Route 2, Melbourne
Encyclopedia
Route 2, or the Yarra Scenic Drive is one of Melbourne
's few metropolitan transport routes which is not designed as a convenient route, but a tourist drive following the Yarra River
as closely as possible. The route traverses approximately 60 km from Warrandyte - where the Yarra diverts from any thoroughfares - to Williamstown - where the Yarra empties into Port Phillip Bay.
The drive was originally signed as metropolitan route 2, and was signed accordingly with the standard blue and white curved shield signs. When the route was extended from Ivanhoe East to Warrandyte, it was resigned using the brown five-sided shield. Usually, the brown shield is shown in the centre of a small green and white sign bearing the words Yarra Scenic Drive.
A large amount of winding road on this route means it takes at least a couple of hours to complete.
† Williams Rd North only on Warrandyte-Williamstown journey, because right turns cannot be made on Alexandra Avenue when crossing from Toorak into South Yarra
, Finns Reserve, Birrarung Park and Banksia Park, which are all well-liked serene picnic locations with a view of the outer-suburban Yarra River, where it is still safe to swim and canoe.
, with a clean view of the bridges and surroundings. Alexandra Avenue also provides access to the Royal Botanic Gardens
and Birrurung Marr. Alexandra Avenue, however, is an important thoroughfare in inner-eastern Melbourne, and so traffic can often be unpleasant.
and the Melbourne Aquarium
.
spans the Yarra at its widest, and gives a panoramic view of the city, the docks, the industrial Western Suburbs, and Port Phillip Bay. Traffic is chaotic during peak hour.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
's few metropolitan transport routes which is not designed as a convenient route, but a tourist drive following the Yarra River
Yarra River
The Yarra River, originally Birrarung, is a river in east-central Victoria, Australia. The lower stretches of the river is where the city of Melbourne was established in 1835 and today Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches...
as closely as possible. The route traverses approximately 60 km from Warrandyte - where the Yarra diverts from any thoroughfares - to Williamstown - where the Yarra empties into Port Phillip Bay.
Signage
Streets Covered by the Route
- BEGIN at: Intersection b/w Warrandyte-Ringwood Rd/Kangaroo Ground-Warrandyte Rd and Warrandyte Rd, Warrandyte (a.k.a. Warrandyte Bridge)
- Warrandyte Rd, Warrandyte - Doncaster East - Templestowe
- Newmans Rd, Templestowe
- Porter St, Templestowe
- Anderson St, Templestowe
- Swilk St, Templestowe
- Parker St, Templestowe Lower
- Union St, Templestowe Lower
- Templestowe Rd, Templestowe Lower - Bulleen
- Bridge St, Bulleen
- Manningham Rd West, Bulleen
- Banksia St, Heidelberg
- Lower Heidelberg Rd, Eaglemont - Ivanhoe East
- Burke Rd NorthBurke Road, MelbourneBurke Road is a major north-south thoroughfare in Melbourne, Australia. It runs from Ivanhoe to Caulfield, and includes the major shopping district at Camberwell...
, Ivanhoe East - Intersection b/w the Boulevard and Burke Rd NorthBurke Road, MelbourneBurke Road is a major north-south thoroughfare in Melbourne, Australia. It runs from Ivanhoe to Caulfield, and includes the major shopping district at Camberwell...
, Ivanhoe East (Original beginning) - The Boulevard, Ivanhoe East - Ivanhoe
- Heidelberg Rd, Ivanhoe - Alphington
- Chandler Hwy, Alphington - Kew
- Yarra Blvd, Kew
- Walmer St, Kew
- Studley Park Rd, Kew
- High St South, Kew
- Church St, Hawthorn
- Bridge RdBridge Road, MelbourneBridge Road is a major shopping strip in Melbourne, Australia. It is best known for its abundance of clothing factory outlets, which makes it a popular tourist attraction...
, Burnley - Yarra Blvd, Burnley
- Grange Rd, Burnley - Toorak
- Alexandra Av, Toorak
- Williams Rd North, South Yarra†
- Alexandra Av, South Yarra - Melbourne
- Yarra Bank Hwy, Southbank
- City Rd, Southbank
- Clarendon St, Southbank
- Spencer StSpencer Street, MelbourneSpencer Street is a major street in the central business district of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is named for John Spencer, 3rd Earl Spencer, Chancellor of the Exchequer under Lord Melbourne, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom....
