__NOTOC__ The Darebin Creek Trail is a shared use path for

cyclists Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of Bicycle, cycles for transport, recreation, Physical exercise, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", ...

and

pedestrian A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In modern times, the term usually refers to someone walking on a road or pavement, but this was not the case historically. The meaning of pedestrian is displayed with ...

s which follows Darebin Creek in the inner and outer northern suburbs of

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

, Australia. The path consists of an 8 km section north of the

Western Ring Road The M80 Ring Road (also known as simply the Ring Road or by the name of its constituent parts: Western Ring Road and Metropolitan Ring Road) is a currently incomplete urban freeway ring road around Melbourne, Australia. This article will deal ...

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 __NOTOC__ The M80 Trail (previously known as 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/Metropolitan Ring Road (M80) freeway in Melbourne, ...

. Bicycle Victoria 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 started late in 2010, and is expected to be completed in 2015.

Following the path

The northern section starts on the very edge of Melbourne surburbia next to open countryside. Travelling south through remnant vegetation and 2.2 km later, one arrives at Hendersons Rd. Epping station is 500m to the west along Hendersons Rd and the station is soon followed by Epping Plaza. 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 The Clan Henderson (''Clann Eanruig'') is a Scottish clan.Way, George and Squire, Romily. (1994). ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs). ...

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. Cross McKimmies Road and continue on for 1.6 km through Thomastown East Reserve. A small wetland nearby harbours the

Growling Grass Frog The growling grass frog (''Ranoidea raniformis''), 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 native to southeastern Australia, ranging from sout ...

. The path intersects with the

. Travel 850m east along the Western Ring Road Trail to where the Darebin Creek Trail continues to the south on its west bank, crossing under the Western Ring Road. The creek name is signed for road users only but is clearly visible 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 for 2.6 km until it reaches the eastern end of Rathcown Rd, by a paddock full of shaggy sheep where there is a new bridge crossing. (An on-road shortcut is to continue west along Rathcown Rd for 600 metres to a path on the left that re-connects to the Darebin Creek trail). The trail crosses to the eastern side where the path continues to a T-intersection where the path to the right follows the creek, left connects to Bundoora Park via Waters Way. At Chenies Street, 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 is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its main campus is located in the suburb of Bundoora. The university was established in 1964, becoming the third university in the state of Victoria an ...

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 is a major shopping centre in Preston, approximately 11 km north of the Melbourne Central Business District in Victoria. It is the largest predominantly single-level shopping centre in Melbourne. It has more than 33 ...

. 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 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. The trail passes under the large and high steel bridge that carries the

Hurstbridge railway line The Hurstbridge railway line is a commuter rail passenger train service in Melbourne, Australia. It shares tracks with the Mernda railway line until Clifton Hill, then heads in a north-east direction through the cities of Yarra, Darebin and ...

, and then under the bluestone and concrete

Darebin Creek Bridge Darebin Creek Bridge is a bluestone masonry arch and concrete road bridge on Heidelberg road Alphington over Darebin Creek. It was built for Heidelberg Road Trust to a design of John C Climie CE and constructed by contractor O. H. Willison in ...

(Heidelberg Road), before finishing at Sparks Reserve. The pedestrian and cycling bridge spanning the Yarra River, connecting the Darebin Creek Trail to the

Main Yarra Trail __NOTOC__ The Yarra Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians, which follows the Yarra River through the north eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The trail follows the river from near its mouth, through the city ...

, was opened on the 25th of March 2018. Community advocacy groups worked over a twenty-year period to achieve this impressive outcome.

Epping to South Morang rail extension

The extension of the rail line from Epping to South Morang South Morang rail extension
/ref> intersects the Darebin Creek Trail in the vicinity of Sunrise Crt and Maywood Drv, the

near Maywood Drv and the route to the City Of Whittlesea's Mill Park Leisure Centre in Morang Drv.

Connections

Dead end in the north at Porsche Crt. Intersects the

Mill Park Mill Park is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, 18 km north-east of Melbourne's Melbourne city centre, central business district, located within the City of Whittlesea Local government areas of Victoria, loca ...

at Childs Rd and the

in Bundoora. Connects to the

in the south North end at . South end at .

References

*''Bike rides around Melbourne'' 3rd edition, 2009, Julia Blunden, Open Spaces Publishing, * ''Bike Paths Victoria'' sixth edition, 2004. Edited and published by Sabey & Associates Pty Ltd. pp114.

External links

Darebin Council Federal funding award for Darebin Creek TrailBicycle Victoria - Tribunal rules for Darebin Bridge go-ahead
, Darebin BUG
Boroondara council - Willsmere Park planDarebin bridge
Boroondara BUG
Boroondara BUG - Belford Rd hill & the proposed Eastern Veloway
* {{Yarra River Crossings Bike paths in Melbourne Proposed bridges in Australia