Yarra Glen Rail Trail - Trail Description

Lilydale looking along the disused railway to Yarra Glen on the left. The Lilydale - Warburton rail trail branches off to the right. Damian McCrohan 2006

Location: Yarra Valley east of Melbourne, 40km from Melbourne

Start/end: Lilydale/Yarra Glen or Healesville

Region: Melbourne Metropolitan, Victoria

UNDER EVALUATION

Description

This trail is not yet open.

The 25km Lilydale to Healesville railway line runs through the picturesque Yarra Valley east of Melbourne. Lilydale is only 40km from Melbourne at the end of the suburban train system and is also the start of one of Australia’s most popular rail trails, the Lilydale – Warburton rail trail.

The line from Lilydale to Healesville was closed by the Victorian Railways in 1981. The Yarra Valley Railway has an Order in Council for the Yarra Glen - Healesville section and currently run trolley services between Healesville and one of the major features of the line, a tunnel about 4km away.

Tragically the impressive wooden bridges across the Yarra River flood plains were burnt to the ground in the February 2009 bushfires. These bridges were almost 500m long and were on the Lilydale side of Yarra Glen.

As well as the significant historical loss, this would appear to significantly increase the time frame for the Yarra Valley Railway's long term plan to extend on to Lilydale. Given this and that the state government has no plans to extend the suburban system in the foreseeable future local resident's have formed a steering group to have the 12km Lilydale to Yarra Glen section converted to a rail trail in the interim. The proposed rail trail would probably use a low level crossing of the Yarra River and its flood plains.

With the scenery in the area and popularity of the connecting Lilydale – Warburton rail trail it is also bound to be a success. The two rail trails would no doubt complement each other. The Yarra Glen rail trail would provide a safe and convenient commuting and exercise route to Lilydale for Yarra Glen residents. The rail trail would also complement the Yarra Valley Railway as currently occurs on the Bellarine Rail Trail near Geelong.

A summary of Railtrails Australia policy is that we support viable railway services over rail trails, while also encouraging the development of rail side trails. However a rail side trail between Lilydale and Yarra Glen would be significantly more expensive and slower to build. Therefore Railtrails Australia supports the Steering Group's proposal to construct a rail trail on the formation between Lilydale and Yarra Glen until a rail service can be re-established on this section.

News Items

May 2008 On-line survey conducted.
August 2006 Corridor Options Study released for comment

Trail Map

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