Victorian summer cycling trails

If you’re travelling to Victoria from Tasmania, or passing through on your way to the island, consider some active cycling adventures across the state’s varied landscapes. Spirit of Tasmania makes that an easy, budget-friendly option: pack bicycles on your vehicle, or just bring one aboard for as little as $19.

Can’t wait to start pedalling? The Bellarine Rail Trail begins just 7km from Spirit of Tasmania Quay. Ride through scenic farmland to Queenscliff, a seaside summer holiday favourite since the time of its charming Victorian-era architecture.

Like Victoria’s other rail trails, this one is fairly flat because it was originally created for trains. Unlike most of them, you may well see a heritage choochoo chug by as The Bellarine Railway and The Q Train run beside this route.

Start/end: South Geelong/Queenscliff
Distance: 35km
Nearby: More Bellarine Peninsula seaside holiday towns, including Portarlington and Barwon Heads.

The Great Victorian Rail Trail lives up to its name, and not just because it’s the state’s longest. This multi-day ride travels through central Victoria’s picturesque Goulburn and Trawool valleys, and up into the High Country, with numerous towns offering rest and refreshment along the way.

Do the whole route and you’ll pass through the 1889 Cheviot Tunnel, see seven specially commissioned outdoor artworks, and make nearly 50 water crossings including on a 385-metre bridge over Lake Eildon.

Start/end: Tallarook/Mansfield
Distance: 134km
Nearby: Fine food, wineries, breweries and more on the High Country’s Pedal to Produce routes.

The Yarra River is lined with buildings in Melbourne’s heart, but you don’t need to go far on the Main Yarra Trail to see it flowing through leafy scenery.

Hugging the river from city centre out into suburbia, the trail passes parkland, golf courses and Victorian-era places of amusement and refreshment still going strong, Studley Park and Fairfield Park boathouses. There’s lots of remnant bushland too.

Start/end: Southbank/Templestowe
Distance: 39km
Nearby: Many attractions including the Royal Botanic Gardens, Heide Museum of Modern Art and the MCG’s sporting events, museum and tours.

Sharing the winding Great Ocean Road with vehicles, or Melbourne’s Bayside Trail with pedestrians and fellow riders, can be challenging during summer’s holiday peak. So if you fancy cycling by the sea consider a path less travelled: Bass Coast Rail Trail.

Starting 130km south-east of Melbourne, it winds past South Gippsland farmland but the main attraction is Bass Strait views. They’re especially epic around Kilcunda, where you’ll cross a heritage trestle bridge.

Start/end: Woolamai/Wonthaggi
Distance: 23km
Nearby: Phillip Island including its famous penguin parade.

Cycling through western Victoria’s gnarly Grampians mountains means dramatic views around every bend. If you’re up for road cycling with some sweaty hill climbs – including on aptly named Mt Difficult Road – Baroka Lookout Loop is a rewarding route.

It includes two lookouts with panoramas of Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park, travels beside Lake Bellfield, and finishes among Halls Gap’s good food, drinks and accommodation.

Start/end: Halls Gap
Distance: 51km
Nearby: The Grampians’ waterfalls, including one of Victoria’s largest, MacKenzie Falls.

Want a more extreme experience? Then hit the Forrest Mountain Bike Trails about 85km south-west of Geelong.

Built with MTBs in mind, the 26 routes weave through the Otway Ranges’ wild landscape of eucalypt forest and fern gullies. From warm-up and beginner options to black-diamonds like Yo Yo and Follow the Dog, there are trails to suit everyone.

Start/end: Forrest trailhead
Distance: 70km of trails
Nearby: Great Otway National Park’s mountainous rainforest, waterfalls, coast and 1848 lighthouse.

Information included in this blog is correct at the time of publishing. Please contact individual operators for further information.