Victoria rail trails: easy rides for a weekend away

Victoria rail trails are old railway lines turned into quiet paths for bikes and walkers. Because trains could only climb gentle slopes, most of these paths are easy riding, which makes them a good choice for families and first-time tourers. This guide covers four well-known trails, how long each one is, what the surface is like, and how to plan a day or a weekend.

The short answer: for a first ride, pick the Bellarine Rail Trail for a day, the Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail for a weekend, and the Gippsland Plains or Great Victorian trails if you want a quieter, longer trip.

Sources for this section: Rail Trails Australia, Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail, Bellarine Rail Trail, Gippsland Plains Rail Trail and Great Victorian Rail Trail pages.

Four trails at a glance

Every trail here has a train or coach link, so you can reach it without a car.

Sources for this section: Rail Trails Australia, trail pages for all four trails.

Bellarine Rail Trail: the easy day ride

The Bellarine Rail Trail is about 32.5 km long and sits 75 km from Melbourne on the Bellarine Peninsula. It officially became a rail trail in 2000. It runs from South Geelong through Leopold and Drysdale to the seaside town of Queenscliff.

The first 16 km, from South Geelong to Drysdale, are sealed, with a gentle climb to Leopold. The last 16.5 km, from Drysdale to Queenscliff, run beside the tourist railway and use some local streets at the Queenscliff end. The highest point is just past Drysdale, and after that it is downhill all the way to Queenscliff. The start is near South Geelong railway station.

Tired legs can use the Bellarine Railway. Rail Trails Australia says the Bellarine Railway takes bikes on its trains free of charge on the Drysdale to Queenscliff section, so you can ride one way and roll back on a train. Groups of six or more are asked to book ahead.

Sources for this section: Rail Trails Australia, Bellarine Rail Trail.

Murray to the Mountains: the weekend trail

This is one of the best known rail trails in the state. It lies in north-east Victoria, about 250 km from Melbourne, and the whole route is sealed. Rail Trails Australia says it is mostly flat, apart from the stretch between Everton and Beechworth.

The trail has three parts. The Mountain section runs 97 km from Wangaratta to Bright and Beechworth along the Ovens Valley. The Murray section is a 9 km ride from Rutherglen to Wahgunyah through wine country. The Heritage section is 9 km from Wangaratta to Oxley, on the way to the Milawa food region.

The main trail breaks into easy legs:

• Wangaratta to Bowser: 8 km
• Bowser to Everton: 18 km, across flat farmland
• Everton to Beechworth: 16 km, a steady climb on one of the steepest grades of the old line
• Everton to Myrtleford: 26 km
• Myrtleford to Bright: 30 km, a gentle, constant rise beside the Ovens Valley with Mount Buffalo in view

By our sums, Wangaratta to Myrtleford is 52 km and Myrtleford to Bright is 30 km. That makes a natural two-day ride with a night in Myrtleford, where the trail follows signs through town.

Sources for this section: Rail Trails Australia, Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail.

Gippsland Plains: flat dairy country

The Gippsland Plains Rail Trail is 63 km long and runs from Stratford to Traralgon, about 190 km east of Melbourne. It crosses flat dairy farmland with views of the Great Dividing Range, and it crosses a long bridge over the Latrobe River near Traralgon.

The surface is smooth gravel, but Rail Trails Australia warns that some newer sections can be soft when wet. The first legs are short: Stratford to Maffra is 10 km, Maffra to Tinamba is 8 km, and Tinamba to Heyfield is 9.5 km. You can ride one way and return by train, since both Stratford and Traralgon have stations.

Trail works and closures happen on rural trails, so ask the trail managers about the Heyfield to Cowwarr stretch before you go.

Sources for this section: Rail Trails Australia, Gippsland Plains Rail Trail.

Great Victorian: a longer escape

The Great Victorian Rail Trail is 134 km long and runs from Tallarook to Mansfield, with a branch to Alexandra. It follows the Goulburn River up the Trawool Valley and then climbs to the highest point on the trail.

Its legs are Tallarook to Yea (38 km), Yea to Cathkin (21 km), Cathkin to Bonnie Doon (40 km) and Bonnie Doon to Mansfield (22 km). Highlights include the 200 m Cheviot Tunnel, the only tunnel on a Victorian rail trail, and a 385 m bridge over Lake Eildon at Bonnie Doon. The highest point is 397 m at Merton Gap, so the 40 km leg to Bonnie Doon has the longest climb. Rail Trails Australia recommends getting off your bike before the tunnel or carrying a light.

Sources for this section: Rail Trails Australia, Great Victorian Rail Trail.

Planning your weekend

A few simple habits make a rail trail trip easier.

• Match the day to the distance. Add up the legs listed above and split the longer trails into days that suit your group, with a night in a town along the way.
• Check the surface. Rail Trails Australia says the rougher stretch of the Gippsland Plains trail is suitable for hybrid bikes, so a hybrid or touring bike is a safe pick for the gravel trails.
• Plan for the dark. The Cheviot Tunnel on the Great Victorian trail is dark in the middle, so carry a light.

Rules and conditions can change at short notice, so check the trail managers and the state government before you travel.

Sources for this section: Rail Trails Australia, trail pages; our planning notes.

Sources

1. Rail Trails Australia, Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail: railtrails.org.au
2. Rail Trails Australia, Bellarine Rail Trail: railtrails.org.au
3. Rail Trails Australia, Gippsland Plains Rail Trail: railtrails.org.au
4. Rail Trails Australia, Great Victorian Rail Trail: railtrails.org.au