Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Lilydale-Warburton Rail Trail
Lilydale line to start of route at Lilydale station
BusPTV route 683 along the entire trail
ParkingAll day parking at most towns along the trail
Trail map

The Lilydale to Warburton

Victoria, Australia. It runs a distance of 40 km (25 mi) between Lilydale and Warburton, along the former Warburton railway line in the Yarra Valley.[1]

The trail begins at

.

History

Since the closure of the

state government
investigated selling off the land but withdrew these proposals in part due to community opposition.

Since its establishment in 1996 the trail has been continually developed and maintained by a combination of local volunteers, particularly the Friends of the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail, as well the Local Council and State and Federal governments. Over several years a significant amount of effort went into clearing the land, restoring 13 bridges and surfacing of the trail. Negotiations were undertaken with neighbouring farmers who had previously occupied the reserve to erect fencing and gates where necessary.

By 1998 the trail was continuous from Maroondah Highway, Lilydale to the site of the former Warburton station, with only a relatively short section between Lilydale Station and Maroondah Highway remaining incomplete.

The remaining section of the trail, a bridge across the Maroondah Highway, was completed in early 2011. The next stage of improvements to the trail is a crossing at York Road in Mount Evelyn, which should be completed mid-2011.

Deviation

Although the trail is continuous from Lilydale to Warburton, it does not completely adhere to the former Warburton rail line's alignment. Some 700 metres (2,300 ft) from Lilydale station, just before a historic bridge where the original alignment of Anderson Street passed over the railway, the trail deviates around the north, east and south of Mount Lilydale Mercy College. The school currently leases the land formerly occupied by the railway, which connects the old school grounds south-west of the line with an extension on the north-east. The southern end of the deviation rises to meet the original alignment of the trail at a steep grade that makes it unsuitable for wheelchairs.

Map of the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail

Gallery

  • Warburton rail trail, Mount Evelyn
    Warburton rail trail, Mount Evelyn
  • Warburton rail trail, Seville
    Warburton rail trail, Seville
  • Warburton rail trail, Launching Place
    Warburton rail trail, Launching Place
  • Warburton rail trail, Wesburn
    Warburton rail trail, Wesburn

See also

References

  1. ^ "Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail". www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 6 March 2024.

Further reading

  • Bike Paths Victoria 9th ed. (2014), Sabey & Assoc. Pty Ltd., pp66 – 74,

External links