Bikepacking Victoria – 13 Best Overnight Bikepacking Routes in Victoria

There’s something magical about strapping everything you need to a bike and heading off to somewhere you’ve never been before. Bikepacking through Victoria is one of the best ways to see this gorgeous state, and it also has some of the most picturesque bikepacking routes in Australia. Here are 13 of the best.

We Are Explorers acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Countries on which these adventures take place who have occupied and cared for these lands, waters, and their inhabitants for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

If your bike has been left unchanged in the corner while you’ve been chained to your desk, consider this your wake up call. It’s time you loaded up your sleek sidekick for an all-access trip – adventure is officially ringing, and she’s pissed you’ve neglected her for so long. Yep, adventure’s a she. Just roll with it.

We’ve compiled 13 great overnight riding routes that are begging to be ridden, climbed, hike-a-biked, and enjoyed by every kind of cyclist (but especially those who’ve forgotten what it feels like to have the wind in their helmet-covered hair).

Saddle up – it’s time to pedal!

Best Overnight Bikepacking Routes in Victoria

1. French Island Bikepacking Trip

Length: 8-55km
Duration: 2 days
Location: Western Port Bay
Campsite: Fairhaven Campground (free!)

This choose-your-own-adventure bikepacking route is perfect for a lazier jaunt where the only thing you need to worry about is making it back in time to meet the ferry. Explorer Chris and his wife had a great time rolling around the myriad of trails in French Island National Park, though they do recommend an MTB over a hybrid. Check out Moey’s great rundown of what to expect.

For anyone who’s headed out on their first bikepacking trip or who’s roping in mates less confident around cars, this route is a great choice. Cars aren’t allowed on French Island so you can wobble and randomly swerve without consequence! You need to bring all your own food and be prepared to camp overnight in a tent, but what French Island lacks in facilities it makes up for in natural beauty and a lack of traffic.

Read more: What I Learned On My First Overnight Bikepacking Trip

@whentotalkwhentolisten

2. The Great Victorian Rail Trail

Length: 134km
Duration: 4 days
Location: Tallarook to Mansfield, Victorian High Country
Campsite: Plan your stops around the various campsites, holiday parks, and motels along the route

Let’s talk about the what is among the most well-known bikepacking routes in Victoria – the 134km Great Victorian Rail Trail. The trail runs between Tallarook and Mansfield in Victoria’s High Country and passes by many scenic spots including Lake Eildon and the 210m-long Cheviot Tunnel (make sure you practice a yodel or two and snap the expected tunnel photo on your way through!).

Explorer Chris enjoyed this trail over four days, which is about the average completion time for recreational cyclists. The highlight was riding the Acheron Way, a logging road with a decent climb up and over the Great Dividing Range, before dropping riders down into Warburton. Given you’re climbing over peaks it shouldn’t come as a surprise that you’ll encounter up to 2500m of elevation. If you’re keen on a challenge – pick this one!

@whentotalkwhentolisten

3. The Otway Rip Bikepacking Route

Length: 267km
Duration: 3-4 days
Location: Camperdown to Birradurra, Otways National Park
Campsite: Port Campbell Recreation Reserve, Princetown Recreation Reserve, Johanna Beach Campground, and Beauchamp Falls Reserve Campground are all great options

Described as ‘an absolute banger of a gravel bikepacking trip’ by Explorer Pat, the Otway Rip is one Victorian bikepacking route that you can’t afford to miss. While you’ll get to enjoy epic scenery of the Great Ocean Road and Otway Rainforest, you won’t be climbing any giant hills or need to get off the bike to walk sections as the incline is very gradual.

If you schedule this bikepacking trip during summer, there are even a couple of waterfalls (Hopetoun and Triplet Falls!) and beaches that you can stop off at to cool down (make sure you explore safely around the water!). The track is mostly unsealed so a gravel, MTB, or sturdy hybrid bike will ensure you’re comfortable and keep the en-route maintenance to a minimum. There are a couple of towns along the way for a hot meal and beer.

