Darebin Creek Trail
Encyclopedia
The Darebin Creek Trail is a shared use path for cyclists
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...

 and pedestrian
Pedestrian
A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In some communities, those traveling using roller skates or skateboards are also considered to be pedestrians. In modern times, the term mostly refers to someone walking on a road or footpath, but this was not the case...

s which follows Darebin Creek in the inner and outer northern suburbs of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....

, Australia.

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
Western Ring Road Trail
The Western Ring Road Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians that bridges the northern suburbs and follows the Western Ring Road...

.

Bicycle Victoria
Bicycle Victoria
Bicycle Network Victoria is a community-based not-for-profit organisation, one of the largest cycling membership organisations in the world , whose mission is to get More People Cycling More Often. The name was changed from Bicycle Victoria to Bicycle Network Victoria in July 2011...

 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. 28 October 2009
City of Darebin
City of Darebin
The City of Darebin is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia, located in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. It has an area of , and as of 2009, has a population of 139,608...

 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
Epping railway station, Melbourne
Epping is a railway station in Melbourne, Australia, located in the suburb of Epping, on the Epping railway line. Classed as a Premium Station, it is in Metcard Zone 2...

 is 500m to the west along Hendersons Rd and the station is soon followed by Epping Plaza
Epping plaza
Epping Plaza is a shopping centre in Epping, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. It opened in May 1996. It is located on the corner of High Street and Cooper Street, 500 m away from Epping railway station, Melbourne, and approximately 21 km north of the Melbourne CBD.In mid 2007,...

.

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
Hendersons Road Drain Trail
The Hendersons Road Drain Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians, which follows Hendersons Road Drain in the outer northern suburbs of Mill Park, Epping and South Morang in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....

 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
Western Ring Road Trail
The Western Ring Road Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians that bridges the northern suburbs and follows the Western Ring Road...

. A small wetland nearby harbours the Growling Grass Frog
Growling Grass Frog
The Growling Grass Frog , also commonly known as the Southern Bell Frog, Warty Swamp Frog and erroneously as the Green Frog is a species of ground dwelling tree frog is native to South eastern Australia; ranging from southern South Australia along the Murray River though Victoria to New South...

.

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
La Trobe University
La Trobe University is a multi-campus university in Victoria, Australia. It was established in 1964 by an Act of Parliament to become the third oldest university in the state of Victoria. The main campus of La Trobe is located in the Melbourne suburb of Bundoora; two other major campuses are...

 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
Northland Shopping Centre
Northland Shopping Centre is a major shopping centre in East Preston, approximately 11 km north of the Melbourne Central Business District in Victoria. Its motto is Style Up...

. 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
Austin Hospital, Melbourne
The Austin Hospital is a major teaching public hospital located in Melbourne's north eastern suburb of Heidelberg, and is administrated by Austin Health, along with the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital and the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre.-History:...

 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 will intersect the Darebin Creek Trail in the vicinity of Sunrise Crt and Maywood Drv, the Hendersons Road Drain Trail
Hendersons Road Drain Trail
The Hendersons Road Drain Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians, which follows Hendersons Road Drain in the outer northern suburbs of Mill Park, Epping and South Morang in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....

 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
Hendersons Road Drain Trail
The Hendersons Road Drain Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians, which follows Hendersons Road Drain in the outer northern suburbs of Mill Park, Epping and South Morang in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....

 in Mill Park
Mill Park, Victoria
Mill Park is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 23 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whittlesea...

 at Childs Rd and the Western Ring Road Trail
Western Ring Road Trail
The Western Ring Road Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians that bridges the northern suburbs and follows the Western Ring Road...

 in Bundoora
Bundoora, Victoria
Bundoora is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 16 km north from the Melbourne central business district. Its Local Government Area are the cities of Banyule, Darebin and Whittlesea. At the 2006 Census, Bundoora had a population of 24,018....

. Currently (2007) a dead end in the south near Darebin station
Darebin railway station, Melbourne
Darebin is a railway station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in the suburb of Ivanhoe, on the Hurstbridge railway line. Darebin is unmanned and is in Metcard Zone 1....

. Using a highly convoluted and hilly path, with some road sections, one can access the Yarra River Trail via the Darebin station
Darebin railway station, Melbourne
Darebin is a railway station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in the suburb of Ivanhoe, on the Hurstbridge railway line. Darebin is unmanned and is in Metcard Zone 1....

 from this point.

North end at 37.635830°S 145.034885°E.
South end at 37.777068°S 145.034873°E.

External links

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