Linear Parklands

Yarra’s Linear Parklands are located in Carlton North and Fitzroy North. It wraps around what was once the Inner Circle Rail Line between Bowen Crescent in Princes Hill and Rushall Station in Fitzroy North and includes the old spur line between St Georges Road and Alfred Crescent, that connected the railway to Edinburgh Gardens to the south.

Linear Parklands. Image credit: City of Yarra.

Council consultation

In 2022 Council asked the community for suggestions on what should be included in an upcoming Masterplan. Our suggestion was to significantly expand the area of the parklands by closing a number of minor north-south residential streets (as has already been done on Garton Street, Arnold Street, Wilson Street, Drummond Street, Rathdowne Street, Canning Street and Station Street) including:

  • Amess Street (400 m2)
  • Rae Street (800 m2)
  • Brunswick Street North (800 m2)
  • Bennett Street (800 m2)
Suggestions to expand the area. Image credit: Streets Alive Yarra.

A later engagement report acknowledged that this suggestion had been received:

Excerpt from engagement report. Image credit: City of Yarra.

2025 draft Masterplan

In June 2025 Council endorsed the Linear Parklands draft Masterplan for community engagement, via Your Say Yarra. The draft masterplan failed to suggest expanding the area by closing minor north-south streets, without offering any explanation or justification for the missed opportunity. We don’t know if the consultants had a reason, or whether their brief (from Council Officers) asked them not to consider such an option.

Draft Masterplan. Image credit: Your Say Yarra.

Our view

Our feedback remains; that the area of the Linear Parklands should be increased by closing minor north-south streets to vehicle traffic, especially Rae Street and Brunswick Street North. The two should be closed as a ‘set’ to prevent rat running concentrating on the remaining street; with through traffic using nearby Vicroads arterials.

Linear Parklands can 800 m2 larger if Rae Street is closed. Image credit: Streets Alive Yarra.
Linear Parklands can 800 m2 larger if Brunswick Street North is closed. Image credit: Streets Alive Yarra.
Linear Parklands can 400 m2 larger if Amess Street is closed. Image credit: Streets Alive Yarra.
Linear Parklands can 800 m2 larger if Bennett Street is closed. Image credit: Streets Alive Yarra.

In addition, we support investment in a cohesive on-street network of cycling infrastructure across all of Yarra, and in this case in the immediate area of the Linear Parklands, e.g. along Park Street, to encourage higher speed cyclists to use the on-road infrastructure instead of the off-road shared path in the centre of the Linear Parklands.