Keep the adventure going: 13 Trails and Waterfalls in the Otways

@patcorden

4. The Bellarine Rail Trail

Length: 35km
Duration: 1-2 days
Location: Geelong to Queenscliffe, Bellarine Peninsula
Campsite: Queenscliffe Tourist Park, Victoria Park

While this could technically be a one-day ride, the Bellarine Rail Trail makes for the perfect introduction to bikepacking. Ride it point-to-point, camp the night, and then return the way you came. Explorer Alyson particularly enjoyed riding past the vibrant yellow canola fields and dolphin spotting along the coast.

The trail surface is a mixture of gravel and asphalt so unless you want to spend your time on this route changing tires, it’s recommended to leave the road bike at home.

If you’re travelling by public transport this one conveniently begins at South Geelong Train Station and concludes at the Queenscliffe Train Station. This map makes it easy to plan your trip.

Read more: Explorer’s Guide to Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula

Shot by Alyson Lamb

5. The East Gippsland Rail Trail

Length: 96km
Duration: 4 days
Location: From Bairnsdale to Orbost, East Gippsland
Campsite: Greg Ridsdale Memorial Caravan & Camping Park, Tostaree Cottages & Farmstay Camping, Mingling Waters, Nowa Nowa Caravan Park

The East Gippsland Rail Trail is the perfect mix of challenging and accessible, with zero navigation required. Just jump on the trail from either direction and cruise along, stopping at the towns along the way! Make sure you jump off the trail at Bruthen and visit the Bullant Brewery or the Blue Bee Cafe for an ice-cold fizzy drink or beer.

Leave the car at home and catch the V-Line. It’ll deliver you and your gear from Southern Cross Station in Melbourne to Bairnsdale Train Station.

If you’re chasing a place to sleep overnight on the East Gippsland Rail Trail (and you’re not doing the Gippsland Lakes Discovery Trail offshoot) you can stop in Bruthen (after 10km), or in Nowa Nowa or Tostaree (after about 55km) before continuing on towards Orbost the following day.

Read more: Your Adventure Guide to an East Gippsland Getaway

@jessleenehme

6. Gippsland Lakes Discovery Trail

Length: 36km-65km
Duration: 2 days
Location: From Bairnsdale to Lakes Entrance, East Gippsland
Campsite: Log Crossing Picnic Area, Greg Ridsdale Memorial Caravan & Camping Park

This trail can be ridden as a cruisy two-day bike ride or tacked on to the East Gippsland Rail Trail (EGRT) as a bonus mission. The Gippsland Lakes Discovery Trail peels off the main EGRT and can be attempted from Bairnsdale to Lakes Entrance (65km) or from Bruthen to Lakes Entrance (36km).

If you take the longer option, you can bed down for the night at the Log Crossing Picnic Area in Colquhuon State Forest, which is about 23km from Bruthen. The last 10km of the ride into Lakes Entrance is a mix of sealed and unsealed roads. The trail is otherwise mostly well-formed and quite wide so riding two abreast is possible. This ride involves some pretty steep hills so expect to jump off your bike a few times to walk.

Riders will be pass through beautiful forests with plenty of wildlife to spot including wallabies, wombats, and lyrebirds. Possums are around too so if you’re camping be sure to keep food well-packed to avoid providing dinner for extra guests!

7. Bendigo Graveleur Bikepacking Route

Length: 166km
Duration: 2 days
Location: Starts & ends in Bendigo
Campsite: Leanganook Camping Area, Goom Gooruduron-Yeran Campground

Explorer Laura completed the Bendigo Graveleur in two days, with roughly five hours of generally flat cycling each day. This route tours the entire circumference of Bendigo, heading out on quieter roads so it’s a great introduction to bikepacking for those less confident riding with cars. This route uses part of the same trail as The Goldfields Track, so if you like this one, you’ll already have an idea of what your next challenge looks like!

Expect to be in full sun at least some of the time, so plan for the weather and make sure you pack the sunscreen in one of your panniers. The best bike to complete this tour around Bendigo is a gravel bike with 35mm or wider tires. The road type varies between sealed, singletrack, and rocky, with a few climbs thrown in, so prioritising comfort is a good idea. Nothing is worse than a road bike on a gravel trail.

