Avenel Rail and Pedestrian
Safety Campaign
Strathbogie Shire Council and Avenel Active are calling on the Victorian Government to fund urgent rail and pedestrian infrastructure upgrades to address increasing community safety risks in Avenel.
​
In August 2025 Council released their 2025-29 Advocacy Strategy, including a proposal that the Victorian Government invest $3.1 million to upgrade pedestrian rail crossings, footpaths, car parking and road safety around the rail precinct in Avenel.
​
Avenel Active strongly supports Council’s proposal which reflects longstanding community concerns.
​
The Avenel V/Line Railway station is in the town centre. Pedestrians must cross the VicTrack-managed railyard next to the VicRoads-managed main road to move around the town.
The Victorian Government must make this area safe for passengers and pedestrians.
​
Our Campaign Objectives
Avenel Active is calling on the Victorian Government to improve rail and pedestrian safety in Avenel, including:
-
Upgrade of the pedestrian crossing at Avenel V/Line Railway Station, including locking pedestrian gates​
-
Installation of a pedestrian crossing at the rail intersection at Ewings Road
-
Review of safety fencing along the rail line within the township zone
-
Installation of a safe, accessible footpath between Avenel Railway Station and Saleyard Road
-
Reduction of the current 60km/hr speed limit on the C346 main road through the Avenel township
-
Installation of a safe, formal carpark at Avenel V/Line Railway Station, including marked parking spaces, disabled parking, tactile ground indicators, lighting and landscaping, and
-
Relocation of train replacement bus stops from the 60km/hr C346 main road to the station carpark.
Support the Campaign!
​
Write to Minister Gabrielle Williams
In March 2025 Avenel Active wrote to Gabrielle Williams MP, Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure and Minister for Public and Active Transport, to share feedback from our 2025 community survey and seek improvements to the Avenel Railyard.
​
Following a serious accident at the Avenel rail pedestrian crossing in April 2025, Avenel Active wrote again to the Minister to seek urgent safety improvements to the Avenel rail precinct and invited the minister to visit.
​
Read Minister Williams' reply here
The Minister's reply advises that transport and rail authorities are working with Council to 'enhance pedestrian safety and connectivity between the Avenel railway station and surrounding areas' and to 'explore potential funding pathways in consultation with VicTrack, ARTC,and Council to support improvements that enhance safety and accessibility within the precinct.'
​
The Minister's reply is encouraging but, at this time, the Victorian Government has made no commitment to upgrade safety at Avenel's pedestrian rail crossings.
We continue to seek a firm and funded commitment from the Victorian Government to fully upgrade the Avenel rail precinct, as proposed by Council.
​
Write to Minister Williams to tell her how rail and pedestrian safety in Avenel affects you:
​
Email: receptionminwilliams@transport.vic.gov.au
Postal address: PO Box 2392 Melbourne VIC 3000
​
​​
Share the campaign!
​
Please share this webpage with family, friends and networks.
​
Avenel Active is currently advocating to:
-
Minister Gabrielle Williams, Minister for Transport Infrastructure and Minister for Public and Active Transport, Victoria
-
Annabelle Cleeland MP, Member for Euroa
-
Jaclyn Symes MP, Member of the Legislative Council for Northern Victoria
-
Members of the Legislative Council for Northern Victoria
-
Strathbogie Shire Council
-
Sam Birrell MP, Member for Nicholls (Cwth)
-
Catherine King MP, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government (Cwth - regarding ARTC responsibilities for track management).
​
Please email Avenel Active to suggest anyone else we should contact who could influence the Victorian Government to improve rail and pedestrian safety in Avenel.
​
Background
Avenel is divided by the North East rail line with the V/Line station in the town centre.
Pedestrians must cross the rail line to access local services and community activities. Multiple passenger and freight trains pass through Avenel daily, creating serious risks to pedestrians.
There is no effective separation between pedestrians and trains at either of Avenel’s rail crossings.
​
At the V/Line station crossing on Bank Street there are no automatic locking gates between pedestrians and passing trains, only a short zig-zag of metal fencing to slow pedestrians.​
Avenel V/Line Station pedestrian rail crossing, Bank Street, May 2025
No effective pedestrian barriers.
