murray Basin Rail Plan to link Mildura to Portland with standard gauge track to carry grain and mineral sands.
While the line no longer carries passenger trains, it does get used by an average of two freight trains a day.
Although no longer in use, Avoca retains a brick station building which has been transformed into a successful art gallery (Gallery 127) run by Avoca Arts and Gardens.
Anyone keen to be part of a sub-committee to organise the 150th anniversary of rail to Avoca can contact Margaret Pilgrim on 0438 546 532.
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