Bay Trail
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| Bay Trail | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Bay Trail in Brighton | |
 |
|
| Length | Approx. 49.8 km from the Yarra River, Port Melbourne to Seaford |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Hills | Minor hills between Mentone and St Kilda |
| Hazards | Car park entrances/exits between Mentone and St Kilda; Heavy pedestrian traffic between Brighton and Port Melbourne, particularly during warmer months; Missing section of trail between Cromer Road and Charman Road, Beaumaris |
| Water | Water fountains at several stages between Mordialloc and Port Melbourne |
| Path | Concrete & bitumen north of Mordialloc, gravel south. |
| Connecting Transport | |
| Trains | Frankston line (Carrum), Sandringham (Sandringham) |
The Bay Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians which follows the coastline of Port Phillip Bay through the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.[1][2][3]
The trail begins at Austin Road, Seaford near the Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands viewing platform and travels north. The trail ends just north of the West Gate Bridge in Port Melbourne. On weekends, a punt ferries pedestrians and bicycles across the Yarra River to Spotswood in the city's west.
North of Brighton the path is mostly split in two; providing separate facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. These areas are also popular with inline skaters.
Following the path
- In the south, the trail begins a short distance from Seaford railway station.
- The trail appears to end at Armstrongs Road, Seaford, however it continues at the end of Wilson Grove.
- North of the Eel Race Drain footbridge, the trail splits into two. Take the trail on the left to ride north-east through Roy Dore Reserve in Carrum. The trail on the right heads east towards Patterson Lakes shopping centre, and eventually connects with the Dandenong Creek Trail.
- A set of pedestrian lights have been installed on busy McLeod Road, Carrum, opposite McDougall Reserve. On the northern side of the crossing is Launching Way, where the trail continues towards the Patterson River boat launching ramps, where the trail then heads south-west for a short distance (0.5 km) towards the bay.
- A caged cycling/pedestrian bridge crosses Patterson River parallel to the railway bridge and Nepean Highway. Once on the north bank, the trail heads north-east, inland, for approximately 2 km, then down an embankment, now heading north-west.
- The trail continues to head north-east, going under the railway bridge at Mordialloc, with an underpass at Nepean Highway shortly after crossing over the Mordialloc Creek bridge.
- From Mordialloc onward, the trail now runs along the coast between the sand and Beach Road. A short gravel section of the trail between Mordialloc and Parkdale is narrow and runs between the sand dunes. It connects with a concrete section that runs beneath the cliffs, ending at McBean Ramp in Beaumaris.
- From McBean Ramp, the trail heads south-west. A 750-metre section of the trail is missing between McBean Ramp and the Beaumaris Motor Yacht Squadron, near Cromer Road. Cyclists in either direction should probably use Beach Road. Pedestrians may use the path that follows the cliff's edge, parallel to Beach Road.
- From Cromer Road onward, the trail is concrete, with a dashed line in the centre, heading south-west for 1 km, reaching Table Rock Point in Beaumaris.
- From Table Rock Point onward, navigation is fairly self-explanatory. The trail heads north-west towards Port Melbourne, passing through the suburbs of Black Rock, Sandringham, Hampton, Brighton, Elwood, St Kilda, Middle Park, and Albert Park.
Landmarks
- Port Phillip Bay
- Patterson River
- Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands
- Mordialloc Creek
- Ricketts Point Tea House
- Half Moon Bay
- Wreck of HMAS Cerberus
- Sandringham Harbour
- Elwood Canal & Elster Creek
- St Kilda Marina
- Station Pier
- Westgate Park
- West Gate Bridge
Connections
Cyclists from the western suburbs can access the northern end of the trail using the West Gate Punt when it is in service. Access from the Melbourne city centre is via the Sandridge Trail. In the south, at Patterson River, the trail meets the Dandenong Creek Trail, which in turn connects to the EastLink Trail. The most southerly point is in Seaford at the southern end of the Seaford Swamp near Austin Rd.
A path runs along Elwood Canal / Elster Creek, ending near Gardenvale Station
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See also
References
- Bike rides around Melbourne 3rd edition, 2009, Julia Blunden, Open Spaces Publishing, ISBN 978-0-9752333-4-4
- Bike Paths Victoria sixth edition, 2004. Edited and published by Sabey & Associates Pty Ltd. pp105–109. ISBN 0-9579591-1-7
Geographic data related to 
