Camberwell tram depot is located on Council Street, Hawthorn East, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Opened in December 1929, it is operated by Yarra Trams. It is one of eight tram depots on the Melbourne tram network.
History
The electric tram line from Batman Avenue in the city to Warrigal Road (then Boundary Road) along Riversdale Road opened in 1917, built by the Hawthorn Tramways Trust. The Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board took over the line in 1920, and in 1928, extended the line a further two kilometres to Wattle Park. With the increase in suburban development and tram use, in July 1928, the Board approved the acquisition of a number of properties on Camberwell Road, west of Camberwell Junction, in preparation for the construction of a new tram depot.[1] A tender for £31,990 to construct the depot was accepted on 1 November 1928 by the MMTB,[2] with the depot opening in December 1929.[3][4][5][6] It was designed by the Board's chief architect, Alan G Monsborough in a restrained Georgian style.[7] The opening of Camberwell depot ushered in a multitude of operational changes in the eastern part of the tram network, including extended hours of tramway operation.[3][8] The routes using the depot eventually became primarily the Route 70 and 75.
Traffic lights were installed on Riversdale Road, at the entrance to Camberwell depot in 1948, to increase safety. The traffic lights were in response to a large number of near misses, and were activated by trams.[9]
When the Public Transport Corporation was privatised in August 1999, Camberwell depot passed to Yarra Trams.[10][11]
Layout

Camberwell tram depot has nine roads, all of which are covered by a single 115 foot single span roof. This is said to increase safety within the depot shed as there are no columns, while also providing better lighting. The depot shed is connected to Riversdale Road by a double track entrance. The staff facilities and offices are in an adjacent building.[10][12]
Rolling stock
As of May 2024, the depot had an allocation of 60 trams: 4 A1-class, 18 A2-class and 38 B2-class.[10]
Routes
The following routes are operated from Camberwell depot:
References
- ^ "Land for New Tram Depot". The Argus. National Library of Australia. 20 July 1928. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
- ^ "New Tram Depot". The Argus. National Library of Australia. 2 November 1928. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
- ^ a b "Changes in Running". The Argus. National Library of Australia. 3 December 1929. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
- ^ Camberwell Tramways Trolley Wire issue 147 August 1973 pages 11/12
- ^ "Melbourne's Electric Trams" Trolley Wire issue 307 November 2006 page 11
- ^ "Between the Wars". Yarra Trams. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
- ^ "Melbourne Tram Museum: Tramway architect - Alan G. Monsborough". www.trammuseum.org.au. Retrieved 5 March 2025.
- ^ "In the Suburbs - Earlier Trams From Burwood". The Argus. National Library of Australia. 21 December 1929. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "Safety Lights at Tram Depot". The Argus. National Library of Australia. 30 April 1948. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ a b c "Camberwell Depot". Vicsig. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
- ^ "Yarra Trams" Trolley Wire issue 279 November 1999 page 25
- ^ "COTMA Conference 1982 Melbourne - Camberwell Depot" (PDF). Council of Tramway Museums of Australasia. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "Route 70". Yarra Trams. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
- ^ "Route 75". Yarra Trams. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
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