Trains are back and roads are open in Glen Huntly

We’re making the Frankston Line level crossing free by removing all 27 of the dangerous and congested level crossings by 2029 and building 17 new stations, improving safety, reducing congestion and allowing more trains to run more often.

The new Glen Huntly Station is ready for train passengers, Glen Huntly Road and Neerim Road are open, and the 67 tram is stopping at Glen Huntly Road again.

Importantly, Glen Huntly is level crossing free for good. To get here, we’ve:

• removed more than 160,000 cubic metres of material – enough to fill 64 Olympic pools – to dig the trench for the new rail line
• installed 3000 piles that will provide structural support to the trench
• installed 6000 sleepers: the horizontal slats that are laid underneath the track
• removed one of Melbourne’s last tram squares: the complicated infrastructure needed when tram tracks cross over a rail level crossing.

We’re now working to complete Glen Huntly Station, landscaping and other finishing touches. Thank you for your patience, while we complete these important works.

Say hello to your new Glen Huntly Station

We’ve completed major works on Glen Huntly Station. Minor works will continue until early 2024 as we do the finishing touches, including the station car parks. In the meantime, enjoy your new station facilities including:

• Stairs to platforms
• Lifts to platforms providing improved accessibility access
• CCTV and improved lighting
• Sheltered seating on the platforms
• Waiting room and toilet facilities.

Footpath buggy finds a lot of fans

While Glen Huntly Road was closed for the Big Dig, we supplied a footpath buggy for community members who needed some extra help getting around.

We worked with Travellers Aid Australia to help make life easier for people. The footpath buggy and wheelchair service making as many as 60 trips a day, taking people to and from the Glen Huntly Road shops and tram or shuttle bus stops.

The service won a lot of local fans – even local traders would take advantage of the service – with more than 2300 trips made during the works.

Changes to the way you travel

There will be some minor disruptions as we put the finishing touches on the new Glen Huntly Station and complete landscaping and road works across the project area.

Train

Trains are stopping again at Glen Huntly Station. Works on the station will continue into September. Until then, accessible taxi services will be available for passengers who need lift access. Taxis will run from Royal Avenue at Glen Huntly Station to Caulfield and Ormond stations.

Buses replace trains on the Frankston Line between South Yarra and Mordialloc stations from 12.05am Saturday 2 September to last service Sunday 3 September.

Buses replace trains on the Cranbourne and Pakenham line between Richmond* and Oakleigh stations from 12.05am Saturday 2 September to last service Sunday 3 September.

Road and Pedestrian

There will be intermittent lane closures and parking changes. Traffic management will be in place to keep you safe.

Progress in pictures

Glen Huntly's Open for Business

Getting around Glen Huntly has never been easier, and there’s never been a better time to support your local traders.

Catch the train to Glen Huntly Station, hop aboard a Route 67 tram, jump in the car and park nearby, or simply walk safely across the level crossing-free Glen Huntly Road, and visit the local shops in Glen Huntly Village.

More than 40 years of shoe repairs in Glen Huntly

Meet Ara from Ara’s Shoe Repairs: 1202 Glen Huntly Road.

“I provide shoe repairs and key cutting. I also offer third-party dry cleaning services. Over the last couple of years, I have increased customers with special orthopaedic needs. When I first started there were another 3 shoe repairers in Glen Huntly but for the last 25 years, it's been just me.

I opened my first shop, which was across the road from my current shop on Glen Huntly Road, in 1980. This was 6 months after I arrived in Australia from Turkey with my wife and 2 daughters. I couldn't speak any English at the time. My wife started English classes straight away so she could help me with translating. In my country, I used to be a shoemaker and didn't know much about repairs, but taught myself as the jobs came along.

When we arrived in Melbourne, we lived with my mother-in-law for 6 months in Carnegie. Her and my father-in-law worked as upholsterers at the time. That business was also on Glen Huntly Road and the boss owned the shop next door – he offered it to me with reasonable rent.

I have been working in the same location for over 40 years and have seen lots of change on the street and in the businesses that come and go, but my business and customers have always stayed the same.

Cakes, pies and more at BUILDACAKE

Meet Jen and Adam from BUILDACAKE bakery: 1219 Glen Huntly Road.

What does BUILDACAKE offer?

"We help you build a cake! You can order custom cakes in any design that you like. We love helping people and making their day really awesome. Making people happy is what we really, really enjoy."

What are you looking forward to with the crossings gone?

"People were getting stuck at the boom gates waiting for trains: You could get stuck for 3 to 4 trains in a row during peak period! This is really going to change how people get around Melbourne. Without the level crossing it makes life a whole lot easier. "

How have you adapted during these works?

"With all the tradies coming into the shop, we've got to know a lot of them. We did 3 or 4 late nights a week and started opening at 6am to do more coffee trade and help people who are changing shifts."

BUILDACAKE recently created a boom gate cake to celebrate the Glen Huntly Road level crossing removal. Watch the video on Youtube.

Glen Huntly Viewing Spot: the hottest venue in town

In June we opened up the Glen Huntly Viewing Spot, offering people an up-close look at the level crossing removal works as they were taking place.

These sessions proved so popular – with the initial sessions booking out before it even opened – we had to host more! Over 4 weeks, more than 550 people of all ages came along for a bird's-eye view of the Big Dig and to meet the project team.

Big Dig’s littlest fan

Toddler Jack has been heading down to the Glen Huntly site to get a look at the works since the Big Dig started in May.

When we opened our Viewing Spot in June, Jack was very excited, even sporting his own little steel cap boots!

Jack and his parents Danielle and Lachlan have been following the project works for almost a year, making new friends with every visit, from crane operators and excavator drivers, to other people in the Glen Huntly community.

“These works are going to change what the whole neighbourhood looks like," said Lachlan.

"It has been exciting to have a first-hand view of the transformation.”