by Sahar Foladi
Metro Trains has dropped a creative podcast segment for commuters to learn more about Dandenong while on the go.
The 126-podcast series Railway Stories covers the entire metropolitan railwork from Carnegie, Oakleigh, Toorak to Narre Warren, Pakenham, Springvale and now Dandenong.
The podcasts play automatically as commuters approach a landmark or point of interest.
“We are always looking for new and innovative ways to engage with our passengers. We loved the idea of geo-located podcasts providing our passengers and tourists with a new way to experience Melbourne while travelling by train,” a Metro Trains spokesperson said
“While our railway has a very rich and interesting history, we wanted the podcasts to look at the interesting and perhaps often not well known places you can travel to by train.
“Even locals to areas we highlight in the podcasts might be surprised at some of the historical information we have unearthed!”
For the Dandeong podcast, listeners are immediately treated to an upbeat and jolly traditional Indian instrumental.
It also features Sury Prakash Soni president of the Federation of Indian Association of Victoria welcoming listeners in Hindi language.
The focus is on the Little India precinct, just a short walk from Dandenong station, highlighting the shops “vibe and ambiance,” variety of sweet shops, food, fashion and art.
The narrator acknowledged City of Greater Dandenong as one with the biggest Indian-born migrant community with over 12 per cent calling the municipality home compared to just three per cent making up Melbourne’s entire population.
The audios include fascinating stories about the places passengers travel through on the Cranbourne line, from an African Supermarket in Noble Park to the sights and sounds of Springvale Market.
The Sandown Park has also earned a decent coverage in the podcast with sound of supercar engines and loud cheering crowd.
An initial run of 43 podcasts was downloaded more than 14,000 times which demonstrated the interest of commuters towards the initiative.
The Railway Stories podcast partners Metro Trains with Storytowns Podcast Tour and the Department of Transport and Planning.
