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Panitya

Origin of name: Aboriginal - A piece of land.

Station opened: 29-7-1915

Distance from Melbourne (via Castlemaine): 367 miles 78 chains 22 links; 592.175 km

Distance from Melbourne (via Ballan): 599.079 km

Height above Sea Level: 295 feet

Panitya was the last station on the line before the border with South Australia. It was opened for goods traffic during construction of the line on 1-3-1915 and when officially opened it had a 150 foot passenger platform with a 20 x 12 foot office, 10 x 12 foot ladies waiting room and 12 x 10 foot van goods shed. Ladies and gents toilets were also on the platform. A standard 50 x 16 goods platform and a sheep loading race were located on a loop goods siding.

A 12 ton private weighbridge and a departmental residence were located in the station yard.

Panitya was worked under supervision from Murrayville until 21-10-1929 when it was worked under No-One-in-Charge conditions.

A 110,000 bushel concrete grain elevator was provided by the Grain Elevators Board in 1939.

A voluntary caretaker Mrs. Holdsworth, was appointed in 1941.

Following a tour of inspection by the Commissioners on 14-5-1941 a request for additional stock trucking facilities was made. Panitya was described as having more stock transported from that station than any other along the Murrayville line.

Passenger traffic was withdrawn from 1-11-1968.

On 13-7-1970, the Staff locking of the main line points was replaced with CCW levers, hand locking bars and padlocks. Scotch Blocks were provided in the Siding in lieu of Catch Points.

By 9-3-1976, the Up end points were relocated 50 feet in an Up direction for the construction of an additional silo and Wsa levers and Staff Locks were provided in lieu of CCW levers and hand locking bars on the Up and Down end points.

The General Manager of the Victorian Railways, Mr. I. Hodges, with other officers, visited Panitya on 28-7-1976. A special train was used for their inspection. Photo: Victorian Railways

T400 shunts a rake of GH grain wagons into the silo siding at Panitya. 24-12-1979. Photo: Norm Houghton

Supervision of Panitya was transferred from Murrayville to Ouyen by 13-12-1983.

A rare visit by a passenger train to Panitya as a railway enthusiast special stops to allow passengers an inspection of this remote and distant station from Melbourne. 17-3-1984. Photo: John Page

Tenders were called for the road transport of 3 track machines for the Tie Renewal Gang from Panitya station yard to Speed station yard on 16-8-1985.