The poor condition of the Bordertown railway station has been strongly criticised by a local councillor.

The views of Tatiara District Councillor Natalie Moore have been aired in the public domain.

The stone structure was built in 1908 and is owned by the State Government.

It has not been staffed for decades and is dilapidated.

According to Cr Moore, the Bordertown railway station is the first such structure seen by passengers on the Overland train which runs twice weekly between Melbourne and Adelaide.

She has called on the State Government to urgently upgrade the building.

Her comments coincide with funding announcements to ensure the train stays on the rails.

The South Australian Government has just announced a $1.4m subsidy while Victorian Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll confirmed the Labor Government has entered a new $11.5m three-year agreement to fund the historic service.

“We’re continuing our support of the iconic Overland train service – linking Melbourne and Adelaide and other regional towns in between, supporting regional jobs and tourism,” Mr Carroll said.

“Since mid-2022, we have seen a strong passenger return to the Overland services.

“Our continued investment in these services will provide more certainty for the Overland to operate until at least 2027.”

It has run between Melbourne and Adelaide since 1887 and stops at Murray Bridge, Bordertown, Nhill, Dimboola, Horsham, Stawell, Ararat and Geelong and it will continue to run for the next three years.

The Andrews Labor Government in Victoria first stepped in to save the iconic 828km route after the future of The Overland was put in jeopardy by the South Australian Liberal Government’s decision in 2020 to stop funding the service, which is used by 20,000 people each year.

The subsidies from the two governments means the average train fare receives the equivalent of a $600 contribution.