Rail Academy Students gain real-world insight at Kananook Stabling Yard

On Wednesday 18 September, students enrolled in Certificate II in Heavy and Light Rail Fundamentals, offered through Hallam Secondary College, visited the Kananook Stabling Yard. This was an opportunity for them to gain valuable hands-on industry experience.

Organised by our Industry Capability and Inclusion team, and presented on site by SPA’s rail experts, 18 students explored the works under construction, including the train wash and maintenance facilities, providing a deeper understanding of rail operations on the busy Frankston Line.

Students commented on the impressive scale of the train maintenance facility, which spans a huge 26,500 square meters, an area larger than the MCG. The towering entrances are reminiscence of footy goalposts, making the facility as grand as the entire actual oval itself.

The one-day visit formed part of a two-year course, developed by LXRP's Rail Academy, that gives secondary students an opportunity to learn about rail operations and infrastructure, enabling them to make informed choices about future study and employment pathways in rail.

The Kananook Stabling Yard Upgrade project will increase the capacity of the yard from eight to 21 trains, build maintenance and train wash facilities and allow more trains to run on the Frankston Line more often. The project will create more than 50 new jobs, once the expanded facilities open.

The Frankston Line will be level crossing-free by 2029 with all 27 crossings gone for good, and 17 new stations built, changing the way locals live, work and travel.