We’re completing the M80 Ring Road in Greensborough including a seamless connection to North East Link.

We’re also helping deliver one of the biggest tree planting programs for a major road project in Victoria.

The M80 Ring Road Completion will take 19,000 cars and trucks off Greensborough Road a day and give local roads back to local people. We'll upgrade the M80 Ring Road with new lanes and a new M80 interchange. A new Grimshaw Street interchange will keep traffic moving. We're also building 10km of walking and cycling paths, and two landscaped bridges to Watsonia Station and shops will make it easier for locals to get around.

To deliver these upgrades some trees will need to be removed and replaced through new planting. For every tree removed for the M80 Ring Road Completion, at least two new trees will be planted. Together with North East Link and the Eastern Freeway Upgrades, we're increasing tree canopy cover in Melbourne's north east, with the first trees already in the ground in local parks, reserves and streets.

• 1.3 million+ new plants
• 4000+ new trees
• 3 new wetlands
• 2 landscaped bridges

Tree planting and revegetation

More than 1.3 million new plants, including 4000 new trees, will be planted for the M80 Ring Road Completion. Trees will be planted to help screen and filter views of new noise walls, shade walking and cycling paths, support wildlife habitat and return improved open spaces where it is needed to support construction. We'll also be creating new wetland areas at the M80 Ring Road, Trist Street Reserve and AK Lines Reserve. We’ll be planting indigenous trees and vegetation from local regions, and using fast-growing native species. We're carefully staging our works to return open space to the public as soon as possible, following landscaping and tree planting.

Minimising tree and vegetation removal

We know trees are important to the local community and we're working hard to keep and protect as many trees as possible. We've reduced the area needed to support construction at the M80 Ring Road, AK Lines Reserve, Trist Street Reserve and Gabonia Avenue Reserve to keep more existing trees, and are maximising opportunities for new trees to be planted after construction.

Where tree removal can't be avoided, we will be working with qualified ecologists to plan and manage how works will take place, including to determine which trees need to be protected and which trees need to be replaced through new planting.

To ensure trees and vegetation are correctly identified – and protected where possible – a rigorous process of fencing, flagging and final review by an expert arborist occurs before works start. Regular inspections are also undertaken by an Independent Environmental Auditor.

Protecting wildlife

Extensive field surveys will help identify animals that will need to be re-homed. Before work starts, qualified ecologists and animal handlers will find and safely move animals to a similar habitat nearby.

Repurposing

Wherever possible trees that have been removed will be re-used for landscaping and urban design, or for local community and sustainability projects. If you’re part of a group that could use timber for local community initiatives, please get in touch.

Early tree planting

As we complete the M80 Ring Road, upgrade the Eastern Freeway and build North East Link, more than 30,000 trees will be planted across Melbourne’s north and east. More than 2500 trees have already been planted through our early tree planting program, with more planned. For the M80 Ring Road Completion, trees have been planted early at:

• Brinawa Reserve, Greensborough
• Greensborough College, Greensborough
• Plenty River Drive Reserve, Greensborough
• Pooh Park, Greensborough
• Weemala Court Reserve, Greensborough
• Binnak Park, Watsonia North
• Watsonia Primary School, Watsonia

Contact us

• Email community@northeastlink.vic.gov.au
• Call 1800 105 105
• Write to NELP GPO Box 2392, Melbourne, VIC 3001
• Visit the Watsonia Hub, 17 Watsonia Road, Watsonia, VIC 3087
• Interpreter service: for languages other than English, please call 03 9209 0147

Please contact us if you would like this information in an accessible format. If you need assistance because of a hearing or speech impairment, please visit relayservice.gov.au

This information is current at the time of publication, however changes may occur. Please visit our website for the latest updates.