Rail freight upgrades welcome but more needs to be done, says VFF

The government has announced works completed by V/Line have seen rail higher tonnage capacity for the four grain terminals on the Shepparton to Tocumwal broad-gauge freight network.

The works now mean 19 to 20 tonne axle-load (TAL) rolling stock can run on the line.

Freight Minister Melissa Horne said upgrades included increasing the depth of crushed rock (ballast) supporting the tracks, to assessing and upgrading culverts and bridges on high-use corridors, making it possible to carry heavier loads.

"We're investing heavily in new track, new sleepers and new ballast on lines in north and north-west Victoria, particularly those that handle grain and will benefit most from higher axle loads," Ms Horne said.

The increase from 19 to 20 TAL meant suitable grain trains could carry an additional 160 tonnes of grain, or the equivalent of around 3.5 B-Double trucks, she said.

Rail freight operator Pacific National chief executive Paul Scurrah said the line was a vital link in Victoria's supply chain

"It ensures Pacific National can continue to move large grain volumes by trains to the Port of Melbourne," Mr Scurrah said.

"As the largest hauler of grain and agricultural products, regional exports, and bulk goods on the eastern seaboard, Pacific National has moved more than 200,000 tonnes of grain on this line over the past 12-months, which is equivalent to removing more than 3,700 trucks off Victoria's road network."

The government said across Victoria and southern NSW one-million tonnes of grain was moved to port from 29 active grain sites, including Tocumwal, on the freight rail network from July 2021 to April this year.

But Mr Fraser said while rail upgrades were welcome, the Shepparton to Tocumwal line carried only a small amount of grain, when compared with lines in the Mallee and Wimmera.

"Whilst we welcome any investment in rail freight, in any part of the state, the western parts of Victoria (the Wimmera and Mallee) are in absolute urgent need of funding as well," Mr Fraser said.

He said 200,000 tonnes of grain was "a pittance".

"There's more than that sitting in single sites in the Wimmera and Mallee - they [the government] probably need to to look at their priorities," he said.

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Rail Futures Institute president John Hearsch said the main benefit of the upgrade would be the three times a week intermodal from Tocumwal, operated by Linx Portlink.

"Grain trains from Tocumwal are more spasmodic, depending on shipping orders," Mr Hearsch said.

"It's been some years since there was last any major maintenance on the Tocumwal line however, unlike some of the lines in the west, the Tocumwal line has remained in reasonable condition."

Tocumwal and Oaklands were among the largest grain receival locations on the Victorian rail network, he said.

Tocumwal was supplemented by the facility at Murchison East, while Oaklands drew grain from Yarrawonga.

"The Shepparton-Tocumwal line has recently had some deferred maintenance work undertaken and that will have enabled the additional minor axle load improvement to be implemented," he said.

"We are still looking for this to be further increased to at least 21 tonnes across most of the grain network."

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It comes as VFF Transport and Infrastructure Committee chair Ryan Milgate called on the state government to implement an agricultural freight strategy.

"Obviously the Tocumwal line upgrade is welcome, but we need to know where it fits, in the overall scheme of things," he said.

Mr Milgate said the VFF wanted the government to take a "deep dive" into what freight was coming from where, how and why and where it was going

"We want to use to that information to guide our infrastructure and road and rail asks, into the future," Mr Milgate said.

"Just asking for projects by themselves is a bit like eating an elephant, you can eat it one bite at a time or you can understand where all the freight flows are so we can prioritise projects for the future.

"I don't think anyone, us included, understands were the freight flows are so we need to have a good hard look at the issue."

He said the Western Australian government had carried out a study on grain transport, providing a model for the VFF and government.

The government's current freight strategy did not appear to cover such issues as horticulture, from Gippsland and Mildura, he said.

"We are asking the government to do this study, this is our idea but we want them to do it," he said.

There had been a positive response from government, so far, he said.

"It's just a matter of someone coming up with the money, and the will to do it," he said.