Traditional Owners

We acknowledge the Woiworung people, the traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the rail trail is built.

Railway history

The line was only open from 1986 to 1996 and some of the line remains in place up at the Lorimer St. end. The bridge shape was changed considerably of course to fit in with the area, especially the aboriginal “fishing net” shape on the Yarra’s Edge side, when it was opened in 2003.

A proposal (first raised in March 2014) to develop the unused rail corridor along Lorimer St, down Todd Rd, through Westgate Park and along the south side of the Westgate Freeway is dependent on decisions involving the future redevelopment of Fishermans Bend.

The Victorian Government released a future vision for the suburb in 2017 that will entail new public transport and cycling routes.

It is expected that once the sites for new underground rail stations as part of Melbourne Metro Two are decided, detailed planning for the rest of the transport network will proceed.

The repurposing of the old rail corridor remains an exciting opportunity for the development of an attractive urban rail trail.