In Victoria my understanding is that rail only carries about...

In Victoria my understanding is that rail only carries about half of the export grain (to the North Geelong Grain Loop, upgraded a few years ago to allow heavier wagon axleloads and faster unloading). The excellent website 'Gheringhap Loop' shows all broad and standard gauge train movements through that rail junction (which is 83km from Melbourne by rail, and not far out of Geelong - the broad gauge normally freight-only line to Ballarat, Sea Lake and Manangatang, and the standard gauge line from Melbourne to Adelaide, Mildura, Rainbow, Perth, Darwin and Portland (Vic) junction at Gheringhap.

On Sunday 11 April, there was one loaded broad and the same for standard gauge grain train(s) rolling through Gheringhap, and the same for empty hopper wagons to get them back to silos/bunker equipped GNC sites. Some days there are more, and at other times nil: depends on when GNC has booked bulk ships, and whether the vessels are loading at Geelong or Portland (Vic).

Grain trains at times have also operated from western Victoria to NSW, as far as Moree in northwest NSW to convey feed grain. This stopped three or four months ago as the bumper harvest and better climatic conditions commenced or developed to such a stage to lower demand for feed grain.

The Maroona to Portland line has been very busy since December, yet in the last few years it hardly saw any trains. Grain has been originating at places like Warracknabeal and Rainbow (both standard gauge branch lines from Murtoa and Dimboola, Vic respectively) and been railed to Portland.

The Murray Basin Rail Project was badly handled by the Andrews Labor Government and Minister Jacinta Allan.

The excellent Federal Coalition Government had generously stumped up half the funding - roughly $220m from memory - but Labor in Victoria completely botched the project, and as usual could not keep to budget.

The Ararat to Maryborough line was converted to standard gauge, but old rail was reused. This is having to be torn up and replaced by heavier rail to enable faster speeds and heavier axle loads on each wagon.

The Gheringhap through Meredith to Ballarat, Creswick and Maryborough line was meant to be converted to standard gauge (one track of the double line between Warrenheip and Ballarat) but has not been, and nor have Dunolly to Sea Lake and Korong Vale to Manangatang.

(Maryborough to Dunolly is already dual gauge, where a third rail is inserted between the broad gauge track to allow standard gauge trains from Ararat or Mildura/Donald to also operate).

You are correct to suggest that GNC putting in some funding is an option but it probably views this as expensive, beyond its financial ability and something government ought do.

Despite pressure from 'The Weekly Times' newspaper and lobby groups, Labor in Victoria has not committed to standardising these remaining rail lines. Instead it's spending about $48 million on resleepering one broad gauge line but the sleepers being inserted are not gauge-convertible. (Standard gauge is 1435mm between the rails, broad in Victoria is 1600mm).

I assume GNC lobbies State and Federal Governments on all manner of requests and proposals.

However it's notable that in NSW, rail accounts for almost all of export grain movements to Port Kembla (which like Portland Vic had not seen grain at all in the last couple of years, until this bumper season) and Carrington at Newcastle NSW, but in Victoria rail only has a half share.

It damages country roads in Victoria (some of which are already in a poor state) to have B-Doubles and other massive trucks thundering up and down highways and local roads. It's also a safety risk for private motorists. While it'd be stupid to assert that all truck drivers are unsafe or cowboys, some are, and the consequences of any mistakes or fatigue can be horrendous, particularly if a truck collides with a car or SUV.

If you live in Victoria, contact your local MP and ask why the Victorian Government won't provide further funding for the standardisation of the above rail lines.