Serviceton Railway Station in Victoria

Here’s the history of Serviceton Railway Station in Victoria.

Origins and Construction

It opened in 1889 (construction completed in 1888–1889) and was built as a border station between Victoria and South Australia, during the expansion of the Melbourne–Adelaide railway line.

It was named after Sir James Service, Premier of Victoria, following a suggestion from South Australia’s Premier John Downer. The land was part of a long-running border dispute between the two colonies, later resolved in Victoria’s favour in 1914.

It is grand two-storey brick building with polychrome brickwork, cast iron verandah, and 15 main rooms, including refreshment rooms, customs offices, strong rooms, and even holding cells for prisoners.

Built under Victoria’s “Octopus Act” of 1884, which funded major railway expansion. It remains one of the largest and most intact examples of Victorian-era railway architecture.

Before 1901, the station housed customs offices and had two separate ticket offices, one for each state. Duties were collected on goods crossing the border. Train crews and locomotives were swapped at Serviceton because crews could only operate within their own state. Customs roles ended in January 1901, but locomotive changes continued until the 1980s.

The station closed in 1984 and is now leased to the West Wimmera Shire Council for community use and heritage preservation.

Notable Incident: On 7 September 1951, two Overland trains collided at the station, killing one person and destroying four locomotives.

Today, Serviceton Railway Station is a heritage-listed site and a popular historical attraction. It offers guided tours showcasing its architecture and stories of interstate travel, customs, and the border dispute era.