The draft Northern Trails 2022 builds on the foundations of the previous 2016 Strategy.

Its focus is to deliver and strengthen trails that connect significant features across municipalities and provide wide-scale benefits for the community. The draft 2022 Strategy includes an updated blueprint and strategic framework for the future development and maintenance of a recreational off-road trail network across northern metropolitan Melbourne.

As a collaborative project between Moreland, Darebin, Banyule, Hume, Whittlesea, and Nillumbik Councils, Northern Trails 2022 aims to ensure integration of planning, advocacy and development efforts, while making recommendations for trail infrastructure, management, marketing and improvement projects.

The 2022 update reflects changes in context since the 2016 Strategy was adopted including completed trail projects, revised Council priorities, modified landscape as a result of infrastructure projects and changes from growth in population, economy and urban footprint.

The 2022 Strategy assesses proposed actions for trail improvement against a set of criteria to come up with a priority list of the 'top ten unfunded trail action items' across northern metropolitan Melbourne.

In addition, each of the partner Councils has their own list of ten priorities based on internal strategies and community feedback.

Top ten priority trail improvements for northern region.

The top ten priority trail improvements within each council area.

Click on the council area that interests you.

The top ten priority trail improvements within each council area.

Click on the council area that interests you.

What we have done

Since the Northern Regional Trails Strategy 2016 we have:

• Reviewed regional and local strategic documents
• Completed a trail audit
• Undertaken a public survey in 2021, which has informed the Strategy refresh
• Identified 25 existing and potential regional trails within the study area, along with related actions.

Deliverables

This project will deliver an updated Northern Regional Trails Strategy that:

• Considers the recommendations of the existing strategies prepared by each participating Council, as well as the Victorian Cycling Strategy (2018-28), Victoria’s Trails Strategy (2013-23) and the State Government’s Strategic Cycling Corridors
• Identifies gaps and opportunities for the provision of an integrated network of trails and a strategic framework for developing, upgrading and maintaining trails across the network
• Considers who and who isn’t already using the regional trail network and why
• Recognises the changing physical landscape of northern metropolitan Melbourne and the impact of significant infrastructure projects
• Defines and quantifies (where possible) the economic, social, health and commuter benefits of developing the regional trail network
• Considers recent impacts of Covid-19 on travel patterns and active transport demand
• Delivers a key advocacy document to attract funding to deliver the Northern Region Trail Network.

In August 2021, we asked for your feedback to help inform the project and influence new and updated actions for Northern Trails 2022. We received 923 contributions through an online survey.

This is what you told us...