Inner Circle Rail Trail (Parkville)
Melbourne's Inner Circle Trail is a paved four-kilometre walking and cycling route along an abandoned railway corridor just east of the city centre.
After the final closure of this line, the rails were removed (except for some short sections at former level crossings which can still be seen today), and the reservation converted into a "rail-trail" walking path. Some signals and parts of level crossing gates also survive, with remaining overhead gantry sections still carrying railway electrical current between the Upfield and South Morang railway lines.
Of the three stations, only North Carlton still stands, and was converted into a community centre. North Fitzroy station is now a slight rise in the "rail trail" path east of Nicholson Street, which was realigned in 2002 to traverse the length of the former platform. Fitzroy station is presently a development site.
From Rushall station to Royal Park station the rail reserve has become a linear park which provides part of the Capital City Trail for cyclists, connecting the Merri Creek Trail to the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail in the network of shared use bicycle paths for Cycling in Melbourne.
Trail Summary:
Type: Rail trail
Location: Inner suburban Melbourne, 5km east of Melbourne CBD
Start/end: Rushall to Royal Park
Length: 4km
Surface: Sealed
Terrain: Flat
Suitability: All bikes; wheelchairs; walking; pet friendly
Web Links
→ Inner Circle Rail Trail (railtrails.org.au)
→ Inner Circle railway line (wikipedia.org)
