Balaclava Junction is the only extant grand union in Australia. Located at the intersection of Balaclava Road and Hawthorn Road, Caulfield North on the Melbourne tram network, trams can go in all directions from all directions.[1]
It is the only surviving example of a grand union in the southern hemisphere. Adelaide previously had three grand unions, but none exist today.[1]
Balaclava Junction dates from November 1913, originally being built by the Prahran & Malvern Tramways Trust, at the time it was the most complex junction on the network. It has been rebuilt a number of times since opening, most recently in 2005 by Yarra Trams.[1][2]
Tram routes 3, 16, and 64 all travel through Balaclava Junction.[3][4][5] Route 3 runs east-to-west along Balaclava Road, Route 64 runs north-south along Hawthorn Road, and Route 16 curves from westbound Balaclava Road to northbound Hawthorn Road. The two curves leading southbound are used somewhat frequently by out-of-service trams heading to or from Glenhuntly tram depot, and the curve from eastbound Balaclava Road to north Hawthorn Road is used only rarely.[6]
Because of the north-opening arc shape of Route 16, the Melbourne tram network gains an unusual feature along Hawthorn Road to the north of Balaclava Junction. For the stretch of Hawthorn Road between Balaclava Junction and Dandenong Road, Route 16 trams heading north along Hawthorn Road are travelling away from Melbourne CBD, while Route 64 trams heading north are travelling towards Melbourne CBD -- likewise, southbound Route 16 trams are travelling towards the CBD while southbound Route 64 trams are travelling away from it. This is the only stretch of tram network in Melbourne where this happens.[6]
