The new stations at Mooroolbark and Lilydale will open from Monday 25 October, and we’re looking forward to celebrating this milestone with the community.

You'll be able to tap on and head up to the platforms to catch your train from day one. Finishing works will be ongoing until early 2022. This may include landscaping, painting and cladding, and car park works. You may notice hoarding around the station and work crews on site to put the finishing touches on the buildings through to the end of the year.

The new multi-deck car park at Mooroolbark will open in mid 2022. Until that time, passengers can continue to use the car park at Cardigan Road Reserve.

At Lilydale, the western car park will open from mid-November, while the eastern car park will be complete in early 2022. While these car park works are being completed, there will be car parking available at Olinda Creek and Market Street.

Thank you for your patience as we complete these important infrastructure projects and get closer to opening your new stations.

What we’re building

We’re building 2 rail bridges and 2 new stations at Mooroolbark and Lilydale with a multi-deck car park at Mooroolbark, that doubles the number of spaces for passengers.

Changes to the way you travel

Mooroolbark Station remains closed until late October, with a shuttle bus service running between Lilydale and Croydon for Mooroolbark passengers.

From 8.30pm Friday 10 September until last service on Sunday 24 October, buses will replace trains between Ringwood and Lilydale. During this time, Lilydale Station will also close to allow us to remove both sets of boom gates and open the new stations at Mooroolbark and Lilydale.

Your brand-new Mooroolbark and Lilydale stations will open on Monday 25 October.

Superstructure soars during July works

We’ve been getting on with the job of removing the dangerous level crossings at Manchester Road and Maroondah Highway, as well as building your new stations.

The July construction blitz saw more of the bridge structures moved into place at both sites, bringing us closer to trains running along the new elevated rail.

During July, we undertook signalling and track works, delivered more station modules and continued work to clad the lift shafts and clock towers at both sites.

We also relocated part of the existing Mooroolbark Station to Box Hill Institute for refurbishment, before it goes to its new home on the Yarra Valley Railway.

Locals got out and about to check out the progress on site, with site and shopping tours at Mooroolbark and Lilydale. The community supported traders by getting involved in the competitions run through Loving Lilydale, and the ‘spend and win’ Tour d’Bark campaign, which rolled out during the blitz.

You can find out more about both campaigns and the July works on our website.

Locals loved L-beam events

The first L-beams arrived at Mooroolbark and Lilydale between May and June and were
enthusiastically greeted by locals.

Over 430 people attended the night and morning viewing events to witness the huge spans lifted into place. To fight the cold nights, the team provided hot chocolate and shortbread from local traders, along with reusable coffee cups and tote bags.

The L-beams were trucked in overnight on specialised trucks from the Kilmore facility where they were made before being installed around midnight.

For those who couldn’t make the night sessions, there were early morning events. These provided an opportunity to see the beams in the early morning light with a coffee and bacon roll from the local cafes.

Locals will continue to see L-beams delivered through the year until the bridge is built in October.

Old Mooroolbark Station starts journey to new home

Part of the existing Mooroolbark Station has been dismantled and moved to the Lilydale campus of Box Hill Institute for a rebuild.

The building will undergo an 18 to 24-month refurbishment program, involving around 60 students from the Institute, before it goes to its new home on the Yarra Valley Railway.

Students will learn skills in restoration, construction work and planning, as well as how to recreate decorative timbers and joinery, which will prepare them for careers in the construction and building industries.

Paul Newnham from the Institute said that this project is a great opportunity to immerse students in the community and the history of their local area.

'The project introduces them to being a volunteer in the community and showcases their skills as our future tradespeople,' he said.

Once the refurbishment is complete, the building will be moved to the Yarra Valley Railway, where it will become the new Tarrawarra Station. The station will continue to live on in a rail environment for generations to come, to be enjoyed by more than 20,000 people who visit the railway each year.

Brett Whelen, president of the Yarra Valley Railway, said the station being refurbished and relocated was a win- win for all the organisations involved in the decision.

'It’s massive. It’s been a fantastic partnership between us, Box Hill Institute, LXRP, VicTrack and Yarra Ranges Council,' he said.

'I’m passionate about vocational education and this is just an amazing training outcome. Especially in the Greater Dandenong Ranges area, we have a high youth unemployment rate, and this kind of thing is that can make a difference.'

'The students who work on this can take their kids and grandkids out to the railway and tell them that they worked on [the Tarrawarra Station].'

The new Mooroolbark Station will be open on Monday 25 October, with new amenities, improved accessibility and a wonderful view into the Dandenong Ranges for passengers to enjoy.

Meet the people behind the build: Casey, Environmental Engineer

The Manchester Road and Maroondah Highway level crossing removal projects have more than 1000 people working on the job, with career opportunities growing as the works continue on this project, and across Victoria’s Big Build.

A Victorian worker behind the build is Casey, an environmental engineer and Lilydale local.

Before joining the team, Casey worked on construction projects in Queensland, New South Wales, Northern Territory and Victoria. She also did a stint in regional Western Australia on a gold mining project before moving back to the east.

Casey is the Environment Lead for the Manchester Road and Maroondah Highway projects. She helps manage environmental compliance across the project sites, as well as assisting the teams to develop initiatives to improve environmental outcomes for the community.

‘My favourite part of the job is being able to work and educate our team on environmental matters to reduce the impact of construction works and leave a better environment for future generations,’ Casey said.

Casey moved to Lilydale in 2020 and is loving the short commute to work, which leaves her more time to soak up all Lilydale has to offer.

'Growing up in a country town myself, I like the country feel and the closeness to nature. It’s a permanent holiday away from the hustle and bustle of the city.'

Casey is looking forward to the completed project revitalising the area through new open spaces, great connection and fresh landscaping for future generations to enjoy.

‘It is also great being able to shape change in my own community and watch the area develop.’