Where to ride
About this page
Answers to one of our most common questions.
Where can I ride?
This is the one of the most common questions we're asked so we've dedicated a section of our website to providing the answers. Whether it's a short ride with the family along a bike path, a weekend trip to regional Victoria or an epic bike ride across the Nullarbor, you'll find plenty of info in the pages below. There's something for everyone. Click on link for:
- Paths and trails
- Rail trails & tourism trails
- Mountain biking
- Nice Rides
- Cycle touring in Australia and overseas
- Tips for travelling with your bike and getting to the airport
- Maps
Path closures and detours
For the latest info click here.
1. Paths and trails
To get your started, weve listed some rides around Melbourne. For more details and more rides, check out Bike Rides Around Melbourne by Julia Blunden (Open Spaces Publishing) which has 30 great rides with good directions and clear maps. Bike Path Victoria also has some good maps of rides around Melbourne and Victoria. You can buy both books from Bicycle Victoria. Members get a discount on the full retail price.
The trails are all marked in the Melway.
- Main Yarra Trail (35km from Southbank to Westerfolds Park, Templestowe)
- Capital City Trail (29km loop around Melbourne)
- Maribyrnong River Trail (30km from Brimbank Park to Docklands)
- Bay Trail (25km Altona to Westgate punt or 42km from Port Melbourne to Carrum)
- Anniversary Outer Circle Trail (18km from Malvern East station to Fairfield Boathouse)
- Darebin Creek Trail (Darebin Parklands to Bundoora Park)
- Dandenong Creek Trail (Carrum to Jells Park and Bayswater station)
- Merri Creek Trail (Dights Falls to Pipeworks Market, Campbellfield)
- Moonee Ponds Creek Trail (Woodlands Park and Tullamarine Airport to Docklands)
- Freeway paths (Western Ring Path, Hallam Path, Craigeburn Bypass path)
- Westgate punt (crosses the Yarra River, linking Bay Trail West to the Bay Trail)
2. Rail trails and tourism trails
Rail Trails are fantastic pathways built on old railway lines and are great places to ride with the family. Some offer longer touring possibilities and they can be found all over Victoria. Not only do they provide local recreation and travel, the trails benefit local economies through the tourism they bring and provide green links and reserves for native plants and animals.
The longest rail trail in Victoria is 98km but you don't have to ride the entire trail all in one go. Towns dotted along the trails offer accommodation and refreshments and you can easily go for a day ride on a short section of trail.
We have listed them according to their suitability for cycling on and length of open trail.
Long unbroken trails
These trails have a good fine gravel surface suitable for hybrid, touring and moutain bikes.
- Lilydale–Warburton Rail Trail (38km)
- Bellarine Rail Trail (32km from Geelong to Queenscliff)
- Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail (98km from Wangaratta to Becchworth and Bright)
- East Gippsland Rail Trail (58km from Bairnsdale to Nowa Nowa)
Long trails with missing sections
These trails are suitable for hybrid, touring and MTBs but not all sections of trail are complete.
- Great Southern Rail Trail (39km from Leongatha to Foster)
- High Country Rail Trail (32km between the Kiewa River and Old Tallangatta)
- Ballarat-Skipton Rail Trail (54km)
Short trails
These trails are suitable for MTBs and fat tyre hybrids only. Some have a less formed surface and can be rough in places but may be upgraded and extended in the future.
- Mirboo North to Boolarra Rail Trail (13kms in Gippsland's Strzelecki Ranges)
- O'Keefe Rail Trail (19km from Bendigo to Axedale)
- Bass Coast Rail Trail (16km from Wonthaggi to Anderson)
- Old Beechy Rail Trail (Colac to Gellibrand and Beech Forest)
- Volcano to Coast Rail Trail (Camperdown to Cobden and Timboon)
- Moe-Yallourn Rail Trail (9km)
There are other trails under construction around Victoria but not yet rideable.
Further information:
- Dept Sustainability & Environment website
- Railtrails Australia
3. Mountain bike rides
For ride descriptions click here
- Kinglake National Park
- You Yangs
- Lysterfield Lake
- Narbethong
- Bicentennial Trail
- Tasmanian Trail
- Dandenong Ranges
4. Nice Rides
- French Island
- Point Nepean
5. Cycle Touring
- Australia & New Zealand
- Overseas Cycling - UK & Europe
- Overseas Cycling - USA & Canada
6. Maps
- To come
7. Travelling with your bike
- Taking your bike on planes, trains, etc
- Getting to/from airport