The Newport Railway Museum is about to get bigger after site owner VicTrack agreed to lease additional land that will be used to host events and functions and accommodate more visitors.
Along with gaining access to a large lawn area directly behind their existing site, the museum is also preparing to two open objects of significance to the public: the Newport Workshops War Memorial, and a historic model of locomotive B60 that was once on display at the former Spencer Street Station.
President Nick Hewitt said both developments continued the progress made since the museum was taken over by new management in 2020.
“In the last five years, we have built up our volunteer team, expanded our days of operation, and also made major improvements such as the construction of our roof canopies to protect the exhibits from the elements,” Mr Hewitt said.
“Our visitors often tell us how much the museum has improved since their last visit.”
Mr Hewitt said the extra land would do more than just make it easier for them to host events and functions.
“This extra land provides the museum with room to expand its collection in future, as the trains and other rail equipment in regular service in Victoria today eventually become the museum exhibits of the future.”
VicTrack leases the land to the museum as part of its community leasing program and is also funding the construction of a new fence at the Newport site through its community grants program.
