On Sunday 8 June more than 20,000 people joined us to celebrate the opening of the new Thornlie-Cockburn Line and the stations at Thornlie, Nicholson Road, and Ranford Road. 

To mark the occasion and welcome the new line to the network, the three stations along the line were full of festivities, from food trucks, giveaways and kids’ activities to live entertainment and performances by local community groups. 

Dancers from Showstoppers DAPA Performing Arts, Canning Vale College Performing Arts Troupe, and Studio 24 Dance in Canning Vale, stole the show at the community stage at Ranford Station. Hundreds of children were transformed into garden fairies and superheroes by the Freedom Fairies, whilst others left with an eye-catching glitter tattoo. 

Giant stilt walkers paraded among the crowds whilst families lined up to enjoy a free sausage offered voluntarily by Canning Vale Firebirds Netball Club, South Perth Baseball Club and Baris Education & Culture Foundation. 

Hundreds of community members, construction partners, stakeholders and politicians boarded the first train to travel from Stadium Station along the newly opened inner Armadale Line and Thornlie-Cockburn Line. The Hon. Roger Cook MLA, Premier of Western Australia and the Hon. Rita Saffioti, Minister for Transport, revealed a plaque at each station to mark the official opening. 

For the first time, passengers can now travel directly between the Mandurah and inner Armadale lines, providing a direct link to Optus Stadium and beyond.

The five new elevated stations on the inner Armadale Line - Carlisle, Oats Street, Queens Park, Cannington and Beckenham -  have also opened for service. 

The remainder of the Armadale Line will be celebrated with an event later in the year when the new METRONET stations at Armadale are complete. 

Thornlie-Cockburn Line facts - did you know? 

• Two new stations were built - Nicholson Road and Ranford Road - and upgrades were made to Thornlie and Cockburn Central stations.
• 35 km of new passenger rail was built with 84,400 sleepers laid. 
• The new Thornlie-Cockburn Line travels through an existing tunnel that was built more than two decades ago in anticipation of the new line.
• 4 public art pieces have been installed at the new Thornlie, Nicholson Road, and Ranford Road stations.
• Commuters from Perth CBD can now get to Ranford Road station in 29 minutes and avoid the traffic. 

Thank you to everyone who came along to celebrate this exciting milestone in Perth’s rail history!