Getting ready for major construction

The Victorian Government is removing the level crossing on Glenroy Road and building a new Glenroy Station. The level crossing will be removed by lowering the rail line under the road.

Works have begun to remove the Glenroy Road level crossing, including the relocation of major underground services, site investigations and utility maintenance works. Removing the level crossing will improve safety and traffic flow while creating better local east-west connections.

Vegetation and green spaces are important to the Glenroy community and also support local biodiversity. Minimising the impact of vegetation removal is an important consideration in the design and construction stages of the project.

To excavate the new rail trench and build the new Glenroy Station, we need to install new infrastructure and relocate existing services in the area. This means some vegetation removal will be required.

To prepare for major construction, tree and vegetation removal will take place from early September until mid-2021.

Careful planning is undertaken by qualified arborists and sustainability and environmental specialists to minimise the impacts to local flora and fauna.

Managing vegetation removal

During the planning stage for the project, independent arborists have conducted a comprehensive assessment of trees in the station precinct and along the rail corridor.

This has helped us identify trees and vegetation that pose a hazard to rail operations and impact the installation of new underground services required by the project, including trees along Waterloo Road and several sugar gums in the eastern car park at Glenroy Station.

We will continue to carry out investigations into the root systems and health of trees to understand where tree removal can be avoided.

What’s assessed

• structural strength, including the size and location of tree roots
• health, life expectancy and significance to the area
• how close the tree is to construction works and services.

Protecting existing vegetation

Where investigations have found tree removal can be avoided, we will set up no go zones and fencing to separate and protect trees from construction impacts.

Wildlife

We work with qualified ecologists and wildlife handlers on all level crossing removal projects who inspect trees identified for removal and make sure any wildlife is safely relocated.

Native vegetation

We are working closely to maintain and protect native vegetation in the area throughout the project.

This includes taking a number of measures to protect a population of rare and threatened geraniums growing next to the rail corridor including:

• collecting seeds from the current population in Glenroy
• donating seeds and cuttings to local nurseries
• developing a long-term plan for protecting the geraniums in Glenroy.

These geraniums, once thought to be extinct, are protected under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 and are only found in grasslands in north-western Melbourne.

Replanting and landscaping

Tree planting and landscaping are the final activities to take place, once major works are completed in 2022.

We are working with landscape architects as well as key stakeholders including Metro Trains Melbourne, Public Transport Victoria and Moreland City Council to refine the landscaping design to ensure it is in keeping with the character of Glenroy and it is easily maintained after the completion of the project.

More information including landscaping plans and the types of vegetation to be planted will be shared with the community as the project progresses.