Montmorency Station precinct update

Hurstbridge Line Duplication will deliver more train services, less crowding on peak trains and better connections to public transport in Melbourne's north east, while also protecting the endangered Eltham Copper Butterfly.

Passengers in Melbourne’s north-east will benefit from more frequent train services and 2 new train stations with work continuing for the Hurstbridge Line Duplication.

To allow us to get on with duplicating the Hurstbridge line whilst protecting the endangered Eltham Copper Butterfly, there will be changes to the original scope of the project and how the project will be delivered. These changes will avoid impact to the butterfly and the butterfly’s habitat.

Construction of the project is underway, and the butterfly habitat has been fenced off, with major construction set to start next year and the project completed in late 2022.

To avoid the butterfly habitat, we are no longer duplicating around 950m of track to the east of Montmorency Station.

Still, approximately 2km of track will be duplicated between Greensborough and Montmorency and approximately 1.5km of track between Diamond Creek and Wattle Glen.

All other works the on Hurstbridge Line Duplication will progress, as we continue to deliver our commitment to benefits, including reliable train services, safe pedestrian connections and new improved stations in 2022.

Service improvements

Significant work has gone into this new design at Montmorency to ensure we will continue to deliver service improvements to the Hurstbridge line.

More trains, more often

On average:

• Every 7 minutes from Greensborough
• Every 10 minutes from Montmorency and Eltham
• Every 20 minutes from Diamond Creek, Wattle Glen and Hurstbridge

Your Montmorency Station precinct

The station will remain in the heart of Montmorency village and will improve connections around the area.

The Level Crossing Removal Project has worked through design options to protect the Eltham Copper Butterfly habitat within the Montmorency project area, as required by federal law under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

To avoid the butterfly habitat, we are no longer duplicating around 950m of track to the east of Montmorency Station.

We will continue works to duplicate the track between Greensborough and Montmorency and the bulk of the project will remain unchanged. The station and precinct design will remain unchanged.

Passengers can look forward to a new station with improved car parking, updated facilities, all-abilities access, safe pedestrian connections, and more weather protection.

The new station car park areas, kiss and ride bays, bike hoops and at-grade, activated pedestrian crossing will remain in the same locations as announced in early 2021.

As part of the project, we still need to carry out work to build new underground and overhead rail power and signalling as well as track maintenance works in Montmorency. We will avoid impacting the Eltham Copper Butterfly habitat area while doing these works.

Working with our local traders

The new station precinct will make the Were Street shopping strip directly accessible to residents on the north side of the rail corridor.

We will continue to work with local traders in the area to support them throughout construction.

Community engagement

We are committed to working closely with the Montmorency community to ensure you are informed throughout construction.

We’ll continue to involve the community in decisions around aspects of landscaping and use of removed trees.

As the project continues, locals will have more opportunities for involvement through public art in the Montmorency Station precinct, school engagement programs, presentations and tours.

Eltham Copper Butterfly

The Level Crossing Removal Project is committed to ensuring the conservation of flora and fauna within its project areas.

Fauna investigations

The Eltham Copper Butterfly (Paralucia pyrodiscus lucida) is an endangered species and we are required by federal and state law to avoid, minimise and manage impacts to its habitat.

Prior to a recent sighting in January 2021, the butterfly had not been seen in Montmorency in over 40 years.

As part of our projects, we carry out extensive environmental investigations prior to commencing work on our projects. Investigations by qualified specialists over the last 4 years did not find Eltham Copper Butterfly habitat within the project area. The butterfly may not have been there previously because it needs a very specific set of conditions to survive. This needs to be a dry, well-drained environment in an elevated woodland with open patches, with the presence of certain plant and ant species.

The Eltham Copper Butterfly has a close symbiotic relationship with a group of ants and the shrub, Sweet Bursaria (Bursaria spinosa). The butterfly is only seen during a few months of the year, from November to April.

Further ecological investigations have been conducted, including ant surveys that were sent to the National Museum for identification, and a new and innovative survey technique for the Eltham Copper Butterfly. These further investigations confirmed there is an area of habitat for Eltham Copper Butterflies, where we had planned to duplicate the line, east of Montmorency Station.

Since the butterfly was observed, the habitat has been fenced off and is protected while works continue on other parts of the project.

The Eltham Copper Butterfly is recognised by its bright orange-yellow (copper) colouring in a unique triangular shape on the tops of its wings and pale brown colour underneath.

The butterfly was first discovered around Eltham in 1938 and was believed to have become extinct around the 1950s. The Eltham area maintains the largest of the few remaining populations of the endangered butterfly.

The Eltham Copper Butterfly is listed as endangered under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 and Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Project timeline

2019

• Site investigations
• Community consultation

Early 2020

• Site investigations
• Planning consultation

Late 2020

• Community consultation
• Station precinct layouts announced
• Enabling works began

2021

• Station designs released
• Construction begins

2022

• Works complete

*Timeline above subject to change

Keeping in touch

You can text ‘Hurstbridge’ to 0429 839 892 to sign up to text message alerts for major traffic and construction impacts for the Hurstbridge Line Duplication project.

Send us a private message on our Facebook page.

Contact our call centre on 1800 105 105 or contact@levelcrossings.vic.gov.au