Did you know the Hartwell Station railway bridge features an iconic piece of graffiti painted around 1940? Or that the Moorabbin Air Museum has one of the biggest collections of Australian-built aircraft in the world? Metro Trains Melbourne has partnered with Storytowns Podcast Tours and the Department of Transport and Planning to capture untold stories of our city with a series of podcasts. With an initial run of 43 podcasts which have been downloaded more than 14 thousand times, the program has been expanded to now include 126 podcasts covering the entire metropolitan rail network. From the Werribee Park mansion, the Vietnamese restaurants of St Albans and the live music scene in Northcote, the series covers a variety of themes, including local food, street art, travel tips, fun facts, and interesting stories about each suburb’s history, culture and train stations. The use of geo-located podcasts along the city’s train lines is an Australian-first with the podcasts playing automatically as you approach a landmark or point of interest across Melbourne’s one-thousand-kilometre metropolitan train network. Since launching in 2019, Storytowns has offered hundreds of free geo-located podcast tours throughout Australia, transforming the way people explore and connect with their surroundings. The Storytowns app is available for download on both iOS and Android devices at www.storytowns.com.au/metro. Users can access the podcasts for free and start their journey right away. This initiative recently won an IABC Gold Quill Award of Merit and was announced as a finalist for Excellence in Marketing and Communications Content in the Gartner Marketing and Communications Awards, with the winner to be announced in September.

Metro Trains is onboard with Melbourne Storm as an official partner for the 2024 and 2025 NRL seasons and to celebrate, a special interactive digital photo booth has been opened at iconic Flinders Street Station. Storm stars Tyran Wishart and Josh King were the first to use the booth today ahead of this week’s round fourteen clash with the Newcastle Knights at AAMI Park on Sunday afternoon. For the next three months, Metro Trains passengers will be able to take virtual snaps with their favourite Storm players as a keepsake of the 2024 season. Metro’s CEO Raymond O’Flaherty says, “We’re thrilled to be continuing our partnership with Melbourne Storm until the end of the 2025 season and encouraging their loyal fans to leave the car at home and catch the train to the game.

On the 9th of May, Southern Cross Station buzzed with activity as it hosted a special event geared towards supporting individuals of all abilities. Designed to support people of all abilities, Try Before You Ride aimed to increase attendees’ confidence in using the public transport system. The event drew in over 130 participants, offering them the chance to explore stationary Metro and V/Line trains, as well as bus, coach, and taxi services, along with guided tram trips. This hands-on experience provided invaluable practice for boarding and disembarking, familiarised attendees with accessibility features, and facilitated conversations with public transport staff. Metro’s Accessibility and Inclusion Team, along with the Community Education Team, a group of Authorised Officers, a train driver and team of Multi-Modal Authorised Officers helped to deliver the event. Ebony Fry, Accessibility and Inclusion Advisor, remarked, “There was significant community interest in this event, and it was great to have the opportunity to support attendees and address their questions and concerns.” The success of the event was a result of extensive collaboration among Metro, V/Line, Kinetic, Yarra Trams, and the Department of Transport and Planning in preceding months. It was rewarding to receive positive feedback from attendees and we hope the event has provided them with the confidence they need to access public transport.

Metro is proud to be working with our new First Nations community partner, Barrbunin Beek supporting the delivery of programs that meet the First Nations community’s needs. Located in Olympic Park, West Heidelberg, Barrbunin Beek means ‘happy place’ in the Woiwurrung language. Barrbunin Beek is a place for local Aboriginal and Torres Strait people to meet and build community through a series of different programs. Metro’s Senior Adviser, Indigenous Affairs Jhdara Jones said the partnership will increase women’s and children’s programs and, in turn, increase engagement and participation for First Nations families to grow connection. “At Metro, we’re genuinely excited to join hands with Barrbunin Beek Aboriginal Gathering Place on the path towards reconciliation and enabling self-determination. “It’s a commitment to walk together, learn from each other, and create meaningful opportunities.” Barrbunin Beek’s Kristen Munro says she is looking forward to the programs the partnership will facilitate. “Our new partnership with Metro Trains will allow us to empower our Women and Boorais (Children) by accessing existing and new programs at Barrbunin Beek that are designed to strengthen their connection to Culture, create new kinship networks and encourage self-determination and self-empowerment of all involved.” The partnership aligns to Metro’s commitment to reconciliation and support self-determination of Victoria’s First Nation’s communities.

