The Boulevard, Kew

Stu · Postby **Stu** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 12:03 am

Another great road within Melbourne that hasn't been mentioned is the Kew Boulevard.

It really makes the Burnley Yarra Blvd look tame, and for good reasons. It has far more turns, a greater difficulty and better views. In my P Plate days this was road was the stuff of legends. I would go as far as calling it the Nurburgring of inner Melbourne.

Supposably the road has been done in 1'50 ish by a 911 Turbo or Skyline GTR late at night. (Memory is blurry on exact details) It used to be closed down by the racers with the hi-po equipment late of a night. Unless you have dríven the road in anger, you wouldn't understand how quick this really was.

Whenever I used to do a late night run, it wasn't unusual to see vehicles in excess of 100km/h on the road. It is far quieter now, or maybe its just I am not there at the right times. You still see flying motorbikes on a regular basis.

Hazards to be aware of are:
1, Cyclists
2, more Cyclists
3, even more Cyclists
4, Toyota Camrys, Mitsubishi Magnas etc.
5, Parked cars near studley park boathouse
6, Police Cars cruise along the road on a regular basis.

Here is a map of the road:
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Kew-Boulevard

The road has been bastardised over the years, mainly to slow the reckless down, it had to happen unfortunately. There are parts with raised dividers to separate the bike lanes and car lanes, and it can be really tight within these lanes.

There are major crashes on this road on a frequent basis. I have seen tow trucks recovering cars, maybe once a year, and I drive it once a month. You do the maths. Don't overdo it! especially on the hairpins, my brother was in a Boxster that went backwards into an Audi at the boathouse corner. I saw a Z3 being recovered at the hairpin near Walmer St recently, had to laugh, but I don't want to ever see a 5 being recovered. The corner tightens sharply 75% of the way through. Do not even consider hammering down this road until you know every corner, even then, don't do it due to the unexpected hazards that always pop up.

It is also quite bumpy in sections, and even though I have stock suspension in the NB I slow down for cautionary reasons. I reccomend reccing (?) the road at recommended speeds till you are totally familiar with the road.

Slugoid · Postby **Slugoid** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:10 am

I think it's fairly quite now....most times I go there it's either just people making out, visitors around the area, taxi's and the occasional sercurity and police patrol. A year ago I still see a few enthusiest around. Maybe I'm not there at the right times either

Anyway, I highly recommend that place even for a nice cruise. I'm always there around after 11pm there so if you see a black NA around, it'll probably be me.

Insurgence · Postby **Insurgence** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:11 am

Isnt this the same as the yarra blvd?

Stu · Postby **Stu** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:28 am

Both are referred to as Yarra Boulevard, but one is in Kew and the other is in Burnley.

fig · Postby **fig** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 3:05 pm

Many a test drive through there......

Porsche Melb. take all their customers through there

for obvious reasons.

Love it!

KIJIMA · Postby **KIJIMA** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:25 pm

fig wrote:Many a test drive through there......

Porsche Melb. take all their customers through there for obvious reasons.

Love it!

Porsche Melbourne (formerly Hamiltons) has been scarying prospective buyers around the varde' for over 30 years.

Some things never change.

fig · Postby **fig** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:16 pm

KIJIMA wrote:
fig wrote:Many a test drive through there......

Porsche Melb. take all their customers through there for obvious reasons.

Love it!

Porsche Melbourne (formerly Hamiltons) has been scarying prospective buyers around the varde' for over 30 years.

Some things never change.

Yeah...but you and I both know, most people that want a porsche, want to see what it can do

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:09 pm

When I had my 5 I used to drive the Boulevard at least once a week, way before they put in all the dividers. Good test of adhesion around the hairpins (just feeeeeeling the car start to give way).

Then years later I used to do repeated laps on my push bike at a great pace.

Stu · Postby **Stu** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 10:15 pm

Click Here for YouTube

CheyneX5 · Postby **CheyneX5** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 6:43 pm

I just spent 2 hours driving this road, it's alot of fun, I didn't want to exceed the limit by more than 10km though, not sure if there are any cameras I should be award of or unmarked police cars. Those dividers are quite annoying. They really make the road a tight fit and leave no room for error.

Saw a few nb's go through, got a wave from one:)

Matty · Postby **Matty** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 3:58 pm

My favourite drive through there was in a Lotus Exige. You could turn it in going faster than you would ever dare in the MX (on track tyres) - and then hold it flat til the exit. :shock:

fastfreddygassit · Postby **fastfreddygassit** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 5:05 pm

flowering boulevard. Got my first speeding fine (on L plates too :oops:

) through there on my rg250 back in 1989. :cry:

The speed limit back then was 80 and my mate and I used to do that circuit as often as we could as
it was only up the road from melb uni. Maybe why I failed eng maths? :mrgreen:

Anyway, we started from the golf course and I passed mr unmarked soon after. My mate heard the sirens but wouldn't stop unless I did. I didn't hear flower.
I didn't realise till I stopped near the chandler hwy and saw the flashing lights......mr plod was not happy.
Learnt a valuable lesson that day. ALWAYS be vigilant of your mirrors and your surroundings.

There used to be a guy that set up a noise or remote activated flash about halfway through the blvd. It was in a front/back yard.
I absolutely flowered myself the first time it got me as there was no car parked there and I had no idea where it came from.
The thing was, in that section you really slow down as there are intersections and people in that area.
I think the guy just hated the sound of motorbikes.
Does anyone else remember the flash guy? It was mid 90's or thereabouts.