Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Australian English
The Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail (also known as the Warburton Trail) is a walking, cycling and horse-riding track in eastern Victoria, Australia. It runs a distance of Script error: No such module "convert". between Lilydale and Warburton, along the former Warburton railway line in the Yarra Valley.[1]
The trail begins at Lilydale railway station and passes through the townships of Mount Evelyn, Wandin North, Seville, Seville East, Woori Yallock, Launching Place, Yarra Junction, Wesburn and Millgrove, ending at Warburton.
History
After the closure of the Warburton railway line in July 1965 and the dismantling of the track in the early 1970's, the land remained vacant. In 1984, and again in 1996, the state government investigated selling the land but withdrew the proposal, 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 the 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, including a bridge across the Maroondah Highway, was completed in early 2011. The next improvement 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 Script error: No such module "convert". 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.
Gallery
-
Warburton rail trail, Mount Evelyn
-
Warburton rail trail, Seville
-
Warburton rail trail, Launching Place
-
Warburton rail trail, Wesburn
See also
References
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Further reading
- Bike Paths Victoria 9th ed. (2014), Sabey & Assoc. Pty Ltd., pp66 – 74, Template:ISBN
External links
- Rail Trails Australia's Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail
- Yarra Ranges Council - Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail
- Yarra Valley Trail
- Historical Train Photos of Warburton D3 639; Electric E 1106 - WarburtonInfo.com
- Template:OSM relation
Script error: No such module "Navbox". Template:Bicycle Trails in Melbourne