March was International Student month in Melbourne, and new university and TAFE students flooded into our city from all parts of the globe. Metro’s Community Education team was on hand to make their introduction to Melbourne a little easier. The team delivered a series of events to help students travel safely and confidently on Metro trains, including a presence at Melbourne International Student Week Festival at Federation Square, attending various ‘O Fest’ events at universities and TAFEs across Melbourne, and hosting a special event for students – Metro’s Market Meet. At Metro’s Market Meet, the Community Education team took a group of international students via train to Preston Market. During the trip, the team shared important travel insights, such as journey planning, the myki ticketing system, the Metro language badge initiative, and available translation services. Students were also introduced to station staff and Authorised Officers, with an explanation of how their roles can support students on their journey. Engagements like the Market Meet are important for building awareness and confidence in using the Metro network. The event also helped build connections between students and the broader community. The Community Education team reported that students who attended the event reported feeling more confident using the network after the experience. One student, Bianca, shared her positive experience with Metro at the Market Meet on Instagram. Book in a Metro Community Education team session for your university, school or community group via our Community Education team page.

Cultural Diversity Week, 18 – 24 March, is celebrated every year in Victoria and is an opportunity for us to celebrate and recognise the many different multicultural communities we have across Victoria and their stories. Metro is proud to have a culturally diverse workforce and we strive to represent the community we move. To celebrate Cultural Diversity Week, we spoke to Melbourne Central Station Master Deepak Vinayak, who shared a bit about his culture and what cultural diversity means to him. Deepak was born and raised in a small town in Punjab, India and earned an Engineering degree before moving to Australia 27 years ago. Deepak received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the multicultural community of Victoria. He has led social projects in the multicultural, multi-faith and regional communities in Australia for more than 20 years. “I came from a very ordinary, but extremely principled, Hindu family. Both of my parents were teachers, who instilled values in me from a young age. I’m proud to be an Indian-Australian and of my journey from international student to OAM recipient,” Deepak said. The Indian culture is full of festivals that hold importance to the communities who celebrates them. Diwali, Holi, Dussehra, Bhaidooj, Ganesh Chaturthi, Id, Gurupurab are important festivals to participate in when living abroad.

