Metro Trains and the University of Melbourne have joined forces to restore sections of Victoria’s critically endangered native grasslands along the Sunbury rail corridor.
The initiative, known as the Sunbury Line Biosite Connectivity Project, is focused on reconnecting more than three hectares of fragmented grassland habitat by reintroducing native plants such as Button Wrinklewort and Basalt Podolepis. The restored habitats are also providing refuge for species such as the Striped Legless-lizard and Tussock Skink.
The project is part of the broader Sunbury Line Upgrade and draws on decades of ecological research.
“The Sunbury Line Biosite Connectivity Project adds tremendous value to Metro’s existing biodiversity program,” said Metro Trains biodiversity manager Ben Roberts. “It will enhance some of our most significant native grasslands and improve biodiversity connectivity.”
Much of the native grassland that once bordered the Sunbury Line has been lost due to agriculture and development.
Historically, steam trains and regular controlled burns helped maintain biodiversity in these areas. However, these practices ceased in the 1980s, resulting in the decline of many species and sites.
Today, Metro Trains manages 23 protected biodiversity sites along the Sunbury Line. These pockets of habitat remain vital but are small and often isolated. To support their regeneration, Metro has resumed controlled burning practices to reduce weed growth and promote native vegetation.
The University of Melbourne’s Burnley campus is contributing expertise in ecological restoration, particularly through a method known as direct seeding. This technique prepares the soil to suppress weeds and allows native species to re-establish.
