Level crossing gone, Hoppers Crossing Station open

The dangerous and congested level crossing at Old Geelong Road is gone for good, and the new pedestrian and cyclist overpass is open.

We’ve removed the dangerous level crossing at Old Geelong Road in Hoppers Crossing, by building a new road bridge over the rail line and built a new pedestrian and cyclist overpass at Hoppers Crossing Station.

Over the last two years, we've been working in Hoppers Crossing to build new, safer connections for road users, train passengers, cyclists and pedestrians. Earlier this year, we opened the new overpass at Hoppers Crossing Station, safely connecting pedestrians and cyclists over the rail line to the station, Princes Highway and the broader Hoppers Crossing shopping precinct.

Major works and local road upgrades are now complete. The new station precinct features upgraded car parks, newly landscaped plazas, secure bike parking, commuter drop off areas, seating and drink fountains.

Why this crossing had to go

• The boom gates were down for up to 43 minutes of the morning peak
• 18,000 vehicles travelled along Old Geelong Road daily
• The level crossing was only 350 metres away from the Werribee Mercy Hospital, causing delays for patients, staff and emergency vehicles

Thank you, Hoppers Crossing!

To celebrate the end of works, we invited the community to attend a free community event held at Powell Reserve, across from the Hoppers Crossing Station precinct.

The Hoppers Crossing community enjoyed free food and giveaways from local traders, a roving jazz trio, face painting and children’s activities. Dinosaurs, including 'Toby the T-Rex' roamed freely through the crowd, delighting members of the community. Melbourne artist Peter Atkins was also there to answer questions about his innovative artwork titled ‘TRACKwork’ featured in the new overpass.

New historical marker

We recently unveiled a historical marker celebrating the Hopper family at Hoppers Crossing Station.

The historical marker honours the ancestors of this local family who looked after the level crossing in the 1890s, and now sits in the upgraded station precinct where commuters can learn about the family’s history with the Victorian railway.

Husband and wife, Elizabeth and Stephen Hopper devoted over 60 years of their lives to working on the railway and serving their community. Elizabeth was responsible for manually operating the level crossing in the area in the 1890s, while Stephen conducted maintenance works as a railway ganger.

In 1911, the community agreed to name the township in recognition of the Hopper family. The crossing became known locally as ‘Hoppers Gate’ before evolving to ‘Hoppers Crossing’. The Hoppers, along with their 11 children, lived in Werribee and still have descendants living and serving in the community today.

Meet our crew: Joanne – Site ‘Peggy’

Joanne was an integral part of the Old Geelong Road Level Crossing Removal team in her role as a site ‘Peggy’.

A ‘Peggy’ is a construction term for a cleaner or maintenance worker, and with up to 175 workers on site during major works, Joanne was a crucial part of the project.

We caught up with Joanne to hear all about her job and her diverse career background.

How long did you work at the Old Geelong Road level crossing removal site?

I started not long after the project kicked off in early 2020 and was there until major works were complete.

What did you do on site?

I was responsible for making sure the site, including offices, tea rooms, crib huts and bathrooms were clean. I also took care of the general housekeeping. It’s a busy job especially when crews are working 24/7! I can do up to 25,000 steps a day at work alone.

Have you always worked in the construction industry?

No! I have quite a diverse background with experience in many different industries. I’ve worked in operations and administration roles for life science, robotics, and medical organisations. And before that, I worked in warehousing for around 10 years.

Around five or six years ago, an opportunity to work in the construction industry presented itself and it was too good to pass up. I started out on the Caulfield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal Project as a gatekeeper and an electrical spotter – someone who makes sure work on site is done in the safest possible manner.

Since then, I’ve worked on the Cranbourne Line Upgrade as a hoist operator, got my dogman ticket to assist crane operating and to land loads safely, and am a qualified first responder and first aider. I’ve also got a few diplomas up my sleeve!

What was appealing to you about working in construction?

I’ve got a few friends in the industry, and when the opportunity to work in construction came up, I jumped at it. I love what I do, and I also have a really good work-life balance.

What do you love about your job?

I’m passionate about helping people so I love that my job is a social one where I am constantly interacting with others. There is a high level of professionalism on site, and everyone treats you with respect; I always feel like a valued team member. I also love that it’s very team-oriented, we’re a tight knit group.

What’s been the highlight of your work at Old Geelong Road?

I am most proud of how I presented the site given that up to 175 people were there on any one day. I’m known for my cleanliness, and I know that people appreciate it.

More level crossings to go in the west

Along with Old Geelong Road in Hoppers Crossing, Aviation Road in Laverton and Ferguson Street in Williamstown are among the most recently completed level crossing removal projects in Melbourne's west.

Melbourne’s 65th level crossing has been removed at Fitzgerald Road in Ardeer and the nearby Robinsons Road level crossing will follow in September, months ahead of schedule.

Major works have now begun at Mt Derrimut Road in Deer Park, where we are removing the level crossing by raising the rail line over the road. We'll also build a new Deer Park Station.