Avenel V/Line Station pedestrian rail crossing, Bank Street, July 2025
Upright posts have been painted yellow for greater visibility.
The crossing remains without effective pedestrian barriers.
​The Ewings Road rail crossing further south has no pedestrian rail crossing or footpaths at all.
​
A residential subdivision for up to 80 houses and a childcare centre has been approved on land adjoining the rail line between Ewings Road, Hovell Road and Saleyard Road. This will significantly increase the number of pedestrians of all ages using both crossings.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​​
​
Ewings Road, Avenel rail crossing, May 2025
​The VicTrack-managed railyard next to the V/Line station connects growing residential areas north of the rail line with town centre services.
VicTrack has never installed a sealed footpath north from Avenel Railway Station along the main C346 road through Avenel. There is no clear separation between pedestrians and 60 km/ hr traffic on the main road.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Many residents choose instead to walk along the 60km/hr main road rather than cross the railway ballast and potholes of the railyard.
​
This is extremely dangerous as the junction of Queen Street, Bank Street and the Avenel-Longwood Road is notoriously unsafe, with many near-misses and accidents over the years as drivers frequently mistake the Avenel-Longwood Road as the continuation of the main road through town.​
The intersection of the VicTrack-managed Avenel Railyard, the VicRoads-managed main C346 road and the Avenel rail crossing, August 2023.
There is no footpath on either side of the 60km/hr road for pedestrians.
The railyard next to the station has never been made into a formal V/Line carpark.
There is sealed parking for only five cars. There is no level access from the station to the sealed parking area and no disability parking.
Passengers are often reluctant to park in the railyard and park on Queen Street instead, occupying on-street parking next to the medical practice pharmacy, cafe and retail businesses.
The VicTrack-managed Avenel Railyard, January 2025. Mainly ballast and large gauge blue metal surface. Sealed parking for only five cars. No safe level foot path from the station to car parking. No disability access parking. No lighting. No fencing between the carpark and the rail line.
Because there is no formal carpark there is often haphazard and dangerous parking, especially when restaurants are busy at the weekend, with cars parked right up to the edge of Bank Street and across Saleyard Road, leaving pedestrians to walk between cars or along the road.
Avenel Railyard, March 2025.
The horizontal arrow shows cars parked to the boundary with Bank Street, the main C346 road through Avenel, forcing pedestrians to walk next to the 60km/hr road or between parked vehicles.
The vertical arrow shows cars parked up to the junction between Saleyard Road and Bank Street, reducing visibility of pedestrians for vehicles exiting Saleyard Road.
Is Avenel the worst V/Line precinct in Victoria?​
We don't know - but it's pretty bad! We've looked at other V/Line stations in our region.
​
It seems that V/Line stations are upgraded if it's needed to deliver major rail projects, but not if it's needed solely for community safety and access. For example:
​
-
Euroa, Benalla and Wangaratta V/Line station precincts are being upgraded by Inland Rail as part of the project to enable double-stacked freight.
-
Nagambie, Murchison East and Mooroopna V/Line station precincts were upgraded as part of the Victorian Government's Regional Rail Revival project to facilitate longer Velocity trains.
​
But because no works are needed at Avenel to facilitate longer passenger trains or double-stacked freight, there are no planned upgrades for the Avenel V/Line station precinct.
Some examples of other local V/Line stations are shown below and in the linked table.
​​​​
Nagambie
Nagambie V/Line Station carpark, February 2025. Sealed and marked parking; disabled parking; lighting; bus replacement bus stop in carpark.
Tallarook
Tallarook V/Line Station Railway Place carpark, February 2025. Marked parking (not all sealed but finer more level surface than Avenel railyard; disabled parking; lighting; bus replacement bus stop in carpark.
Euroa
Euroa V/Line Station platform carpark, February 2025.
Sealed and marked parking. The entire precinct will be significantly upgraded as part of the Inland Rail project, including improved parking, pedestrian underpasses and disability access.
Euroa V/Line Station Railway Street carpark, February 2025.
Large area of sealed but not marked parking spaces, with train replacement bus stop in carpark. The entire precinct will be significantly upgraded as part of the Inland Rail project, including improved parking, pedestrian underpasses and disability access.
