As you may know the M1 (Monash Freeway) is to be widened along its length. Boroondara BUG has written to and met with the Monash Alliance (MA) about the possibility of a path from the East Malvern Station footbridge to Argyll St, immediately parallel to the M1 and on its the north side. We believe this would go a long way to providing a route for people, who currently shortcut across the golf course, from the Waverly Rail trail to the Gardiners Creek Trail and Anniversary Trail intersection. Our suggestions and a letter to MA and CC:ed to both councils are both on the BBUG web site.
Assuming the path can actually be built from an engineering point of view, as yet unconfirmed, the biggest stumbling block is Stonnington Council. They will need much encouragement to even consider this path. Therefore we are looking for as much support as we can muster to get this path built. It would cause little interference to the golf course, as the path would be built as part of the M1 sound wall alterations and East Malvern Station footbridge modifications. If this doesn't occur now, we'll all have to wait for the next widening—another twenty years?
Note also the M1 widening will result in detours along the Gardiners Creek Trail into 2009 as you already know.
Suggested alternative at Great Valley Rd to Burke Rd:
Heading to the CBD: Go off the path at Great Valley Rd to the right. Immediately left into Haynes Cres. At the end, turn right into Park Rd. Turn left into Howard Dawson Reserve adjacent to Violet St. Head along the path on the south side of the reserve and join back on to the Gardiners Creek path just east of Burke Rd.