Work to revitalise the heritage style rail gates at the Humffray Street level crossing has been completed, following extensive consultation with Heritage Victoria.

The gates were taken to a specialist contractor in Yea who reconstructed all timber components as part of the restoration process. They were then sent to Benalla for treatment before returning to Yea to be pieced back together and taken to a workshop in Broadford for painting.

There are six gates in total – four small and two large – all have been restored to their former glory as part of this process.

Up to 30 people have worked on the project, including V/Line staff and contractors, and after receiving the final coats of paint, restoration works are now complete.

V/Line reinstated the gates in their in-situ positions at the crossing on Sunday 28 November.

To ensure the gates could safely be reinstalled, Humffray Street was closed to traffic at the level crossing for most of the day, with traffic management and detours in place for motorists.

Quote attributable to Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison

“We know the historical importance of the heritage gates at the Humffray Street level crossing, and this restoration work will now ensure they can be enjoyed by generations to come.”

“Ballarat is the proud home to countless heritage pieces, so it is important we continue to protect and restore them to be admired for years to come.”

Quote attributable to V/Line Chief Executive Officer Matt Carrick

“We are pleased that we’ve been able to preserve the history of the Humffray Street gates. We thank motorists for their patience and understanding while crews worked as quickly and safely as possible to reinstall the gates.”