Old Heidelberg Road is an east-west access road in Alphington:
Access to Darebin Creek
The main issue for Old Heidelberg Road is access to Darebin Creek, and then on to the Darebin Creek Trail. An adjoining private land owner had built gates across the road and the footpaths, which prevented public access to public land.
Council stated that the gate was installed illegally, and in 2025 Council removed it, replacing it with a raised pedestrian crossing.
History
This photo is from 1946, showing how local residents used to be able to access public land along Darebin Creek via Old Heidelberg Road and the public road reserve.
This photo is from 1975, showing the path of a charity fun run that started and finished at the old Parade College in the 1980s. Darebin Creek was crossed using a cast iron bridge that was later washed away.
This photo from 2013 shows access for motor vehicles along Old Heidelberg Road and around near Darebin Creek; as well as private structures constructed on the public road reserve.
Public vs private land
Council’s records confirm that discussions between Council Officers and the [owners of adjoining private land] took place in 2005 following a request about the possibility of Council investigating the potential discontinuance and sale of the eastern portion of Old Heidelberg Road. Records note that the matter was never progressed.
Agenda of Council Meeting – Tuesday, 5 October 2021
Adjoining private land is highlighted in the image below. The public road reserve extends from the asphalted end of Old Heidelberg Road, down to Darebin Creek and almost to the Darebin Creek Trail. Structures have been built on the public road reserve, including gates, a playground, and part of a sports field. By building such structures, the private land owner is appropriating public land. Council has an obligation to defend public land from appropriation by private organisations.
Guidance from experts
The Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA) commented on the issue of public versus private land:
If you’re a local resident, I would have thought access to that pristine river frontage would be highly valued and heaven forbid that a council would act in the interest of its local residents…there’s sometimes a need to just lay down a marker and for the council not to be a pushover in terms of its right to public land.
VLGA Connect Episode 276, 27th May 2022
Community interest
It’s in the community interest:
- for members of the public to be able to access public land alongside Darebin Creek, so they can view nature
- for all levels of government, including local, to defend public land from appropriation by private organisations, because if they don’t, that can create a precedent that leads to further appropriations in other locations
In addition, local residents would like to access the Darebin Creek Trail from Old Heidelberg Road, which would align with policies of federal, state, and local government that support physical activity in 20-minute neighbourhoods.
VicRoads assessment
VicRoads examined a connection at Old Heidelberg Road as part of the Alphington Link project. They concluded that an informal access path is possible, but that it wouldn’t meet their project aim of a ‘shared user path standard’ without significant cost, so they selected a lower cost option at Farm Road. It’s unclear whether this assessment assumed that the route would duck under the bridge (using public land), or curve around the top of the sports field (which would cross private land).
Options for next steps
In the short term, a temporary gravel walking path could be constructed on public land to link Old Heidelberg Road to the Darebin Creek Trail, by travelling under the bridge and then circling around. Such a temporary path could be used while planning and budgeting for a permanent solution.
In the longer term, two options are available:
- Negotiate a land swap with the adjoining land owner
- Construct a new shared user path bridge
A land swap would allow a low-cost gravel path to connect more directly to the Darebin Creek Trail while remaining above the high water level. Indeed, such a path existed in 2015 to support the construction of the Darebin Creek Trail. A land swap, e.g. green for blue, where each colour is of equal area, could also be a win for the adjoining land owner, who would gain a larger and more useable sports field.
Alternatively, if a land swap couldn’t be negotiated, then local and state government could collaborate to construct a shared user path bridge across the Darebin Creek, linking Old Heidelberg Road to the Darebin Creek Trail, at Sparks Reserve. Such a connection could be constructed entirely on public land, and would use a similar technical solution to the existing bridge. If this option was implemented, the remaining public land could be re-vegetated, supporting over a hundred new trees.
