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Hawthorn to Kew Rail Trail

Victoria - Melbourne region

4 based on 1 reviews
Location: Inner suburbs, 9 km east of Melbourne CBD
Length: 1 km
Surface: Asphalt, Crushed granite
Start / End: Hawthorn to Kew
Public Transport: Bus, Train, Tram
Suitable for:
  • Cycling – Mountain BikesCycling – Mountain Bikes
  • Cycling – Touring and Hybrid BikesCycling – Touring and Hybrid Bikes
  • PramsPrams
  • Scooters and Inline SkatesScooters and Inline Skates
  • WalkingWalking
  • WheelchairsWheelchairs

  • Rail Trail
  • On Road
  • Potential RT
  • Other Trail
  • Former Railway

A pleasant walk through suburbia, the Hawthorn-Kew Rail Trail has a couple of nice playgrounds for the kids, with treats not far away in Glenferrie Rd.

View Map
  • A great area for picnics and birthday gatherings
  • You can see some of Melbourne’s earliest stately homes in Hawthorn
  • The busy shopping strip along Glenferrie Rd has everything
  • The former home of the Hawthorn Football Club is just metres from the trail

Nearby Attractions

  • Grace Park playground
  • Glenferrie St shopping and cafes, via Hawthorn Grove
  • Main Yarra Trail, via Denham St and Yarra Bank Reserve
  • Melbourne Tram Museum, Wallen Rd

 

Last updated: 22 October 2024

This short trail follows the route of a branch line from Hawthorn to Kew. The area where the two lines met is now a beautiful park

For public transport options go to ‘GET AROUND’ below and click on ‘SHOW MORE’ if necessary

Section Guides

  • From Power St, the trail runs through Grace Park along a tree-lined path. At Hilda Cres it becomes a wide, concrete shared path that takes you past tennis courts and Glenferrie Oval, former home of the Hawthorn Football Club, as you head north. At Chrystobel Cres the path becomes narrow and the surface deteriorates markedly through L.E. Bray Park, suggesting the asphalt may pre-date the closure of the line in 1957.
  • Play equipment and trees now fill the rest of the railway corridor. The trail culminates in a service lane near Hawthorn Grove, with the railway easement across the road fenced off in a long-dormant housing development site. Former VicRoads office towers on Denmark St now occupy the site of the Kew station but are earmarked for demolition.

Public Transport

Metro operates three train services (Lilydale, Alamein and Belgrave) that stop frequently at Hawthorn Station, near the start of this trail. If you are walking, you can use the #609 PTV bus from the VicRoads stop in Denmark St to get you back to the same station. As always, bicycle carrying restrictions apply.

Refer to the PTV web page for map and timetables, or the navigation app of your choice.

Do you know of a bike hire or transportation service on this rail trail that should appear here? If so, let us know at admin@railtrails.org.au.

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2 reviews of “Hawthorn to Kew Rail Trail”

The difference between the first half of this trail (wide and smooth) and the northern part (narrow and bumpy) is amazing. It would be great if they could extend it through the California Hotel site when that is finally redeveloped.

I walked this trail this morning with my mother (Saturday 14th March 2015) – it is too short to ride it. The trail passes through a lovely part of Melbourne’s inner eastern suburbs, with a mixture of old grand houses and modern apartments on the sides of the parklands/trail. The trail is in good condition, especially through Grace Park – and the LE Bray Reserve is a great park. We took a detour and walked through Glenferrie oval – good to see the old football ground is in a reasonable state. The trail is in a great location, nearby to cafe and restaurant strips along Glenferrie Rd, Burwood Rd and Powers St. Lucky for the locals that live nearby.

Background Information

Traditional owners

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

Rail line history 

This short trail follows a branch line from Hawthorn to Kew that opened in 1887 and closed in 1957.

Trail descriptions are maintained by volunteers. Please consider a donation to help improve this website. Rail Trails Australia gets no government funding.
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