The vision for a linear park along the Federation Trail corridor has advanced to another stage with a draft masterplan released for the zone through Williams Landing, Truganina South, and Laverton.
This 3.7km length links the Skeleton Creek to the Lawrie Emmins Reserve and has significant potential for parkland development along and adjacent to the trail.
The Federation Trail is situated largely in the 27km historic Melbourne Outfall Sewer Reserve between Spottswood and Werribee, previously a degraded industrial landscape.
But the heritage pipeline is intact and the 40 metre wide reserve and adjacent public lands provide potential for the trail to be developed into a highly attractive active travel corridor for the Melbourne community.
The Federation Trail is also set for major improvements as part of the Western Roads Project, which will build trail overpasses across busy arterial roads.
The latest masterplan draft, part of what is known as the Greening the Pipeline project, focuses on Zone 5, and repurposes the old sewer to become a contemporary feature and environmentally sustainable water asset.
A stormwater harvesting, treatment and storage concept, housed within the old sewer, will enable greening of the reserve and adjacent open spaces. The alternative water source will also deliver resilience over dryer periods.
The new plan aims to create a vegetated and green corridor between two significant, regional natural assets in Skeleton Creek and the Lawrie Emmins Reserve with its plans for a significant wetland.
“Further, the stormwater concept prepared with the plan will enable greening through the provision of an alternative water supply along and beyond the MOS Reserve to support the establishment of trees and tree canopy and to green adjacent open spaces.
"The MOS Reserve will serve as a corridor for wildlife and people alike, connecting fragmented, high-value habitats.”
The plan notes the poor surface quality of much of the trail and the potential impact on rider safety.
It also suggests a realignment of the trail through sections of Zone 5 as sections of the old sewer will be open, and would require barrier fencing.
And a cycling service station would provide users with a water fountain, tire pump point and shade.
The next steps for the plan incorporating the stormwater harvesting concept the Lawrie Emmins Reserve Masterplan.
Greening the Pipeline is a collaborative project between Melbourne Water, Wyndham City Council, VicRoads and City West Water to transform the existing Main Outfall Sewer (MOS) Reserve into a linear parkland.