We’re realigning a section of the Koonung Creek, between Tram and Middleborough roads, to make space for new lanes on the freeway.

From May 2026, we’ll realign a section of the creek in Koonung Creek Linear Park to create space to build new lanes and a walking and cycling bridge as part of the Eastern Freeway Upgrades.

The realigned section will feature better bank stability and allow more sunlight to reach the water, creating better habitat for wildlife. It also ensures the creek remains accessible to the community to experience and connect with the area once the project is complete.

As part of the creek realignment, we’ll build brand new walking and cycling bridge over the Koonung Creek.

Before we remove the existing bridge, we’ll install a temporary pedestrian bridge so people can continue moving safely through the area.

During the realignment works, we’ll begin building the foundations for the new bridge that will connect to Eram Park. This involves using a piling rig to drill deep holes and fill them with concrete and steel reinforcements to create a strong base before the new bridge is installed.

The new bridge will improve local connections for pedestrians and cyclists and is designed to meet the latest accessibility standards.

Works in Koonung Creek Linear Park

We'll use an excavator to remove soil and build 180m of new creek realignment, north of the existing creek alignment. The excavated rocks and dirt will be stored within our worksites and covered until they’re ready to be reused to backfill the old creek alignment.

We’ll build a dam at each end of the work area to create a safe, dry working area. Qualified aquatic ecologists will be on site to carefully relocate any wildlife further downstream prior to dewatering.

A pump system will run day and night to push the creek water downstream through a flexible hose. This will make sure that the creek can continue to flow while we’re working.

Once we've redirected the water, we'll excavate the remaining sections of the creek. The dams will then be removed to allow water to flow through the new creek alignment.

The previous creek alignment will then be backfilled using the stockpiled dirt and rock. We’ll reinstate the area and prepare it for future construction works.

The creek will be monitored regularly throughout our works to ensure we meet our strict environmental requirements, and erosion and sediment controls will be in place.

Changes to the Koonung Creek Trail

To safely realign Koonung Creek, we'll first build a temporary walking and cycling bridge over the creek and path diversion in Eram Park. These temporary changes will maintain connectivity for walkers and cyclists while we work around the creek.

The temporary bridge will be built around 20m north of the existing bridge and will be around 4.5m wide to provide enough space for both pedestrians and cyclists. The bridge will arrive in sections, be assembled on site, before being lifted into place by a crane.

From May 2026, a section of the Koonung Creek Trail between our worksite and Church Road will be temporarily closed while we build the temporary bridge and complete the diversion. The Koonung Creek Trail between Wetherby Road and the bridge over the freeway will remain open during this time.

Please follow all signs and directions from traffic controllers when moving through the area.

We know the community regularly use the dog off‑leash areas in Koonung Creek Linear Park, and we’ve planned our works to keep as much of this space open as possible. Most of the off‑leash area between Church Road and the current Koonung Creek bridge will remain accessible during construction of the temporary bridge.

What to expect

We’ll work in our established worksite in Koonung Creek Linear Park, near Norfolk Circuit in Doncaster. You'll notice workers, construction vehicles and machinery in the area.

We'll use excavators, cranes, piling rigs and concrete trucks to complete our works. There will be increased levels of noise, dust and vibration at times. You may also notice visual changes due to tree removal.

The bypass pump system will run day and night, powered by a silenced generator to minimise noise while keeping water flowing.

There will be diversions of the Koonung Creek Trail throughout our works. Please follow all signage and directions from traffic controllers.

How we’ll manage impacts

As with all construction projects, there will be some noise, dust and vibration impacts to the community. These impacts will be closely managed and must comply with the project's strict Environmental Performance Requirements (EPRs).

We'll work closely with impacted residents to provide additional information on works, timing and how we propose to manage the expected disruptions.

Landscaping and planting

We’ll replant in and around the creek in consultation with Melbourne Water and Manningham Council as the public land manager. We'll use a mix of native aquatic and riparian plants to improve biodiversity. Logs and woody debris will be placed at strategic locations to create habitat and access to the water edge for animals. Where possible, we'll reuse logs from the project to create these habitat zones.