International Women’s Day allows us to recognise the amazing women who have dedicated their careers to keeping Melbourne moving. Three of Metro Trains’ long-serving female employees – Leni Scott, Alicia Snelgrove and Sangeeta Khan – have worked on Melbourne’s railways in the Stations team for almost 100 years collectively. They have seen massive changes across the city and industry, particularly over the past 15 years. Station Officer Eleni Scott started working at Metro Trains 47 years ago, and she said that the connections she has made with people keeps her working in the industry today. “I was never made to feel any different to anyone else for being a woman working in rail – I was always one of the team, and that was that.” The same goes for Alicia Snelgrove, Station Master at Southern Cross Station. “I moved to Melbourne from the Philippines 32 years ago. I was pregnant with my youngest child and applied for a job at Metro and got it,” Alicia said. “I’ve always felt included and supported at Metro Trains, and I still do.” Station Officer Sangeeta Khan, who started working in the railways 16 years ago, said that Metro Trains provides young women with many opportunities, and it is a good organisation for a career. This year, the UN theme for International Women’s Day (IWD) is #CountHerIn: Invest in Women. Accelerate Progress, focuses on pathways to greater inclusion of women and girls everywhere. Because when women are given equal opportunities to learn, earn and lead – entire communities thrive. At Metro Trains, this call to action motivates the team every day of the year – to #CountHerIn by breaking down barriers for women joining the industry and to magnify the positive experiences of Eleni, Alicia and Sangeeta. “We want to do Eleni, Alicia and Sangeeta proud, and we are making it our priority to ensure that we are a supportive and diverse organisation that reflects the community we represent,” said Claire Potter, General Manager of Passenger Experience. “We are focused on recruiting, retaining and developing female talent, and committed to continuous improvement in this space.” Since 2009, Metro Trains has been committed to bringing more women into its ranks and shift the dial on a traditionally male-dominated industry. In 2009, just 12 per cent of the Metro Trains’ team were women. That number is now more than 30 per cent and is continuing to grow as more women come aboard. We have increased the number of female signallers from 16 per cent in 2018 to 36 per cent currently and transforming the train driver cohort from 26 women in 2009, to more than 550 today, the highest number of female drivers in any train system in Australia. Metro Trains is working to implement change through actions such as creating more inclusive spaces like parent rooms and broadened parental leave policies, so women who join the rail industry can build a thriving career. We are proud to be endorsed by Work180 as an employer of choice for women. Work180 sets, reviews and drives global standards that deliver great workplaces for women. To gain endorsement, Metro had to demonstrate that it is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, by meeting criteria such as: offering flexible working arrangements and paid parental leave, and striving for continuous improvement in diversity, inclusion and gender equity.

Metro’s Moving Melbourne Community Grants support not-for-profit organisations across Melbourne doing important work to help improve people’s mental health. Applications are now open for one of three funding categories – $5,000, $10,000 or $20,000. With a total grant pool of $100,000 projects or initiatives must fall into one of the following focus areas: Wellness – preventative care to reduce the risk of poor mental impacts. Education – activities that inform and promote awareness of good mental health. Support services – assistance like counselling, psychiatric support or crisis care that directly supports people experiencing mental health challenges. Minister for Public and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams says,  “Every investment in mental health is a win for Melburnians, and I’m proud to support this initiative from Metro Trains.”

Metro has celebrated long-serving employees and their combined 11,000 years of Melbourne rail expertise at the annual Milestones dinner on Friday 23 February. This year, 529 Metro staff were recognised for working on Melbourne’s rail network for 15 years or more. We were joined by dignitaries the Minister for Public and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams, and other important stakeholders and shareholders. This year, seven Metro staff clocked up between 51 and 55 years – Metro’s current longest-serving railway members. Ian Cook, Michael Vinay and Eugene Accornero have spent their careers in the railways, starting in the late 60s and early 70s. When they started their railway careers, the network looked very different to what it does today – well before the Melbourne Underground Rail Loop (City Loop) was built, level crossings were removed, and works on the new Metro Tunnel kicked off. Having worked in completely different areas of the business for their whole rail careers – in Engineering, Signals and Stations – they had the unique opportunity to celebrate together at Metro’s Milestone celebration dinner. Metro CEO Raymond O’Flaherty said, “I feel privileged to be able to celebrate the outstanding contributions of so many incredible people who have committed their working lives to the railways.” “Public transport provides great careers for our people and their wonderful contributions have kept our city moving every day. We thank Ian, Michael, Eugene, and all other staff who have played a massive role in moving Melbourne.

Traumatic incidents on the rail network can have a profound impact on the mental health and well-being of drivers and the wider staff.   Metro’s Trauma Recovery Guidebook: Volume Two provides layers of support, preparing and supporting drivers in responding to traumatic incidents that occur on network, such as encountering trespassers.   Metro CEO Raymond O’Flaherty says ensuring the mental and emotional health of our team is just as critical as their physical safety. “Our train drivers play a pivotal role in ensuring the seamless operation of our network. And in an ideal world, there would be no need for this guidebook,” Raymond says. “The reality is that our train drivers often face traumatic events such as encountering trespassers on the network, which can have a profound impact on the mental health and well-being of our team members.” 

