on february 24, 2016 south gippsland shire council unanimously carried motions to support the return of rail services to leongatha on the back of a petition initiated by the south & west gippsland transport group, which attracted 2,420 supporters. the successful motion means that the data gathered from the petition and documents prepared by south gippsland shire council investigating the returning rail to south gippsland have now been passed onto public transport victoria with a call to provide for south gippsland rail services in the forthcoming regional network development plan. after the disbandment of the south gippsland tourist railway on january 16, 2016 it had also been announced that victrack will continue to leave the disused rail line between cranbourne and leongatha intact and available for future use by freight and passenger trains.