EastLink

EastLink is a toll expressway in the south of Melbourne that completes the city's ring road system. It connects the Eastern Freeway in the suburb of Donvale with the Frankston Freeway in Carrum Downs, passing through numerous eastern and southern neighborhoods along the way. The project, which was discussed for years under various names such as the Eastern Ring Road and the Scoresby Freeway, was the subject of political and environmental controversy for a long time. While environmental groups and citizens' initiatives protested the construction over possible damage to wetlands and disruption to migratory birds, the Victorian government ultimately decided to go ahead with the road. After a long planning phase, which also included the creation of a special authority to oversee the project, construction began in 2005.

The freeway opened on June 29, 2008. The route is characterized by modern infrastructure that adapts to the local terrain. Particularly striking is the section where the road runs through tunnels beneath the suburb of Ringwood and Mullum Mullum Creek. These tunnels are named Melba and Mullum Mullum. Most of the route has three lanes in each direction, while the southern stretch toward Frankston narrows to two lanes in each direction. The freeway runs through suburbs such as Wantirna, Scoresby, Rowville, and Dandenong before connecting to the existing network of major roads.

For visitors and commuters, EastLink offers a fast, direct link between the eastern and southern residential areas and Melbourne's industrial south. Since tolls were introduced in July 2008, traffic on the adjacent local roads has dropped noticeably, underscoring the relief it provides for inner-city traffic. The route is not only an important traffic artery but also an example of Melbourne's complex urban development, in which economic interests and environmental concerns had to be weighed against each other.