Inner: Rushall Precinct

The Rushall Station precinct defines a complex junction in the bike network. The triangle-shaped precinct is where the Capital City Trail & Merri Creek Trail meets the St Georges Rd Path & on-road route, and the Westgarth St & Heidelberg Rd routes. A local route connects to the north end of the Napier St route.

More the Merri-er at pipe bridge launch

30 March 2010. Bike riders are invited to celebrate the opening of the new dedicated cycling and pedestrian bridge over Merri Creek between Westgarth and North Fitzroy this Saturday (April 3) at 10.30am.

The official name for the new structure will also be revealed.

The opportunity for the new bridge arose when the water pipe across the Merri Creek had to be replaced. By placing a decking over the pipe the route through Westgarth is greatly streamlined.

Victorian MPs and representatives from Darebin and Yarra city councils and Melbourne Water will be present at the event and Easter morning tea will refresh riders out for the day.

Gather on the Northern side of the new bridge: Melways ref 30 D10.

Time to pipe up on bridge name

17 February 2010. The soon-to-be-completed bridge along the big new water pipe over the Merri Creek at Rushall needs a name, now that an official opening is in the offing.

The currently anonymous structure will be a huge improvement over the ugly arrangement of bikes cutting through the pedestrian subway at Rushall Station.

A good name will be an essential element in future navigation of the area for walkers and riders.

Darebin mayor, Vince Fontana, has proposed three indigenous names for consideration: Koonda Lat (travel over); Nallie Jerring (adjoin); and Gurrnoong (creek).

Mr Fontana favours an indigenous name because the area surrounding the new bridge is significant for the Wurundjeri people.

The development is being funded by the Victorian Government ($785,000), Darebin City Council and the City of Yarra ($245,000) and Melbourne Water ($54,000).

However other ideas will be considered, so if you want to nominate a name get a form from the council website.

The bridge is looking good

12 December 2009. Melbourne Water is ahead of schedule on the bridge.

Now it remains for the approaches to be constructed.

The City of Yarra will take the opportunity to upgrade the connection to the Capital City Trail.

Pipe bridge works begin

22 August 2009. Work on the pipe bridge at Rushall, which will carry a bike track over the creek and open up a new access point towards the city, is underway.

Existing pipes are being removed and the old pipe bridge dismantled.

Pipe bridge connection announced

21 May 2009. The State Government has announced the construction of a bike bridge over the Melbourne Water pipe at the north-western end of the Rushall Precinct.

This $800 000 project will, in the words of the government 'provide commuter and recreational cyclists with an alternative to the on-road route over the St Georges Rd Bridge and narrow Rushall Station Footbridge.'

Work has begun on the St Georges Road roundabout to the north. These works will include connections to the Pipe Bridge.

Photo shows Pipe Bridge site

The rail bridge is not set up for riders.

The footbridge is too narrow and very busy - around three hundred riders in the morning peak

You can't get along the north side of the rail line. The Merri Creek (Captial City Trail) should connect through here and enable riders following the Creek and Capital City Trail to avoid the station underpass. The main path should run along the north side of the rail line. See below.

The station underpass is tight and busy.

The Merri Parade link to Westgarth St is absent.

The Merri Parade path - where it does exist - does not connect to the St George's Road path.

Complex junction needs blockages removed

October 2008 Darebin City Council have been in talks with Melbourne Water and are working with the Department of Transport to further investigate integrating a bridge across the Waterpipe across the Merri Creek, west of St Georges Rd (refer orange line on map, right). This will involve working with Melbourne Water to get a workable solution. The current pipebridge is seated on a bluestone structure. The shared bridge could either be constructed above the pipe or adjacent to it.

This is great news for riders going through the area and those contemplating getting on their bike.

This would complement the upcoming upgrade to the St Georges Rd Roundabout.