MELBOURNE'S INNER & OUTER CIRCLE RAILWAY WALK: SATURDAY 6 JUNE 2009

On Saturday 6th June, I joined SJ, G, and my parents E & J for a nice long walk connecting Melbourne’s dismantled Inner Circle Railway and Outer Circle Railway. We planned to walk from Royal Park station, along Park St to Rushall station (Inner Circle), then follow Merri Creek and make our way to the Fairfield Boathouse. Then we’d cross over and walk beside the Yarra to join the Outer Circle at Chandler Hwy, walk into Kew East, and follow the Anniversary Trail down past East Camberwell and Riversdale stations to the end of the Alamein Line. From there we intended to follow the line of the old railway over Gardiners Creek and the (SE?) freeway to Malvern East station, and walk beside the track down to Oakleigh. J & E hopped on a train at [STATION], while SJ, G and I found ourselves having to make a 1km detour before Malvern East station because the footbridge over the freeway was out of service. By then it was getting dark, so we decided to call it a day. According to mapmyhike.com, we walked about 24km in the end. I can't really be bothered writing a review, so here's a picspam instead!

You can see all of my photos on my flickr.


I made booklets with information I found on a few websites, because I'm a dork. (Photo by JW)


Mmm, interesting! (Photo by EW)

The highlight for me was the section between High St, Kew East and East Camberwell station (and even further on down to Burwood Station). This was partly because I’d never walked this section before, and also because J supplemented the official history (given on signs along the path) with anecdotes of his childhood and adolescence in the area. The scenery was also gorgeous, with old established European trees, lush winter-green grass and a misty grey sky lending the atmosphere of having walked into a different place or time. Here are some photos from that section:


The old signal box at what was once the Kew East goods yard and is now the timber yard.



And an artier shot by SJ.



Tea at my grandparents' house - it was very kind of them to host 5 stinky walkers!



J telling us stories about cracker fights when he was a misbehaving youth.



"Under the bridge to England", I called this photo . . . and I think that sums it up pretty well.



SJ, G & E enjoying our enormous lunch! It was delicious!



Another pic of lunch, by SJ.



They've really made a lot of effort with the Anniversary Trail. Kudos to Boroondara Council (I think its them what done it).

Now let's skip back to the first part of the walk, with some pics from between Royal Park Station and Yarra Bend Park/Fairfield Boathouse. Delicious non-linear narratives!


The bridge under Royal Pde.



"One art, please!" (Photo by SJ)



Op art under the Royal Pde bridge.



The real reason I wanted to do this walk! THIS IS MY FAVOURITE BIT OF PLAY EQUIPMENT IN MELBOURNE. (Photo by GT)



SJ checks out a preserved piece of railway alongside Park St.



Where the old Inner Circle line continued towards Rushall (right fork) or diverged to Fitzroy (left fork). Fitzroy Station was near/in Edinburgh Gardens. (Photo by SJ)



I think this is Merri Creek? Let me know if I'm wrong! (Photo by GT)



Near Fairfield Boathhouse - that's me heading to the middle of the amphitheatre, with the pipe bridge over the Yarra in the background. (Photo by SJ)



LIES, ALL LIES! At the Boathouse.



SJ: Tree fetishist? They have a name for that, you know, dendrophilia. I know this, because it's in the book SJ & E gave me for my birthday!



Gorgeous trees and light in Yarra Bend Park. (Photo by GT)

And now a couple to finish off:


As it started getting dark, the sky to the east-north-east started to turn a vivid deep blue and purple. I haven't done a thing to this photo - I just pointed and clicked.


SJ, J & G: The after photo! We're on the train back into the city from Malvern East station.