▁services ▁to ▁Ad ela ide , ▁until ▁the ▁One ▁Nation ▁Program ▁r er out ed ▁the ▁main ▁inter state ▁line ▁via ▁Ge el ong ▁and ▁Mar o ona ▁as ▁standard ▁gauge . ▁ ▁The ▁W arr nam bool ▁line ▁was ▁started ▁when ▁the ▁Ge el ong ▁and ▁Melbourne ▁Railway ▁Company ▁opened ▁the ▁Ge el ong ▁line ▁to ▁New port ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 7 , ▁being ▁extended ▁to ▁Sp encer ▁Street ▁station ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 9 . ▁The ▁line ▁was ▁taken ▁over ▁by ▁Victor ian ▁Rail ways ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 0 ▁and ▁a ▁line ▁was ▁opened ▁from ▁Ge el ong ▁to ▁Ball ar at ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 2 , ▁and ▁later ▁extended ▁south - east ▁from ▁ 1 8 7 6 , ▁reaching ▁W arr nam bool ▁and ▁Port ▁Fair y ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 0 . ▁Branch ▁lines ▁also ▁existed ▁to ▁Queens cl iff , ▁Be ech ▁Forest , ▁and ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁other ▁towns . ▁ ▁Private ▁rail ways ▁ ▁A ▁small ▁number ▁of ▁private ▁rail ways ▁have ▁also ▁existed ▁at ▁various ▁times . ▁Some , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁Ge el ong ▁and ▁Melbourne ▁Railway ▁Company , ▁and ▁the ▁Melbourne ▁and ▁Sub urban ▁Railway ▁Company , ▁Melbourne ▁and ▁Hob son ' s ▁Bay ▁Railway ▁Company , ▁Melbourne ▁and ▁Ess end on ▁Railway ▁Company ▁and ▁St ▁K ilda ▁and ▁Bright on ▁Railway ▁Company ▁were ▁acquired ▁by ▁the ▁Victor ian ▁Rail ways ▁and ▁made ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁core ▁state ▁network ▁in ▁ 1 8 6