Getting to Docklands

Docklands is an island, bounded by water, major roads and train lines. 

From the CBD, the simple way to get to Docklands is to catch a tram or walk 600-metres over a bridge, but from West Melbourne and North Melbourne there are no direct routes. What should be an easy 500 metre walk is closer to a 1.5 kilometre hike using the Dynon Road underpass, and then waiting minutes to use three sets of lights to cross the nine lanes of traffic and two tram lines at Footscray Rd. 

Hundreds of people walk this route everyday to get from North Melbourne Train Station to their places of work in Docklands. But just to the north of Dockland in the suburbs of West and North Melbourne are another 60,000 people who live, work or just commute through West and North Melbourne everyday. Most of these people do not give much thought to visiting Docklands because it is simply not easy to get to there.

The fact is that while Docklands remains an island - a destination that requires deliberate effort to get to, it will remain a lonely suburb on the edge of the city, and not an inclusive part of Melbourne.