- Darebin Creek Trail
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No image available yet Darebin Creek Trail Length About 25km Difficulty Medium Hills Some Hazards Gaps in the trail Connecting Transport Train Epping, Darebin stations The Darebin Creek Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians which follows Darebin Creek in the inner and outer northern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.[1][2][3]
The path consists of a 8 km section north of the Western Ring Road and a 17 km section south of the Western Ring Road. The two sections are separated by a 0.85 km section of path along the Western Ring Road Trail.
Bicycle Victoria announced on 7 August 2009 on its web site that the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) had approved the issuing of permits for the Lower Darebin Trail and associated bridge over the Yarra. Work on the Lower Darebin trail is expected to start late in 2010, and to be completed several years later.[4][5] 28 October 2009 City of Darebin has been awarded $96,500 from the Federal Government towards the construction of a shared path from the Darebin Creek Trail to Bundoora Park in Bundoora.
Following the path
The northern section starts on the very edge of Melbourne surburbia next to open countryside. Travelling south through remnant vegation and 2.2 km later, one arrives at Hendersons Rd. Epping station is 500m to the west along Hendersons Rd and the station is soon followed by Epping Plaza.
The path arrives at Childs Road, 1.3 km further along, having crossed a small footbridge earlier. Cross the Childs Road bridge to the east. The Hendersons Road Drain Trail is on the left (north) and the Darebin Creek Trail continues on the right (south), on the other side of Childs Road.
900m later the path forks to the left and right. Take the path towards the footbridge but do not cross it - continue straight ahead. After 2 km, McKimmies Road is approached. The path does not proceed under the road. Go across the McKimmies Rd bridge and also cross McKimmies Road itself. After another 1.5 km the path intersects the Western Ring Road Trail. A small wetland nearby harbours the Growling Grass Frog.
Travel 850m east along the Western Ring Road Trail to where the Darebin Creek Trail continues to the south on its west bank. The creek name is signed for road users but not for trail users.
Leaving the Western Ring Road Trail the southern section starts by descending to the creek and tracking along the west bank of the creek. After crossing McCleans Road, the path splits in two, as it enters a Norris Bank Reserve. Either path can be taken as they rejoin at the far end of the reserve at Settlement Road.
On the south side of Settlement Road the path continues on the west side of the creek along a new section of path constructed in 2011. Next, a short road section: Clough Pde, Darebin Blv and Ayr St. As of July 2011, a section of path is being built to replace this on road section. The path continues from Ayr St onwards to Rothcown Rd by the sheep. Continue down Rothcown Rd and turn left into Chenies Street. The path resumes 200m on the right by following the creek again. At Dunne Street and Plenty Rd, change sides of the creek. An unsigned path looms up on the left, that leads to the Bundoora campus of La Trobe University and is surveyed by a lone park bench.
800m later cross the footbridge to the east bank of the creek. The trail continues south past another footbridge on the right (west) that leads to Northland Shopping Centre. Do not cross the bridge, just continue onwards.
One km later the bitumen trail meets a crossing with a concrete trail. Turn right (west) onto the concrete trail and head downhill. Going straight ahead on the bitumen trail leads to the Austin Hospital helipad (Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital) near Bell Street.
Three km later the trail meets the north end of Ford Grove. Continue to the south end of Ford Grove where the trail continues. After another 500m the trail forks at a wooden boardwalk section: To the left (east) it crosses a footbridge. Take the right path and continue straight ahead towards Smith Street. Soon enough, another dead end is revealed under the large and high steel bridge that carries the Hurstbridge railway line.
Epping to South Morang rail extension
The extension of the rail line from Epping to South Morang [6] will intersect the Darebin Creek Trail in the vicinity of Sunrise Crt and Maywood Drv, the Hendersons Road Drain Trail near Maywood Drv and the route to the City Of Whittlesea's Mill Park Leisure Centre in Morang Drv. How this will be handled is unclear.
Connections
Dead end in the north at Porsche Crt. Intersects the Hendersons Road Drain Trail in Mill Park at Childs Rd and the Western Ring Road Trail in Bundoora. Currently (2007) a dead end in the south near Darebin station. Using a highly convoluted and hilly path, with some road sections, one can access the Yarra River Trail via the Darebin station from this point.
North end at 37°38′09″S 145°02′06″E / 37.635830°S 145.034885°E. South end at 37°46′37″S 145°02′06″E / 37.777068°S 145.034873°E.
References
- Bike rides around Melbourne 3rd edition, 2009, Julia Blunden, Open Spaces Publishing, ISBN 978-0-9752333-4-4
- Bike Paths Victoria sixth edition, 2004. Edited and published by Sabey & Associates Pty Ltd. pp114. ISBN 0957959117
External links
- Darebin Council Federal funding award for Darebin Creek Trail
- Bicycle Victoria - Tribunal rules for Darebin Bridge go-ahead
- Preston Leader - Cyclists on track after 20 years
- Progress Leader - Split in path's way
- Bicycle Victoria - Darebin Creek Trail
- Darebin BUG - Darebin trail extension
- Boroondara council - Willsmere Park plan
- Boroondara BUG - Darebin bridge
- Boroondara BUG - Belford Rd hill & the proposed Eastern Veloway
- Friends of Darebin Creek
Categories:- Bike paths in Melbourne
- Proposed bridges in Australia
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