Main Yarra Trail - 13.5 kms

April 29, 2021

U3A Hike No. 148

Hike Report by Ian

Gordon’s walk for the fifth week of the month was ‘one out of the box’. Not only was it a perfect sunny Autumn day, but a different environment to the usual.

Ten walkers met at Ballarat Railway Station and caught a bus to Melbourne Southern Cross Station, where we met another two walkers. We then proceeded to a nearby tram stop and travelled out to Richmond via Swan Street. As we passed Bendigo Street, we learnt that Ken ‘grew up’ in this area many years ago (who’d have thought?), although as far as I’m aware, he didn’t meet anyone on the tram, or the walk, that he knew from his earlier days.

It was only a short walk from the tram stop to our start on the Main Yarra Trail where we paused to admire the Yarra and its picturesque surrounds. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to live so close to this beautiful riverine environment, if only we could afford it? Certainly, many people have found a way, with quite a lot of high-rise apartments abutting the river where the former industrial areas have given way to those aspiring to being close to nature while also close to the city. There were certainly plenty of joggers and other walkers with their furry friends enjoying the trail, as well as bike riders to watch out for.

We passed various historic buildings along the way, that some of our party were able to reminisce about, as well as more recent additions. For instance, there was the Abbottsford Brewery with its tall concrete chimney, and the more slender red brick chimney of the gasworks, both of which provided a reference point at various stages during the walk and return train ride, as well as a number of boathouses and sloping rowing jetties, and Dights Falls, where we had lunch. Not to mention the Abbottsford Convent. What happened to the Skipping Girl?

The Yarra below Dight’s Falls (which are a drop of about two metres) is tidal and salt water can be found in the bottom layers of the river further down. As you may recall, the Yarra used to be known as the ‘upside down river’ due to its characteristically muddy surface waters. Industry also added plenty of noxious inputs in years past, including tannery effluent (red from one pipe, according to Ken, and yellow from another, although this didn’t reflect local footy allegiances, as far as I know!). Slaughterhouses and other early industries also added their bit of effluvia. Fortunately, the water above Dight’s Falls was relatively pristine, and an early source of Melbourne’s drinking water.

After lunch, and a quick vote, we walked up a small hill to catch a glimpse of the CBD and various other sights, including the Kew Lunatic Asylum. While some of us could recall going past this local ‘identity’ in our earlier years and heading out past the Fairfield Paper Mill to get onto the Hume Highway, pre Western Ring Road, one member of the group recalled visiting the Asylum on a regular basis, although he/she didn’t say in what capacity.

Further on, we crossed a footbridge near the Fairfield coffee house, which was reputed, by a young girl and her parents sitting close by, to have a troll underneath. This was also confirmed by one of our party who didn’t want to disappoint the youngster. Of course, we crossed many footbridges along our way, so there may have been many more trolls; however, the cyclists are definitely much more dangerous, especially on top of the bridges.

The footbridges connected a number of lovely open parklands, as well as billabongs, and there was even a very large wooden sculpture that is supposed to be a pinecone sitting atop a small rise. If you ask me, it could easily be mistaken for a very large Easter egg. It was certainly the right colour. We also passed Collingwood Children’s Farm and signs warning visitors not to feed Myrtle and Jacob, the pigs, as they bite! I can’t remember them doing that in my day when we took our kids to the Farm in the late 80’s...

Soon after, we made our way on to Alphington Station for our return to Southern Cross and a queue of buses. After a quick coffee, some squeezed onto the express bus (where have they gone?) while the more intrepid hopped onto a bus that went back via Foot-es-cray – remember the Franko Cozzo ad from years gone by? – his store is still there!

And, by the way, it was a pleasant 13 and a half km walk, but who’s counting? only two modest hills (one by popular vote), and a surprising amount of riverine bushland only a short distance from the steady hum of traffic on the Eastern Freeway.

Thanks Gordon, for a lovely change.