Australia’s first electric piling rig is helping with works on the Kananook Train Maintenance Facility, contributing to the sustainable operation and development of Melbourne’s rail network. The Liebherr LB30 Unplugged is estimated to save a massive 15 tonnes of CO2 at this site. The eco-friendly rig is powered by the Kananook Substation where it is charged overnight for use during the day. The rig is set to finish off all 162 piles at Kananook this week. Each pile, which will help stabilise the ground under the project, is an impressive 18m deep and 900mm in diameter.

Sarah Kelley has been appointed General Manager of Operations at Metro Trains Melbourne, commencing her role at the start of January. Sarah joins Metro as an effective and experienced transport leader with a diverse, global career spanning over 25 years in rail and light rail management. Starting her career in rail as a stewardess for Intercity Railway in the United Kingdom, Sarah has worked in varied customer service and operational functions, including depots, stations, infrastructure maintenance and operations control. She brings a wealth of knowledge in day-of service running and performance, and has a strong background in safety compliance, incident management, network asset integration and delivering on strategic partnerships. Over the past 15 years, Sarah has held numerous operations leadership roles working across the United Kingdom’s expansive and complex rail networks where she has left an indelible mark. From 2017 to 2020, Sarah was Head of Strategic Command for Arriva London, responsible for the smooth running of the Transport for London overground rail network, transporting more than 180 million passengers across nine lines every year. She was then promoted to Regional Director (South and West) for CrossCountry Rail, who run long-distance rail services across England, Scotland and Wales, before moving to Australia in early 2022. Sarah’s most recent role was as the General Manager at TorrensConnect, the tram and bus operator in Adelaide, Australia. Here, Sarah oversaw the management of the business and franchise, consolidating the experiences she had gained over the years in customer service, rolling stock, infrastructure and operations. As newly appointed General Manager of Operations at Metro, Sarah will focus her time out on the network to meet her team members and understand Melbourne’s unique metropolitan network and operational landscape. “I have spent my first month getting a better understanding of Metro and the projects that are coming to help shape our operational strategy for the next couple of years.” Sarah is known for fostering a collaborative and inclusive work environment in her teams of hundreds of employees. “I try to create an environment where everyone is welcome to be themselves and they are given the space to be heard.” “It would be easy to have only like-minded people in your team, but the challenge is to create a diverse environment where different approaches and opinions are celebrated and embraced,” explained Sarah. Sarah is an experienced, collaborative and people-focused leader, and we are proud to welcome her aboard.

New CCTV cameras and sensors installed at three hot-spot locations have captured the moment when overheight trucks have hit rail bridges, causing chaos for traffic and rail passengers. When a rail bridge is struck, it can result in damage to rail infrastructure and significant disruption for thousands of passengers. Trains have to be slowed, stopped or the train line may have to be suspended to allow for the bridge to be inspected and deemed safe. For the first time, CCTV and impact sensors can reveal the full details of an incident, providing immediate notification and remote assessment of any damage caused. Metro’s bridge inspector can now immediately evaluate the incident, and decide if further investigation is required, meaning less delays for passengers. The new technology has been installed at Racecourse Road in Newmarket, Huntingdale Road in Jordanville and Warrigal Road in Holmesglen.

Teangi – an Indigenous word that means earthy – is the perfect name for this wallaby joey, rescued by Metro and Wildlife Victoria. The joey was in grave danger, being attacked by bull ants and with a fox prowling nearby. Steve Roze, a safeworking coordinator, was inspecting track between Diggers Rest and Sunbury when his team noticed Teangi moving in the pouch of his mother, who had sadly passed away. Wildlife Victoria were called, but access to the spot was difficult following recent heavy rain. Volunteer Lindy was able to safely reach the joey with assistance from Steve and Michael Melhelm, a GTE Rail contractor. She wrapped him in a blanket and took him to an experienced wallaby carer. “I’m glad it was a good outcome for the little tacker,” Steve says. Lindy took Teangi to Annie, an active wildlife carer in her 80s, who will look after the joey until he can be released.