There is currently no safe family-friendly bike and pedestrian path connecting Hawthorn to Box Hill. 

The nearest safe paths are the Koonung Creek Trail (5 km to the North alongside the Eastern Freeway) or Gardiners Creek Trail (5 km to the South). This is the largest gap for safe cycling in the inner to middle suburbs of the Melbourne Metropolitan area.

Building a path following the Belgrave/Lilydale railway line will encourage many people to cycle and walk who currently don't and greatly improve safety for those who already do.

This will provide connections to many destinations including:

• The Yarra Trail and onto Melbourne’s CBD
• Grace Park, Hawthorn
• Hawthorn-Glenferrie Road major activity centre 
• Auburn Road historic shopping strip
• Camberwell Junction major activity centre
• Maling Road shopping village, Canterbury
• Canterbury Sports Ground, Surrey Hills
• Union Road Surrey Hills Shopping Strip
• Mont Albert Village
• Box Hill Metropolitan Activity Centre

Over twenty schools, Swinburne University and the Box Hill Institute are close to the trail.

The Hawthorn to Box Hill Trail has been specified by the Victorian government as a Strategic Cycling Corridor that will:

• Provide a safe path free from vehicles where children can learn to ride and families can go for recreational bike and walking trips.
• Provide connections with the Main Yarra Trail in Richmond, the Anniversary Trail in Canterbury, the Box Hill to Ringwood Trail and the Yarra Valley trail network.
• Support the needs of commuter trips (to work or education) and other important transport trips to stations, shops or schools.

The Victorian government confirmed the trail could be built with a feasibility study completed in 2021 after 1844 people signed a petition to the Victorian State Parliament asking for the trail to be built.

More people riding bikes and walking will reduce traffic congestion on roads, reduce carbon emissions and provide safe and healthy travel for local communities and longer distance bike trips.

We petition:

• Paul Hamer MP (Box Hill)
• John Pesutto MP (Hawthorn)
• Premier Jacinta Allan
• Melissa Horne MP (Minister for Roads and Road Safety)
• Danny Pearson MP (Minister for Transport Infrastructure)
• Gabrielle Williams MP (Minister for Public and Active Transport)

to provide funding for the design and construction of the Hawthorn the Box Hill Trail now.

Note: donations via Change.org do not come to the Hawthorn to Box Hill Trail campaign.