365. Maribyrnong-Newmarket Hike 13.8km

 U3A Hike No 365



Hike Report by Colin Fraser

Leader: Gordon Talbett

Whip: Mark Hawley

Distance: 13.8 km

Weather: fine

 

Ten hikers met at Ballarat Railway Station and travelled by train to Melbourne, followed by a suburban train to Newmarket, where we commenced the walk.

 We walked through the old Newmarket Sale Yards site, which closed in 1987. Decentralisation of the livestock industry and expansive urban development directly contributed to the closure of the Saleyards.

 After almost 130 years of cattle and stock trading, the Newmarket Saleyards were handed back to the State Government to be redeveloped into a private and public housing estate under the Lynch's Bridge Project. The reconstruction of 80 hectares of land cost $100 million over 10 years. Some buildings were retained, renovated and incorporated into the development. The redevelopment retained some of the old infrastructure – bluestone paving, stock pens, and the auctioneer’s office.

 The second part of the walk followed the Maribyrnong River upstream to where it ceases to be tidal. We passed many reminders of the river’s industrial history, in particular the disused ammunition factory.

 At the end of the walk we caught a tram to Newmarket, then a train to Southern Cross, then a train back to Ballarat.

Photos by Alan Evans






















LINKS

INTERACTIVE MAP

GPX FILE

SOME MARIBYRNONG RIVER HISTORY

WILLIAMSTOWN TO NEWMARKET 2022


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