Kororoit Creek Trail

__NOTOC__MelbourneBikePath
NAME=Kororoit Creek
CITY=Melbourne
STATE=vic


DESCRIPTION=Kororoit Creek Trail along Kororoit Creek
LGA=City of Brimbank
POSTCODE=3021
LENGTH=Upper 7.7km, lower about 3km
DIFFICULTY=Easy
HILLS=None
TRAIN=Sunshine station,

Albion station

The Kororoit Creek Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians, which follows the Kororoit Creek in the inner western 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=27 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] ] The name "Kororoit" is thought to have come from an Aboriginal word meaning "male kangaroo" although this has not been confirmed.

The interrupted upper half is located in Burnside and Deer Park.

The uninterrupted upper section starts in Ardeer and proceeds to Brooklyn the lower half is located in Altona.

Following the Path

Upper section interrupted

The off road, unsealed section of the trail starts 'up creek' in Burnside continuing through to Albanvale and then Deer Park. (Approx 2km)

The sealed concrete west end of the Kororoit Creek Trail starts in Deer Park next to the Deer Park Secondary College (See Melway page 25 C5). Navigation is straightforward with paths on both sides of the creek. The first sealed section arrives at Station Road. (Approx 800m)

After an easy road crossing at Station Road the path continues on the north bank through Cairnlea to Cairnlea Drive. (Approx 700m) From here pedestrians cross the Western Highway and then proceed east to Moore Park in Ardeer. (Approx 400m)

Upper section uninterrupted

The trail then runs directly and uninterrupted from Moore Park, Ardeer to Albion, Sunshine and then onto Brooklyn. (Approx 4km) The trail passes very close to Sunshine station and also has easy access to the Western Ring Road Trail at Moore Park and more indirectly to the Federation Trail in Brooklyn.

Lower section

The Hobsons Bay Coastal Trail goes through Altona Coastal Park - site of the old Williamstown Racecourse. A lone palm stands guard over the remains of the old grandstand. North of the park, at the ford over Racecourse Rd and also at the south end of the park, trails split off that lead to a single path, that heads westerly towards Millers Rd. Nearby was the old Williamstown Racecourse railway station.

At Millers Rd cross the road to the serenity of Cherry Lake. A 3.7km path circumnavigates the lake. On the way birdlife including pelicans can be seen. It makes for stark contrast in this heavily industrialised area and is well worth the trip.

Future expansion

As of 2007 the path is only complete in two distinct sections 5.7km apart. However the upper section is to be extended from Leamonth Crescent to Princess Hwy as announced in October 2007. Thus the Kororoit Creek Trail will be linked to the Federation Trail and the upper and lower sections of the Kororoit Creek Trail will be directly linked. [ [http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/newmedia.nsf/8fc6e140ef55837cca256c8c00183cdc/c72d240384e7c947ca257376007f84b3!OpenDocument Victorian State Government media release] ]

Once the upper and lower paths are joined, those using the trail will be able to travel along an uninterrupted pathway from Ardeer to Port Phillip Bay. (Approx 11km)

Connections

The northern end of the upper half connects to Western Ring Road Trail. The southern end of the upper half is a dead-end near Learmonth Crt.

The northern end of the lower half is a dead end at Cherry Lake. The southern end of the lower half connects to Hobsons Bay Coastal Trail.

Upper:North end at coord|37.778184|S|144.796247|E.South end at coord|37.803048|S|144.832414|E.
Lower:North end at coord|37.858104|S|144.826533|E.South end at coord|37.858477|S|144.850282|E.

References

* "Bike Paths Victoria" sixth edition, 2004. Edited and published by Sabey & Associates Pty Ltd. pp118. ISBN 0957959117
* "Bike rides around Melbourne" 2nd edition, 2006, Julia Blunden, Open Spaces Publishing, ISBN 0-9752333-2-7

External links

* [http://www.brimbug.org.au/ BRIMBUG WEBSITE]
* [http://www.angelfire.com/planet/s_mc500/ Commute along the missing link between the upper and lower Kororoit Creek sections]
* [http://www.folkc.com.au/ Friends of Lower Kororoit Creek]
* [http://www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/Files/CoastalTrail.pdf Hobsons Bay council - map]