▁t onnes ▁of ▁intr ast ate ▁fre ight ▁carried ▁each ▁year ▁between ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 8 ; ▁containers ▁being ▁the ▁major ▁cargo , ▁followed ▁by ▁c ement , ▁logs , ▁quar ry ▁products ▁and ▁steel . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁First ▁lines ▁ ▁Australia ' s ▁first ▁steam ▁operated ▁railway ▁was ▁a ▁ ▁Victor ian ▁broad ▁gauge ▁line ▁between ▁the ▁Melbourne ▁( or ▁City ) ▁Term inus ▁( on ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁modern - day ▁Fl ind ers ▁Street ▁station ) ▁and ▁Sand ridge ▁( now ▁Port ▁Melbourne ), ▁constructed ▁by ▁the ▁Melbourne ▁and ▁Hob son ' s ▁Bay ▁Railway ▁Company ▁and ▁opened ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 8 5 4 . ▁The ▁first ▁country ▁line ▁in ▁Victoria ▁was ▁from ▁Melbourne ▁to ▁Ge el ong , ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 7 ▁by ▁the ▁Ge el ong ▁and ▁Melbourne ▁Railway ▁Company . ▁The ▁early ▁years ▁saw ▁the ▁lines ▁being ▁constructed ▁by ▁private ▁companies . ▁ ▁The ▁sub urban ▁network ▁expanded ▁to ▁the ▁east ▁from ▁Prin ces ▁Bridge ▁to ▁Richmond ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 9 , ▁then ▁later ▁to ▁Bright on ▁and ▁Haw th orn ▁by ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 8 6 0 s . ▁the ▁initial ▁sub urban ▁lines ▁were ▁all ▁built ▁by ▁different ▁private ▁companies ▁cent red ▁upon ▁Fl ind ers ▁Street , ▁being ▁am alg am ated ▁into ▁the ▁Melbourne ▁and ▁Hob son ' s ▁Bay ▁United ▁Railway ▁Company ▁by ▁ 1 8 6 5 , ▁with ▁public ▁ownership ▁not ▁coming ▁until ▁ 1