Tree planting for the project design

People walking and cycling on a paved path through a lush, green park with tall trees and dense vegetation.

Artist’s impression of new cultural wetland precinct along the Yarra River, Bulleen

As we deliver North East Link, the M80 Ring Road Completion and Eastern Freeway Upgrades, new trees and plants will return improved open space where it is needed to support construction.

Tree planting will also help revitalise wetlands and waterways, shade new and upgraded walking and cycling paths, and screen and filter noise walls.

New open space will also be created along Banyule Creek in Yallambie and the Yarra River in Bulleen.

Artist’s impression of new Borlase Reserve parklands and trails running along Banyule Creek, Yallambie. View is looking west towards Greensborough Road.

Artist’s impression of new Borlase Reserve parklands along Banyule Creek, Yallambie

Extending the tunnels an extra 1.9km to Watsonia and building simpler interchanges at Lower Plenty and Manningham roads has created more space for new parklands, wetlands, and trees including:

5 MCGs of new community parklands and wetlands along a revitalised Banyule Creek at Borlase Reserve in Yallambie
a new 2km tree-lined boulevard for Greensborough Road with wider, shaded walking and cycling paths
a 1800m2 cultural wetland precinct along the Yarra River in Bulleen
a new Yarra Link green bridge over Bulleen Road in Bulleen.

The longer tunnels have also avoided the need for major construction works and tree removal in Banksia Park, Bulleen. The tunnel boring machines (TBMs) will now be retrieved south of Manningham Road at the site of the new Manningham Road interchange.

Find out more

Read the North East Link trees and vegetation fact sheet
Visit the North East Link project design page of our website

Trist Street Reserve with walking and cycling underpass to AK Lines Reserve, Watsonia North

Artist's impression of Trist Street Reserve, Watsonia North

An improved design for the M80 Ring Road interchange, landscaped bridges at Watsonia and upgrades to Trist Street and AK Lines Reserve have created more opportunities for trees and plants to be included in the project design.

We’re delivering:

4000+ new trees
new M80 Ring Road wetlands, with more space for trees and plants and a new habitat area between Plenty Gorge and Plenty River
improved green spaces for Trist Street Reserve and AK Lines Reserve with new wetlands, indigenous trees and plants
2 new landscaped bridges at Watsonia Road and Elder Street for improved connections to Watsonia Station and shops

We’ve also reduced the size of construction compounds to keep trees near homes at AK Lines Reserve and Gabonia Avenue Reserve.

Find out more

Read the M80 Ring Road Completion trees and vegetation fact sheet
Visit the M80 Ring Road Completion website

Artist impression of Valda Wetlands and Koonung Creek in Mont Albert North. Two people are standing at a lookout and taking a photo of the wetlands.

Artist’s impression of reinstated Valda Wetlands and Koonung Creek, Mont Albert North

As part of the first stage of the Eastern Freeway Upgrades from Burke Road to Tram Road, we’re delivering:

more than 1.8 million new plants, including over 10,000 trees
extensive planting to reinstate Koonung Creek Reserve, shade walking and cycle paths, and filter views of noise walls
a reimagined 43,700m2 Valda Wetlands precinct along a rebuilt Koonung Creek with indigenous trees and plants and new and upgraded walking and cycle paths
a new 16,000m2 wetland area for Koonung Creek in Bulleen with a walking and cycling connection to the Yarra Link green bridge being built over Bulleen Road for the North East Link tunnels.

We’ve also minimised the area needed for construction to protect trees along Kosciuszko Street and Carron Street, Balwyn North.

Find out more

Read the Eastern Freeway Upgrades trees and vegetation fact sheet
Visit the Eastern Freeway Upgrades website

Artist’s impression of new Drop and Go zone, forecourt and passenger services building

Artist's impression of Doncaster Park and Ride

Bulleen Park and Ride, which opened to passengers in 2023, includes a 5000m² green roof community park, with walking and cycling connections to Koonung Creek Trail.

Construction to upgrade Doncaster Park and Ride will start from 2025, including a new 530m2 landscaped forecourt, 150+ new trees, 20,000+ new plants and 1000m2 of green wall space for climbing plants on the new passenger services building and multi-level car park. A locally significant oak tree on Doncaster Road will be kept.

Find out more

Visit the Bulleen Park and Ride web page
Visit the Doncaster Park and Ride web page

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