New landscaping at Diggers Rest Station precinct

We're removing the level crossing at Old Calder Highway by building a new road bridge over the rail line. Construction will begin in 2024 with the level crossing gone for good in 2025.

The new road bridge design creates two new community spaces to the east and west of Diggers Rest Station. These spaces will feature seating, landscaped garden beds, and pedestrian connections to the station, local businesses and station car parks.

The western community space will have a new bike repair station near the bike parking facility (Parkiteer). The eastern space will connect to a new outdoor area outside local businesses on Old Calder Highway that could be activated in future.

Community feedback we received in 2023 told us that Diggers Rest locals want native and biodiverse landscaping. Both community spaces and the surrounding project area will include hundreds of diverse and native trees and thousands of new plants and flowers. Landscaping will occur in 2025 when the level crossing is removed and the new road bridge construction is finishing up.

New plant and tree species have been carefully considered to continue and connect with the established plants and, complement local geology and history.

Using native plants celebrates the local biodiversity and will ensure new plants thrive in the local climate and soil conditions.

We're committed to the successful establishment of the new landscaping. It takes several seasons for new plants to establish, so we'll work with the responsible rail and local government authorities to monitor and maintain new vegetation for 2 years after project completion.

Quick facts

• We'll plant over 450 new semi-mature trees as part of the project.
• More than 35,000 shrubs and grasses will be planted.
• Over 50 different and native species will feature in and around the precinct.

Trees

We'll plant over 450 trees in and around the Diggers Rest Station precinct and near the new road bridge.

Our urban designers and tree consultants have selected over 30 native tree species that will bring unique benefits to the station precinct and areas around the new road. From the flowering Lilly Pilly to the strong and stable River Red Gum, the selection of these trees aims to enhance biodiversity and increase the area's tree canopy.

Varieties of trees include:

• Lilly Pilly
• River Red Gum
• Golden Wattle
• Coastal Banksia
• Willow Bottlebrush
• Smooth Barked Apple

Shrubs and grasses

We'll plant over 35,000 shrubs and grasses in the new community spaces and surrounding project area.

The Diggers Rest Station precinct and some areas surrounding the new road bridge will feature over 40 different species of shrubs and grasses, including flowering plants. These small but mighty plants have been carefully selected to provide a resilient and sustainable landscape.

Varieties of plants include:

• Australian Saltbush
• Lilac Hibiscus
• Bank Catclaw
• Native Indigo
• Hop Goodenia
• Woolly Teatree

Woody Meadows for Diggers Rest Station

The new garden beds in the community spaces will be Woody Meadow style plantings.

Woody Meadow planting is a collaborative project led by the University of Melbourne. This Australian urban landscaping style is designed for natural visual appeal, biodiversity, weed and climate resistance.

Unlike typical low maintenance plantings, which usually have low diversity and limited visual appeal, Woody Meadows include plantings of species that have year-round floral interest and are hard pruned every 2 to 4 years to create dense canopies, reduce weeds and promote flowering.

We're committed to the successful establishment of the new landscaping. It takes several seasons for new plants to establish, so we'll work with the responsible rail and local government authorities to monitor and maintain new vegetation for 2 years after project completion