Merri Creek & Inner Circle Rail Trail Walk

Enjoy a pleasant day walking along the picturesque Merri Creek on a moderate walk through the inner northern suburbs of Melbourne. The walk includes some hidden gems as well as a good array of birdlife, the result of many years of replanting indigenous vegetation. The often-shady trail hugs the creek intimately, with wetlands, cable suspension bridges, parks and veggie gardens. We then pick up the Inner Circle Rail Trail, with its remnants of the old inner circle rail line which once connected North Fitzroy to Parkville and is now a linear park.

This event suits those who enjoy nature, keen to learn more about the history of Melbourne and to train buffs!

GRADE | LENGTH | TYPE: Moderate, approximately 12.5 km point-to-point walk on mostly flat paths. 

ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: Our walk starts at the very popular Coburg Lake Reserve, where the Merri Creek will be waiting for us. After briefly exploring the lake, we make our way south along the Merri Creek Path where we will closely follow the creek over a number of bridges, parklands, wetlands and reserves.  We will stop for lunch beside the Merri Creek to enjoy the views and sounds of the creek.

After crossing the old trestle railway bridge, we will then pick up the Inner Circle Rail Trail, a linear reserve remaining from what is left of the abandoned railway line that stopped running in 1981 after a long history of service. The trail now serves as a shared bicycle path connecting the Merri and Moonee Ponds Creeks. We will discuss the history of the line and your leader will point out the locations of the old stations and the existing infrastructure that remains today.

Moving further west our walk concludes at Jewell Station, where those who travelled by car will take the train back to the beginning point of the walk.

The event leader will also cover the history of a number of key attractions along the way:

• History of the Merri Creek and importance to Indigenous people
• The use of bluestone and history of Pentridge Prison
• Harding Street Bridge
• Ceres Community Park
• Russian Orthodox Church
• History of the inner circle rail corridor
• Explore the abandoned rail lines, stations, signals and power transmission of the old line
• Explore the hand operated signalling and railway crossings.

This is intended to be a public transport friendly event where the start and end points will be accessible by train and tram.

BOOKING: By Thursday 14th September. To register, click on Get Tickets.
Unsure if you've already booked? Click View my bookings.

FURTHER INFORMATION: Merri Creek Brochure.

MEETING TIME | LOCATION: 10:15am | Lake Grove Carpark, Coburg Lake Reserve, Coburg North.

MAP REFERENCE: Melway map 17 grid H10 | Google map goo.gl/maps/s29AJAqkwh7ejgU87.

DISTANCE | TIME FROM GPO: 9.5 km, approximately 30 minutes to drive, 25-35 minutes by public transport. There is car parking available at the Lake Reserve in Lake Grove free of charge. You will need a Myki card to return back to your car by public transport, either by tram or train.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT:

• By Train: Take the Upfield train line from the CBD and get off at Batman Station. Walk east for 4 minutes to the starting point. The conclusion of the walk will be at Jewell station (same train line) where you can return back to the CBD.
• By Tram: Take the Route 19 Tram from Elizabeth Street CBD. Get off at Stop 37 (Gaffney Street/Sydney Road). Walk 2 minutes east to the starting point. The conclusion of the walk will cross the same tram line (Stop 18) where you can return back to the CBD.

FOOD/DRINKS: Carry lunch, snacks and at least 1 litre of water. Also carry sunscreen and a hat. Bring your Myki card for the return trip by tram or train for those travelling by car back to the starting point.

APPAREL | FOOTWEAR: Comfortable walking boots/shoes and dress according to the weather forecast. Ensure your shoes are waterproof as some of the paths may be wet or muddy if it has rained heavily prior to the event.

LEADER: Jason T. | Email the Leader if you have any questions.
Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website.

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