A long-promised walking and cycling link between Somerville and Baxter has taken a step forward, with the northern section of the trail now open to the public.
Mornington Peninsula Shire announced on 3 March 2026 that the 1.2-kilometre northern section between Baxter-Tooradin Road and Golf Links Road has reached practical completion and is now available for walkers and riders to use.
It is a visible sign of progress on a project that has been talked about for years. For locals, the opening means part of the missing link in the Peninsula Trail network is finally in place, giving residents a new off-road option to move between the two townships.
But the full trail is still not open.
The main hold-up remains a safe crossing at Frankston-Flinders Road near Hawkins Road, where detailed design work is continuing on a proposed culvert underpass. The shire says it is working with the Department of Transport and Planning on that section because the road is state managed.
Until that crossing is resolved, the broader Somerville to Baxter connection remains incomplete.
The overall project is valued at $7.7 million and forms part of the wider Peninsula Trail plan, which aims to connect missing sections of walking and cycling infrastructure across the Mornington Peninsula. The Somerville to Baxter section is described by council as the first of the priority missing links to be fully funded, with support from the state and federal governments.
Construction began in early January 2025, with works focused on creating a safer and more direct off-road route between Somerville and Baxter. The full section being delivered runs for about 3.4 kilometres, from Eramosa Road West in Somerville to Golf Links Road in Baxter, where it links with the existing Baxter trail.
For now, the partial opening gives the community something tangible to use, even if the project is not yet finished.
It also raises a familiar question around local infrastructure projects: when a section is officially opened, but a key crossing is still unresolved, how close is the project really to completion?
For walkers, cyclists and nearby residents, the answer is likely simple. Progress is welcome, but the job is not done until the full connection is in place.
