Paths & trails are essential components of the municipality’s open spaces, streetscapes, and road network. These linear movement corridors connect places and people, and they benefit the community by encouraging active lifestyles and outdoor exercise, promoting sustainable modes of transport, providing tourism outcomes and stimulating local businesses. Yarra Ranges Council aims to establish and maintain a high-quality network of paths and trails that are used by residents and visitors to the municipality. The network will assist people to get from A to B within their neighbourhood, provide opportunities for recreation and engage relaxation and encourage people to reconnect with nature.

Follow this page to stay up to date as we continue to review and finalise the plan.

Current plans

Our goal is to create a connected path and trail system to allow residents and visitors to see all regions of the Yarra Ranges. We have heard from community that there are a number of missing links or trails that need to be upgraded in our network. These requests were then evaluated against our project prioritisation criteria and have been collated in the below list/map.

  • Yarra Valley Trail Stage 1B & 2A
  • Yarra Valley Trail Northern Loop
  • ngurrak barring/ Ridgewalk
  • Kinley pathways (privately funded to complement existing and future path networks)
  • Belgrave Rail Trail
  • Badger Creek Road Trail
  • Cambridge Road Trail
  • Wandin Yallock Creek Trail
  • Lilydale Warburton Trail (Mt Lilydale College
  • Lilydale Warburton Trail – access issues
  • Old Gippsland Road
  • Switchback Road Trail
  • Mt Evelyn Aqueduct Trail
  • David Hill Road Trail
  • Quinn Reserve Trails
  • Steels Creek Trail
  • Victoria Road Trail
  • Puffing Billy Trail - Belgrave to Menzies Creek
  • Brushy Creek Trail
  • Olinda Creek Trail Extension (Swansea Road to York Road)
  • Lilydale Warburton Rail Trail Extension (East Warburton)
  • Mooroolbark to Doongalla Trail
  • Green Spine Trail Extension (Lilydale)
  • Nelson Road Trail (missing link)
  • Five Ways Connection (Lincoln Road to Manchester Road)
  • Black Springs Road & Brushy Park Road Trail
  • Little Yarra River Trail (Warburton Highway Return)
  • Little Yarra River Trail (Melbourne Water Pipe Track)
  • Ferny Creek Trail Extension (Birdsland)
  • Liverpool Road Trail (Canterbury Road to Mt Dandenong Road)
  • Canterbury Road Trail (Liverpool Road to Montrose)
  • Swansea Road Trail (Leith Road to Mt Dandenong Tourist Road)
  • Carrum Warburton Trail (Lilydale Reserve missing link)i
  • Steels Creek Trail Extension (Old Kinglake Road)
  • Don Road Trail Stage 2 (Badgers Creek)
  • Kilsyth Pipe Track Trail
  • Mt Evelyn to Monbulk Trail (Monbulk Road)
  • Chirnside to Wonga Park Trail
  • Maroondah Aqueduct to Sugarloaf Reserve
  • O'Shannassy Trail Connections
  • Walk into History Trail (Warburton missing link)
  • Launching Place Yarra River Trail
  • Glasgow Road Trail (Liverpool Road to Sheffield Road)
  • Montrose Pipe Track Trail
  • Edwards Road Trail
  • Belgrave Lake connection (Birdsland to Belgrave Lake)
  • Mt Evelyn Aqueduct Trail Extension (Swansea Road)
  • Old Gippsland Road Trail Extension

2024 Check in

Thank you to everyone who contributed suggestions for missing path links, etc.

Our team are working through the responses, and updating the draft plan, ahead of its release early 2025.

How did people get involved?

Between 5 July 2024 and 2 August 2024, this project was consulted on in the following ways...

What did you tell us?

We have identified the common themes that emerged from our latest engagement:

  • New

    New Trails/Pathways (38%) – A significant portion of respondents expressed a desire for new walking and cycling trails to be developed.

  • Connections

    Trail Connections (26%) – Many participants highlighted the need to connect existing trail sections, enhancing overall accessibility and network continuity.

  • Safety

    Safety Concerns (17%) – Safety was a recurring theme, with issues raised about pedestrian crossings, pedestrian lights, narrow pathways, and visibility (sightlines) along trails and roads.

  • Surface and maintenance

    Surface and Maintenance (17%) – Feedback included concerns regarding the condition of pathways, trail surfaces (sealed vs. unsealed), drainage, vegetation management, and the need for regular cleaning and repairs to damaged sections.

Previous consultations

How did people get involved?

Between 2019 and 2022, residents in Yarra Ranges found out about the engagement and got involved in the following ways...

What did you tell us?

We have listed the top issues in priority order, based on the feedback we received from all the different activities. We have also included a few of the most common responses under each of the groupings below.

  • Safety

    • Separated bike paths/lanes would help more people riding and reduce the frustration of cars and bikes mixing in unsafe ways
    • There are many areas without footpaths and crossing busy roads felt unsafe
    • Public art opportunities and path separation from traffic

  • Accessibility

    • Poorly maintained footpaths and lack of connecting footpaths.
    • Challenges include limited network gaps, terrain, and conflicting needs of different trail users
    • Walking to services/townships is too hard because the distances are too great and gradients too steep.

  • Health & Wellbeing

    • Going for a walk or run is the activity people engaged with the most
    • Walking/cycling trails are the most frequently visited open spaces on a daily occurrence within the municipality
    • A high portion of respondents believe the provision of trails is the most important aspect to their health and wellbeing

  • Information

    • Way finding is poor and more information/education along the trails required.
    • Information about paths and trails needs to be easier to find.

  • Infrastructure

    • More seating, drinking fountains, dog areas in general along paths and tails.