It is the southernmost passenger railway station on the Australian mainland that is still in use today. Some lines during the Victorian Railways era, such as the Timboon and Crowes lines, did venture further south however none are in existence today.
Beyond the station, the line continues for a further five kilometres to Dennington, and is used by freight trains.[3]
History
On 26 April 1988, that section officially changed to being worked as a siding, and the train staff previously used for train movements between Warrnambool and Dennington was abolished.[4] Beyond Dennington, the line used to continue for a further 37 kilometres to Port Fairy. That section was closed in November 1977.
On 14 July 2008, the siding serving the freight shed at the eastern (up) end of the station was booked out of use, and the track was removed.[5] The goods shed itself was demolished in August 2018, due to its poor structural condition.[6]
As part of the Regional Rail Revival project, passenger services on the line are set to increase to five per weekday from 2022, after upgrade works along the line are completed and the commissioning of a passing lane at Boorcan, located between Camperdown and Terang stations.[7] As part of this project, stabling facilities are also to be upgraded at Warrnambool, to allow VLocity trains to stable.[7]
Announced as part of a $21.9 million package in the 2022/23 Victorian State Budget, Warrnambool Station, alongside others, will receive accessibility upgrades, the installation of CCTV and platform shelters.[8] The development process will begin in late 2022 or 2023, with a timeline for the upgrades to be released once construction has begun.