In May 2023, the Victorian Government completed works to remove 2 dangerous and congested level crossings at Union Road, Surrey Hills and Mont Albert Road, Mont Albert.
From the State Government’s 2018 decision to replace the two train stations (Mont Albert Station and Surrey Hills Station), with the single Union Station and fast-track the project delivery to two years – Council strengthened its advocacy to ensure the project delivered high quality outcomes.
The loss of the Mont Albert Station function, and potentially the old station building, was even more impetus to ensure what the State Government delivered – was something that benefited the community and carried local history, from now - into the future.
The delivery of this project marked a significant change in transport improvements for local residents, commuters and the wider community.
With an estimated 22,000 vehicles travelling through these level crossings each day, and boom gates down for up to 40 per cent of the two-hour morning peak - when an estimated 61 trains travelled through the crossings.
As part of the Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP), the brand-new Union Station was built featuring modern station facilities including a sheltered waiting room, platform access via lifts and stairs, public art, landscaping and new pedestrian and cycling connections.
The project also included improvements to surrounding public-use spaces adjoining the project area like Lorne Parade Reserve and Mont Albert Village.
Council's Vision
Council worked with the Mont Albert and Surrey Hills communities to develop an Urban Realm Vision to guide the design and construction of several of the public-use spaces.
The Vision was used by Council to advocate for positive public open space, landscape and urban realm outcomes throughout the project and its delivery.
The Vision provided Council with a blueprint of preferred design outcomes, that prioritised community input and led to what has been constructed there today.
Council worked closely with the Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP) team to ensure that the interests of our community were well represented.
We prepared and submitted a submission to the LXRP on the project ( PDF 788.86KB) on behalf of the City of Whitehorse. It considered the many submissions, conversations and advocacy that Council received from our community.
As a direct result of the advocacy work, Council was able to achieve key results that our community asked for.
The conversations became final designs that were constructed, and included:
- Providing safe and convenient access and transport connections for all community members including public transport users, cyclists, pedestrians and motorists; with a focus on destinations including Mont Albert Village, public open space, residential homes and workplaces.
- Retaining the 120-year-old Mont Albert Station building, fully reconstructing and refurbishing it and locating it on the new Mont Albert Village Plaza for future use and community enjoyment
- Increasing the original LXRP design of a simple pedestrian bridge connecting Beresford Street to Hamilton Street; into a generous plaza space, in the heart of Mont Albert Village. The outcome gives the community a much-loved green space in the heart of the Village and a heritage destination point
- Giving the Mont Albert Station building a new lease of life; with opportunities for future-uses and community enjoyment, including a social enterprise cafe
- Providing significant upgrades to Surrey Park
- Surrey Park was occupied during the construction period and Council’s advocacy ensured new floodlights were installed at the baseball pitch to allow Junior and Senior teams to continue training safely
- Ensuring the teams schedule for sport remained uninterrupted during the construction period
- Completing a significant ground upgrade at the north-west oval. This upgrade has improved the ground from a standard ground to a high-performance space that far exceeds its original condition
- Transforming Lorne Parade Reserve into a community destination, with new play equipment and extensive landscaping and open space
- Enhancing the public realm within and around the new train station with high quality urban design and landscape outcomes and protecting and complimenting the heritage areas of the precinct
- Developing a much-improved pick-up and drop-off (PUDO) area, off Mont Albert Road that provides pedestrians with a greener space to transition from car to foot; and a smoother experience for commuters walking to Union Station
- Significant street tree planting works funded by the LXRP and completed by Council, within and around key streets and public-use spaces to counteract trees removed as part of the construction works
Council worked closely with the LXRP to ensure our community’s needs were heard and the best possible outcomes were achieved.
The community has embraced the Mont Albert Village Plaza, with regular activations, pop-ups and daily visits and uses. The presence of the old station building is an important piece remaining in the heart of Mont Albert Village and becoming a much-loved continuation of history.
For detailed information about the project visit:
