Name: Hawthorn to Kew Rail Trail
Rating: 4

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.

Why visit the Hawthorn to Kew Rail Trail?

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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

Trail Guide

Last updated: 29 September 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.

Photo Gallery

The rail trail entry off Power St, Hawthorn, with Belgrave/Lilydale lines to the right [2023]

Admiring the gum trees along the trail outside Glenferrie Oval, Hilda Cres, Hawthorn [2023]

Riding up through L.E. Bray Park towards Hawthorn Grove, where the path is rather narrow

The classic Victorian station at Kew, with Xavier College in background. John Thompson Collection

The station site was the base for VicRoads, now earmarked for redevelopment [2023]

Get Around

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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Reviews

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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.

Further Information

Information and Links

The trail is managed by Boroondara Council. To report any issues or problems please contact the council.

Contact Rail Trails Australia

To contact us about this rail trail, email vic@railtrails.org.au

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.

News

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