City of Villages - Route 82

Route 82: Moonee Ponds to Footscray

Operating from Moonee Ponds Junction to Footscray Railway Station, this 9.2km route is one of only two that don’t go all the way to the city. Steeped in history, part of this route is the last surviving segment of the old Footscray Tram Network.

As well as serving hot spots like the Highpoint Shopping Centre in Maribyrnong, it features many wonderful places to enjoy and explore.

Here are just a few:

Queens Park

Just north of Moonee Ponds Junction is the serenity of Queens Park. This beauty spot boasts an extensive botanic collection including Moreton Bay Figs, Bunya and Hoop Pines as well as an incredible Cycad collection and several native gardens celebrating indigenous plants.

A picturesque cottage and war memorials are focal points of the park, as well as the fountains in the lake. With plenty of playgrounds and BBQ spots, it’s the perfect place to take the family on a beautiful Melbourne day.

Puckle Street

Just round the corner from the start of Route 82, Puckle Street can be summed up in three words – fashion, food and fun!

With over 100 retail stores and an amazing range of food and entertainment options, it’s no wonder this street is a famous one. Even if it’s partly famous for being amusingly mocked by the late great Dame Edna Everage.

Spend hours window or real shopping, grab a coffee at one of the many cafes and stay late into the evening enjoying the wine bars and now the new Penny Lane Arcade and its rooftop cinema! Puckle street really is the gift that keeps on giving.

Pipemakers Park

Situated near Stop 54 (Gordon and River Streets). You’ll find Pipemakers Park, an eight-hectare reserve featuring substantial structures of historical significance when it comes to technological innovations in manufacturing, especially in, you guessed it… pipes!

The old bluestone factories have long since been recycled and repurposed for community use, all nestled amongst wetlands, picnic areas and trails. It also features a series of incredible playgrounds and the public art installation ‘Pipedreams’ by Australian sculptor and designer, Matthew Harding which is well worth checking out.

All that and the Eco-Museum, which allows you to dive into the industrial, environmental social and most importantly the Indigenous history of the area.

Moonee Valley Racecourse

'The Valley’ as it’s known, is home of the Cox Plate.  This racecourse was established in 1883 and is somewhat smaller than nearby Flemington with a capacity of about 30,000 but it holds its own with its more famous neighbour with hundreds of events throughout the year.

In 2020, to celebrate the greatest Cox Plate champion of all time, Winx, and jockey Hugh Bowman were immortalised in bronze with a statue that takes pride of place outside The Valley in Tote Park.

Footscray Market

The 82 tram stops right outside the famously friendly Footscray Market. A huge indoor extravagance of fresh produce and general goods.  Market days are always buzzing with activity and character.

If you’re coming to shop, bring lots of bags because the amount on offer is hard to resist, with passionate local vendors eager for you to experience their wares and as you’d expect from a building that says ‘Fresh and Cheap’ along the outside, there are many bargains to be found!

It’s a truly vibrant experience that gives you a real sense of culture and community and even if you’re not shopping it’s well worth checking out the range of authentic cuisine to sample in the famous food court.

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