, Southbank - Melbourne - Flinders StFlinders Street, MelbourneFlinders Street is a notable street in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Running roughly parallel to the Yarra River, Flinders Street forms the southern edge of the Hoddle Grid. It is exactly one mile in length and one and half chains in width...
, Melbourne - Montague St, Docklands - Southbank
- West Gate FreewayWest Gate FreewayWest Gate Freeway is a freeway in Melbourne, Australia, linking Geelong to Melbourne CBD and beyond. It is also a link between Melbourne and the west and linking industrial and residential areas west of the Yarra River with the city and port areas. The iconic West Gate Bridge is a part of the...
, South Melbourne - Port Melbourne - Spotswood - Williamstown Rd, Yarraville
- Francis St, Yarraville
- Hyde St, Yarraville
- Douglas Pde, Spotswood - Newport
- North Rd, Newport
- The Strand, Newport - Williamstown
- Nelson Pl, Williamstown
- Battery Rd, Williamstown
- END at: Point Gellibrand, Williamstown
A large amount of winding road on this route means it takes at least a couple of hours to complete.
† Williams Rd North only on Warrandyte-Williamstown journey, because right turns cannot be made on Alexandra Avenue when crossing from Toorak into South Yarra
Sights
Route 2 is signed as a "Tourist Route." Sections of the route provide different tourist attractions. Starting in the calm, green north-east, the route takes in several beautiful sceneries before finishing along the inner western coast.Warrandyte to Bulleen
Through these outer north-eastern suburbs, the route winds near to the Yarra River, but rarely can the driver see the river itself. The roads do, however, pass by a number of Yarraside parks, including Pound Bend, Westerfolds ParkWesterfolds Park, Melbourne
Westerfolds Park is a metropolitan park situated in Templestowe, an eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. .Westerfolds is classified as a metropolitan park and conserves riparian habitat within the Melbourne urban environment...
, Finns Reserve, Birrarung Park and Banksia Park, which are all well-liked serene picnic locations with a view of the outer-suburban Yarra River, where it is still safe to swim and canoe.
Heidelberg to Alphington
There is little in the way of a Yarra view along this section of the drive. The best Yarra vantage point is found alongside the Boulevarde, but there are lots of stores and some industry through these middle-northern suburbs.Yarra Boulevard, Kew
A winding but road on the edge of a hill which provides a marvellous view of both the Yarra and the inner suburbs. It also runs alongside several golf courses.Burnley to Southbank
For most of this section, the road runs directly alongside the Yarra River after it widens past Dights FallsDights Falls
Dights Falls is located in Melbourne, Victoria just downstream of the junction of the Yarra River with Merri Creek. At this point the river narrows and is constricted between 800,000 year old volcanic, basaltic lava flow and a much older steep, silurian, sedimentary spur...
, with a clean view of the bridges and surroundings. Alexandra Avenue also provides access to the Royal Botanic Gardens
Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne
The Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne are internationally renowned botanical gardens located near the centre of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on the south bank of the Yarra River. They are 38 hectares of landscaped gardens consisting of a mix of native and non-native vegetation including over...
and Birrurung Marr. Alexandra Avenue, however, is an important thoroughfare in inner-eastern Melbourne, and so traffic can often be unpleasant.
City
Route 2 briefly takes in the CBD, driving directly past Crown CasinoCrown Casino
Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex is a large casino and entertainment precinct located on the south bank of the Yarra River, in Melbourne, Australia. Crown Casino is a unit of Crown Limited....
and the Melbourne Aquarium
Melbourne Aquarium
Melbourne Aquarium is a Southern Ocean and Antarctic aquarium in central Melbourne, Australia. It is located on the banks of the Yarra River beside and under the Flinders Street Viaduct and the King Street Bridge.-History:...
.
West Gate Bridge
The famous West Gate BridgeWest Gate Bridge
The West Gate Bridge is a steel box girder cable-stayed bridge in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It spans the Yarra River, just north of its mouth into Port Phillip, and is a vital link between the inner city and Melbourne's western suburbs with the industrial suburbs in the west and with the city...
spans the Yarra at its widest, and gives a panoramic view of the city, the docks, the industrial Western Suburbs, and Port Phillip Bay. Traffic is chaotic during peak hour.