What's growing in Chelsea's new precinct

The Victorian Government is removing 20 level crossings and building 13 new stations as part of a $3 billion upgrade along the Frankston line that will improve safety, reduce congestion and allow more trains to run more often.

As part of works on the new Chelsea Station, we will plant more than 360 trees and 38,000 shrubs, groundcovers and grasses along the rail corridor and across the new station precinct.

Locals asked for a combination of native trees, shrubs, flowering plants and grasses to preserve the coastal, bayside look and feel of the suburb – something we heard was important to the community.

Based on this feedback, we've carefully selected more than 75 different species to be planted across the area. This includes indigenous and native varieties able to endure the local coastal conditions, such as strong winds, harsh sun and salt spray, while enhancing Chelsea's ecological value.

We will begin planting in late 2021 to take advantage of the growth season, with planting continuing until 2022.

Your new Chelsea precinct

• More than 360 trees and 38,000 shrubs, groundcovers and grasses
• More than 75 different species
• Planting will start in late 2021

Tree planting

We will plant trees that reflect the local coastal identity of the area, with leafy flowering gum, weeping pittosporum, hickory wattle and coastal banksia providing shade and shelter in the warmer months.

Station designs highlight colourful and diverse varieties from the coastal landscapes of Port Phillip Bay. We have carefully selected species that will thrive in the harsher conditions in Chelsea's narrow rail corridor, such as limited garden bed widths and reflected surface heat.

We'll plant the trees at different stages of maturity and sizes to better blend into the surrounding environment, however most will be younger vegetation to maximise rates of survival.

• Flowering gum
• Weeping pittosporum
• Hickory wattle
• Coastal banksia

Shrubs, groundcovers and grasses

Groundcovers are plants, shrubs or grasses that grow over the surface of the ground and can help to prevent soil erosion and weeds.

Along the rail corridor in Chelsea, we will plant bottlebrush, rounded noon-flower and fragrant saltbush shrubs to provide bold foliage textures, enhance local biodiversity and invigorate the area.

We focused on providing a resilient, sustainable landscape by selecting drought-tolerant plants with low water usage and high growth performance.

• Bottlebrush
• Woolly teatree
• Native cranberries
• Climbing lignum
• Tussock grass
• Rounded noon-flower
• Fragrant saltbush
• Wild rosemary
• Supergrass
• Peaches and cream
• Coastal daisy bush
• Coastal spear grass