The line was first proposed by the 1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan, and a variety of studies have been conducted into its feasibility and possible routes, but no construction work has been undertaken.
Rowville is a primarily residential suburb of Melbourne approximately 27 kilometres (17 mi) from the Central Business District.
The main Clayton campus of Monash University is nearby, designated as a major suburban employment cluster in the Melbourne 2030 development plan.
Stations on the Lilydale, Glen Waverley and Dandenong lines are within 6–7 km (3.7–4.3 mi) of Rowville and the university, but the area is described by local residents as a "black hole" for public transport due to a lack of coordinated or high-frequency bus services.
[4] A study conducted by consultants for the government of Premier Jeff Kennett in the late 1990s to examine alternatives to the Scoresby Freeway investigated an extension of the Glen Waverley line to the Rowville area.