Scotchmans Creek Trail

__NOTOC__MelbourneBikePath


DESCRIPTION=
NAME=Scotchmans Creek Trail
LENGTH=Approx 16.5 km
DIFFICULTY=Mostly easy
HILLS=Mostly flat except for hilly in Wheelers Hill
HAZARDS=Missing sections of trail require navigating back streets. Freeway underpass may flood after heavy rain. No proper crossing on some major roads.
WATER=Occasional water fountains
PATH=Shared use (concrete and asphalt) and residential streets
BUS=Numerous routes including [http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/route/view/903 612] , [http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/route/view/904 623] , [http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/route/view/943 703] , [http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/route/view/905 624] , [http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/route/view/941 700] , [http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/route/view/949 733] , [http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/route/view/953 737] , [http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/route/view/956 742] , [http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/route/view/959 753] , [http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/route/view/966 767] , [http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/route/view/1025 850] , [http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/route/view/1030 885] , [http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/route/view/1031 888] and [http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/route/view/1032 889]
TRAIN=Glen Waverley line (East Malvern)
TRAM=Route 3 terminates close to East Malvern station

The Scotchmans Creek Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians, which follows Scotchmans Creek through the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. [ [http://maps.vicroads.vic.gov.au/website/bikes2b/viewer.htm VicRoads - Bicycle Facilities Map] ] [ [http://www.bigyak.net.au/gmaps/vicbiketrailsgmap.html?slct2=39 Melbourne and Geelong's shared paths in Google Maps] ] [ [http://www.bigyak.net.au/bike/bike.html#melgel Melbourne and Geelong's shared paths in Google Earth] ]

It runs from East Malvern Railway Station through to Jells Park although several sections consist of normal residential streets. The trail provides good access to Chadstone Shopping Centre and Homesglen Institute of TAFE for the local community.

Although Scotchmans Creek Trail is widely recognized as ending in the west at East Malvern Railway Station, [ [http://www.stonnington.vic.gov.au/gui/files/bike%20strategy%20oct%2005.pdf City of Stonnington Bicycle Strategy, Oct 2005] ] [ [http://www.bv.com.au/change-the-world/11030/ Bicycle Victoria - description of Scotchmans Creek Trail] ] some sources [ [http://www.bikepaths.com.au/ Victoria’s Bike Paths Guide] ] have the trail's west end at Warrigal Rd.

Following the Path

The trail begins in the West at East Malvern Railway Station where it runs alongside the Monash Freeway until it meets Warrigal Rd. An overpass takes it to Scotchmans Creek where it continues along the Scotchmans Creek Linear Reserve until it reaches Park Rd. After a detour around the Oakleigh Recreation Centre it rejoins Scotchmans Creek and continues through to Huntingdale Rd where pedestrian lights allow safe crossing. Past the Huntingdale Wetlands it crosses Stanley St before going in a tunnel under the Monash Freeway and then under Stephensons Rd. After crossing Forster Rd the path leaves Scotchmans Creek requiring cyclists to travel on residential streets (see being on residential streets.

After crossing Waverley Rd, turn down Ivanhoe St and follow the path East to Winmalee Dr turn down Koonalda Ave and cross over Springvale Rd at the pedestrian lights (see ). A road section section at Whites Lane leads to a tennis club. Leave the road for the path at this point. The turn off is very easy to miss. The path continues to Belvedere Ave, Mackintosh Rd and Lum Rd.

There are two options after Lum Rd - either go down Strickland Dr and Clarke Ct or Tom Begg Ct. The trail is steep here as it descends into the Dandenong Valley. A short lane way at the end of each court leads to Sunnybrook Drv. The final section of the path continues to Jells Park (see ).

Connections

Scotchmans Creek Trail connects at the west end to Gardiners Creek Trail and Outer Circle Trail and East Malvern Station to Centre Rd Trail. At the east end at Jells Park it links to the Dandenong Creek Trail. The Blind Creek Trail also terminates near the north end of Jells Park.

A short road section (Blackburn Rd, Falconer St & Flander Ave) leads to Syndal station. On the north side of the station, in Shirley Ave, is the southern end of the Syndal Heatherdale Pipe Reserve Trail.

West end at coord|37.872810|S|145.068955|E.East end at coord|37.901598|S|145.201331|E.

References

* "Bike Paths Victoria" sixth edition, 2004. Edited and published by Sabey & Associates Pty Ltd. pp130. ISBN 0957959117
* "Bike rides around Melbourne" 2nd edition, 2006, Julia Blunden, Open Spaces Publishing, ISBN 0-9752333-2-7

External links

* [http://www.bv.com.au/bikes-and-riding/11065/ Bicycle Victoria description of how to navigate the Glen Waverley "missing link"]
* [http://www.monash.vic.gov.au/recreation/pdftext/bikepath.pdf Monash Council map]
* [http://www.monash.vic.gov.au/recreation/bike.htm#scotchman Monash Council web site]
* [http://scotchmanscreek.melbournewater.com.au/ Friends of Scotchmans Creek and Valley Reserve]