Moomba Parade and West Gate Works Set to Disrupt Labour Day Commutes

Labour Day Travel Overview

Today, Monday, 9 March 2026, Melbourne observes the Labour Day public holiday. While many residents are enjoying the long weekend, commuters and festival-goers should prepare for significant travel disruptions. A combination of the Moomba Parade, the tail-end of Grand Prix festivities, and major infrastructure projects will lead to heavy congestion across the CBD and Melbourne’s west.

Major Road Closures and Traffic Alerts

Motorists are advised to avoid the following areas or allow for at least 30 to 45 minutes of additional travel time:

• West Gate Freeway: Major surfacing works continue between Millers Road and Williamstown Road. The citybound entry ramps at Grieve Parade and Millers Road, as well as the Williamstown Road citybound exit ramp, are closed 24/7. The freeway is reduced to three lanes citybound, and delays are expected throughout the day.
• Moomba Parade & CBD: Extensive closures are in place for the Moomba Parade, which begins at 10:45 am. Birdwood Avenue and Linlithgow Avenue are closed, with heavy pedestrian traffic and rolling closures affecting St Kilda Road and Flinders Street.
• Eastern Freeway: As part of the North East Link works, the Bulleen Road citybound exit ramp remains closed. Citybound lanes between Doncaster Road and Bulleen Road are currently split into two sections with reduced speed limits.
• Middle Park: Armstrong Street remains closed near the Middle Park Hotel for the Grand Prix Street Party, which concludes today.

Public Transport Schedule Changes

Public transport is the recommended way to access the city today, though services are operating on an altered schedule:

• Metro Trains and Trams: Most services are running to a Saturday timetable. Please note that Night Network services will not operate tonight.
• V/Line: Regional trains and coaches are running to a Saturday timetable, with the exception of the Swan Hill Line, which is operating on a Sunday timetable.
• Moomba Access: For those heading to the parade, Anzac Station is the best entry point. Tram routes 1, 3, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67, and 72 will experience diversions and delays near the Shrine of Remembrance and St Kilda Road throughout the morning and early afternoon.

Commuter Recommendations

To ensure a smooth journey, commuters should check the PTV app for real-time updates before departing. If you must drive from the western suburbs, consider using the Footscray Road or Dynon Road detours to bypass the West Gate Freeway bottlenecks. For those attending Moomba, Flinders Street Station will be exceptionally busy; consider using Southern Cross or Melbourne Central to alleviate crowding.