Read more: The Bendigo Region is a Gold Mine of Adventure

@patcorden

8. Gippsland Plains Rail Trail

Length: 67km
Duration: 2 days
Location: Traralgon to Stratford, Gippsland
Campsite: Stratford On the River Tourist Park, Heyfield RV Park, Riveroak Camping Oval

The 63km Gippsland Plains Rail Trail starts at Traralgon – only a short train ride from Melbourne – and winds through Glengarry, Toongabbie, Cowwarr, Heyfield, Tinamba, and Maffra, before finishing at Stafford.

The trail officially starts at the intersection of the Princes Highway and the Traralgon-Maffra Road (C105). If catching the V-Line train, this junction is about 4km from Traralgon Station. If you’re driving, the best spot to park is at the Burnetts Road car park, about 1.5km into the ride in the direction of Glengarry.

Wild camping along the trail isn’t allowed but at the halfway point in Heyfield, you can reserve a site at Heyfield RV Park (2.7km off the trail), or the Riveroak Camping Oval (2.9km off the trail). If you’d rather bunk down at the end, consider the Stratford or the River Tourist Park.

Forget about climbing, this trail is all about the flat! While it’s not overly challenging, that’s part of the charm. It gives you plenty of time to daydream about the world, life, your dream bike, summer days… whatever takes you to your happy place.

The lack of steep hills and big climbs make this a very family-friendly option. It’s also much easier to load yourself up with a bit more gear without feeling weighed down like you would on a more technical track.

Read more: A Parent’s Guide to Babypacking, AKA Bikepacking With a Baby

9. The Goldfields Track

Length: 202km
Duration: 2-4 days
Location: Ballarat to Bendigo
Campsites: School halls, resorts, and hotels are plentiful, otherwise camping is an option at Daylesford Holiday Park, or the Big4 Castlemaine Gardens Holiday Park

In terms of accessibility, The Goldfields Track (previously called The Great Dividing Trail) is a great route for the budget-conscious Explorer. With the V-Line Train service running from Melbourne to Ballarat, Castlemaine, and Bendigo, arrival and departure is easy and cheap with no car shuffling required!

While challenging, both physically and in terms of navigation (paper maps are recommended as reception can be dicey), it’s a great one for keen bikepackers to level up their skillset.

Read more: Remember to leave no trace

Combining the best bits of Central Victoria, The Goldfields Track links three existing tracks together. Riders will be treated to the 90km Wallaby Track from Mt Buninyong to Daylesford. Next up is 60km along the Dry Diggings Track from Daylesford to Castlemaine. (More than one person has named this the best stretch of single track in Australia.) And finally, there’s 60km on the Leanganook Track from Castlemaine to Bendigo.

Read more: The Ultimate Explorer’s Guide to Ballarat

@reannajc

10. Murray to Mountains Rail Trail

Length: 116km
Duration: 2-4 days
Location: Milawa to Harrietville, Victorian High Country
Campsite: Tasman Holiday Park in Bright, Painters Island Caravan Park, Yackandandah Holiday Park

The Murray to Mountains Rail Trail is a choose-your-own-adventure kind of deal. For many years the trail was only between Wangaratta and Bright, but it’s since grown in both directions so you can start a little earlier and finish a little later. There are now multiple offshoots and extensions to customise the ride to your preferences. Check out the map for the most recent update.

With the exception of the Yackandandah to Everton section, most of the trail is sealed or otherwise well-graded. A hybrid bike is the best option for this route, but you might get away with a road bike if you avoid the Yackandandah offshoot. This region is well known for excellent produce, wine, and scenery so many visitors choose to complete this ride a bit slower to take in all the attractions along the way.

@thetantrap

11. Great Southern Rail Trail – Nyora to Yarram

Length: 131km – 146km
Duration: 2 days
Location: Nyora to Yarram
Campsite: Meeniyan Reserve Campsite, no bookings required, $10 per night

Located in South Gippsland, the 131km Great Southern Rail Trail is able to be extended to 156km if you include trail detours to Port Welshpool and Port Albert.

The official start of the trail is at the Nyora Railway Precinct on Mitchell St. It finishes at Tarra Trail Reserve in Yarram. The surface is compacted gravel, broken up with the occasional timber bridge. It’s mostly flat and frequently enjoyed by walkers, cyclists, and people on horseback.

