▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 2 , ▁with ▁extensions ▁were ▁opened ▁to ▁E ch uca ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 4 , ▁and ▁Sw an ▁Hill ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 0 , ▁followed ▁by ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁lines ▁throughout ▁the ▁north - west ▁corner ▁of ▁the ▁state . ▁Only ▁these ▁lines ▁continue ▁to ▁see ▁V / Line ▁services , ▁with ▁other ▁lines ▁in ▁the ▁region ▁only ▁seeing ▁fre ight ▁traffic . ▁ ▁The ▁Main ▁Western ▁line ▁had ▁its ▁beg inn ings ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁railway ▁line ▁from ▁Melbourne ▁to ▁Ball ar at , ▁the ▁Ge el ong - B all ar at ▁line ▁that ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 2 . ▁The ▁line ▁extended ▁from ▁Ball ar at ▁to ▁Ar ar at ▁between ▁ 1 8 7 4 ▁and ▁ 1 8 7 5 , ▁but ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁until ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁that ▁the ▁direct ▁line ▁between ▁Melbourne ▁and ▁Ball ar at ▁was ▁opened , ▁built ▁from ▁both ▁ends ▁in ▁stages ▁until ▁they ▁met ▁at ▁Ball an . ▁Further ▁branch ▁lines ▁followed ▁to ▁Port land ▁and ▁other ▁western ▁towns . ▁The ▁line ▁formed ▁the ▁first ▁inter colon ial ▁railway ▁line ▁in ▁Australia , ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁extended ▁to ▁the ▁South ▁Australian ▁Rail ways ▁at ▁Serv ic eton ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 7 . ▁Up ▁until ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁the ▁Ball ar at ▁line ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁main ▁route ▁between ▁Melbourne ▁and ▁Ad ela ide , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁The ▁Over land