A section of the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail adjacent to Docklands Studios has closed to enable the construction of the new Sound Stage 6 project.
Trail users are diverted to Pearl River Road via the path between Docklands Studios Melbourne and the O’Brien Icehouse.
The trail will also be diverted near the Ron Barassi Senior Oval (see map below).
The diversion route has been determined in consultation with the Bicycle Network, City of Melbourne and, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and, Planning.
Signage and road markings have installed around the area to mark the alternate route.
In the long-term, Development Victoria will continue to work with the City of Melbourne to achieve the vision of their 2019 Moonee Ponds Creek Strategic Opportunities Plan which proposes a new pathway near the studios as part of a larger rejuvenation of the Moonee Ponds Creek.
This will not be built as part of the studio project, however.
Plans show that the new studio will extend beyond the current studio complex fence across the area the of the existing trail, meaning that the future trail will need to moved.
Further detours in this precinct are expected soon as work progresses on a new bike and pedestrian bridge over the Moonee Ponds Creek adjacent to Footscray Road being delivered as part of the West Gate Tunnel Project.
The $46 million, 3,700sqm Sound Stage 6 will increase Docklands Studios Melbourne’s capacity by 60 per cent and help attract large scale international screen productions.
Work on the new stage is expected to be complete by late 2021. The five existing sound stages will remain operational while the project is under construction.