This is a great trail for foodies as you’ll be passing through a new town so frequently, that you might run out of room from all the local delicacies. Stop for a coffee in Loch, visit Burra Brewing Co. in Korumburra, browse the Koonwarra Farmers Market on the first Saturday of the month… you get the idea. Each town has a hero food venue (or seven!) to enjoy. This also means toilet breaks are pretty easy to come by.

12. Strathbogie Ranges Bikepacking Loop

Length: 120km
Duration: 2 days (leisurely)
Location: Strathbogie
Campsite: Longwood Recreation Reserve

This route through Central Victoria’s Strathbogie Ranges is the perfect beginner gravel bikepacking route. Explorer Kim has been riding loops around the Strathbogie Ranges for years and reckons even riders with minimal gravel riding experience will love it. The route is set on a combination of fast gravel roads and smooth bitumen, with plenty of places to stop for coffee, have a picnic, and even take a dip.

While there are certainly bikepackers out there doing it for the distance, in the shortest amount of time, and without a moment of hike-a-bike, this is the kind of overnighter that’s meant to be done slow. Let yourself coast and enjoy the views – you won’t regret a second.

@_lachiet

13. Lilydale-Warburton Rail Trail

Length: 91km
Duration: 6.5 hours, over two days
Location: Lilydale/Warburton
Accommodation: Warburton Motel

The Lilydale-Warburton Rail Trail is suitable for riders of all fitness levels and is great for beginners and families. It has a mostly gentle gradient and no overly technical sections to navigate beyond a few road crossings. There are plenty of coffee shops and cafes to stop in at along the way and it’s a popular trail for day trippers so there’s always plenty of people around.

You can start the route from either Lilydale or Warburton and even tackle it as multiple day trips if you’re still getting used to multi-day bikepacking. Explorer Claire shared every step of her scenic overnight bikepacking trip on the Lilydale-Warburton Rail Trail – super handy for your planning!

@claire_brack

FAQs Overnight Bikepacking Routes in Victoria

Are there shorter day rides I can do in Victoria?

Yep if you’re not keen on tackling one of these multi-day bikepacking routes in Victoria, you’ve still got plenty of options! From choosing a section of a Melbourne bike path to enjoy to riding the length of the Maribyrnong River Trail, exploring the riding trails in Wangaratta, or slogging your way up Mt Donna Buang, there’s a day ride to suit every type of cyclist in Victoria.

How do I know where to put my tent when bikepacking?

Ensuring you’re camping legally is step number one! Once you’ve done that, it’s all about choosing the perfect spot. Check out our guide to choosing the right place to set up your tent for everything you need to know for sleeping out on these bikepacking routes in Victoria.

What’s the difference between mountain biking and gravel riding?

Mountain biking involves riding technical and rugged off-road trails requiring specialised bikes with suspension and knobby tyres. Think cross-country and downhill riding over obstacles. Gravel riding involves riding unpaved roads of gravel or dirt for longer distances, using bikes with wide tyres for stability on mixed surfaces.

What’s a good place to go gravel riding in Victoria?

There are so many great places, we definitely won’t cover them all (please comment if you’ve got a suggestion!). The Bendigo Graveleur, the Otway Rip, and the Strathbogie Ranges Bikepacking Loop are all excellent options.

Got any longer options for overnight bikepacking routes in Victoria?

Short of joining a whole bunch of trails together (not impossible!) you could check out much longer rides like the Hunt 1000, which involves bikepacking 1000km from Melbourne to Canberra.

What’s the longest rail trail in Victoria?

The longest riding route along old train tracks in Victoria is the 134km Great Victorian Rail Trail.

Does Victoria have any good bikepacking events?

Aside from the multi-day Great Victorian Bike Ride, Victoria doesn’t have many regular overnight biking events, but there are some awesome one-day gravel, road, and MTB ones to enjoy. Suss out the Dirty Pig & Whistle gravel biking event in Central Victoria, or the Dirty Docker in the Macedon Ranges, and of course, keep an eye on the We Are Explorers Event Calendar!

Feature and table of contents images by @patcorden

More Preparation For Bikepacking Routes in Victoria

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• Best 2P Bikepacking & Hiking Tents in Australia
• What is a Gravel Bike?
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