Benalla railway station

Benalla
Eastbound view in November 2008
Location	Mackellar Street, Benalla Australia
Coordinates	36°32′41″S 145°59′02″E / 36.5447°S 145.9838°E / -36.5447; 145.9838Coordinates: 36°32′41″S 145°59′02″E / 36.5447°S 145.9838°E / -36.5447; 145.9838
Owned by	VicTrack
Operated by	V/Line
Line(s)	North East Oaklands Tatong
Distance	195.25 kilometres from Southern Cross
Platforms	2 (1 island)
Tracks	9
Construction
Structure type	Ground
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Status	Staffed
Station code	BEN
Fare zone	Myki Zone 16
Website	Public Transport Victoria
History
Opened	18 August 1873
Services
Preceding station   V/Line   Following station Violet Town toward Southern Cross North East line Wangaratta toward Albury Preceding station   NSW TrainLink   Following station Seymour towards Melbourne NSW TrainLink Southern Melbourne XPT Wangaratta towards Sydney

Benalla railway station is located on the North East line, in Victoria, Australia. It serves the town of Benalla, and opened on 18 August 1873, as the temporary terminus of the line from Violet Town, before it was extended to Wangaratta on 28 October 1873.

A goods shed and sidings are located to the west of the station, whilst a locomotive depot was formerly located to the north. A turntable remains, and, until the broad gauge was converted to standard gauge, was occasionally used by steam locomotives.

To the north of the station, the Oaklands line, towards Yarrawonga, branches off. Benalla was also the junction for the now closed Tatong line.

Former station Baddaginnie was located between Benalla and Violet Town, while former stations Winton and Glenrowan were located between Benalla and Wangaratta.

The site of the station was a controversial decision at the time, guided by the 1870 flood of the Broken River to the south that engulfed the town. The railway line opened on 18 August 1873, but only temporary facilities were provided. The first permanent building was provided in 1874, of identical design to that at Seymour. It was extended in 1888, including dining and refreshment room facilities and administrative offices, all topped by a large tower, all of which were demolished by late 1974.

The bridge over the Broken River, of iron plate-girder construction, was the longest metal girder bridge in Australia at the time of construction, totalling 241.7 metres. Listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, it was the second bridge of its type built in Victoria, and the first metal railway bridge both designed and fabricated within the colony.