__NOTOC__ The Hobsons Bay Coastal Trail is a

shared use path A shared-use path, mixed-use path or multi-use pathway is a path which is 'designed to accommodate the movement of pedestrians and cyclists'. Examples of shared-use paths include sidewalks designated as shared-use, bridleways and rail trails. A ...

for cyclists and pedestrians, which follows the coast line of

Hobsons Bay Hobsons Bay is a small open bay in Victoria, Australia, and is the northernmost part of the larger Port Phillip Bay. Its western and eastern boundaries are marked by Point Gellibrand in and Point Ormond in respectively, and defines the coas ...

in the inner western suburbs in

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.Melbourne and Geelong's shared paths in Google Earth
/ref> The trail forms part of the western half of the Bayside Trail which encircles

Port Phillip Port Phillip (Kulin languages, Kulin: ''Narm-Narm'') or Port Phillip Bay is a horsehead-shaped bay#Types, enclosed bay on the central coast of southern Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. The bay opens into the Bass Strait via a short, ...

. It runs from the west side of the Westgate bridge, south and along the coast, finishing at the Skeleton Creek Trail in Sanctuary Lakes.

Following the Path

Towards the Footscray end the path connects with the

Maribyrnong River Trail __NOTOC__ The Maribyrnong River Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians, which follows the Maribyrnong River through the north western suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The path, sometimes along both sides of the river, ...

and passes the offices of the

Lonely Planet Lonely Planet is a travel guide book publisher. Founded in Australia in 1973, the company has printed over 150 million books. History Early years Lonely Planet was founded by married couple Maureen and Tony Wheeler. In 1972, they embarked ...

publications. At this junction cyclists can continue north on the

or connect to the Footscray Road off-road path which continues directly to the Docklands and the

Capital City Trail __NOTOC__ The Capital City Trail is a shared use path in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, which circles the city centre and some inner eastern and northern suburbs. It is 29km in length, and mostly consists of sections of other trails, such a ...

. Between Footscray and Spotswood is a 3 metre wide off-road which continues south down Moreland Street, Whitehall Street before turning west down Somerville Road and then south again down Hyde Street for approximately 1 kilometre. Under the

West Gate Bridge The West Gate Bridge is a steel, box girder, cable-stayed bridge in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, spanning the Yarra River just north of its mouth into Port Phillip. It carries the West Gate Freeway and is a vital link between the inner ci ...

the 3 metre trail continues south along the banks of the Yarra River for approximately 3 km to Williamstown. From here continuous paths can be followed to Altona. On weekends a punt takes cyclists across the Yarra River from Spotswood near the Scienceworks Museum.

Connections

In the north is the

as well as the Footscray Road Path which connects to the

in Docklands. Heading south the trail goes through Williamstown and intersects the lower

Kororoit Creek Trail __NOTOC__ The Kororoit Creek Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians, which follows the Kororoit Creek in the inner western suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The interrupted upper section is located in Burnside and Dee ...

in Altona, then the

Laverton Creek Trail __NOTOC__ The Laverton Creek Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians, which follows Laverton Creek in the outer western suburbs of Laverton and Altona in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The southern part of the trail is now ...

. In the south the path terminates at the

Skeleton Creek Trail __NOTOC__ The Skeleton Creek Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians, which follows Skeleton Creek as it passes through the outer south western suburbs of Point Cook and Altona Meadows in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The no ...

Altona Meadows Altona Meadows is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Hobsons Bay local government area. Altona Meadows recorded a population of 18,479 at the . Located p ...

. * North end at (the punt) * South end at .

References

*''Bike rides around Melbourne'' 3rd edition, 2009, Julia Blunden, Open Spaces Publishing,

External links

Hobsons Bay council maps

West Gate Punt

Commute to Lonely Planet

Hobsons Bay Bicycle User Group
* {{Bicycle Trails in Melbourne Bike paths in Melbourne Port Phillip City of Hobsons Bay