The 33km Strathbogie Winery Loop Ride Follows Lake Nagambie & Passes Two Country Wineries Just 90 Minutes From Melbourne

If there’s one way to see the best of the Strathbogie Shire, it’s on the 33km Strathbogie Winery Loop. Neisha and her husband spent a whole day pedalling along country roads and wiling away the hours at some of the region’s most enchanting wineries.

We Are Explorers acknowledges that this adventure is located on the traditional Country of the Taungurung and Yorta Yorta people who have occupied and cared for the lands, waters, and their inhabitants for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them as the Traditional Custodians and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

About the Strathbogie Winery Loop

It’s not often you get to combine a solid bike ride with a cheeky glass of vino, soft goat’s cheese, and sweeping farmland views — but this trail through the Strathbogie Shire is one of those times.

This 33km loop that I’ve dubbed the Strathbogie Winery Loop, starts and finishes right in the heart of Nagambie town centre, follows the banks of Lake Nagambie through country roads and makes two winery detours.

The roads are flat, so whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or haven’t touched a bike since primary school, you’ll be absolutely fine. And it works whether you’re flying solo or riding with mates.

We packed for the weekend, headed towards Nagambie, and got ready for a ridiculously enjoyable ride!

Read more: Remember to leave no trace

How to Get to the Strathbogie Winery Loop

Getting to Nagambie from Melbourne is about a 90-minute drive or you can take the V/Line direct train service from Southern Cross Station in Melbourne to Nagambie. It’s around one-and-a-half to two hours, making it a relaxed and easy way to start the trip.

Once you’re there, hiring E-bikes from the team at Go Adventure Nagambie couldn’t be easier, as they’re conveniently located a short walk from Discovery Park Nagambie.

If you’d prefer to bring your own, you can also kick things off from Nagambie Station or right in the heart of town near the Visitor Centre and the Black Caviar Café. An espresso before you go? Absolutely!

Skill Level

Beginner-Intermediate

The roads are quite flat with little to no elevation, some areas were a little bumpy with the occasional ‘stand up in your seat battle’ but the good thing is, if you’re feeling puffed you could do one winery stop rather than two!

Essential Gear

• Bike & helmet (we rented E-bikes from Go Adventure Nagambie)
• Sunnies
• Sunscreen
• Gloves (for cold early mornings)
• Water bottle
• Backpack (for souvenirs)
• Small first aid kit
• Swimmers (to dip in the lake in summer)

What’s it like to ride the Strathbogie Winery Loop?

It’s everything you love about regional Victoria crammed into 33 glorious kilometres. The ride serves up wide open country skies, hay bale-lined roads, towering gum trees, and the sweet soundtrack of fairy wrens and magpies. We pedalled past grazing cattle, crossed the Goulburn River, and wound through beautiful lily pad-lined wetlands. It’s not a short ride, so you may want to consider renting E-bikes to complete the entire loop.

And then, of course, there are the wineries. Both Tahbilk and Mitchelton make for an incredibly satisfying pit stop — and after around 10km in the pedals, you’ve well and truly earned that glass of chardonnay. 

The roads are fairly quiet — we had the occasional car go past, but mostly it was just us. It’s a mix of flat tarmac and gravel roads, and while most of it’s smooth sailing, there are some uneven patches thrown in for good measure. Learn from my mistake and keep those sunnies close, or you might bump them off and then run them over…

Destination 1: Tahlbilk Winery via the Nagambie Water Front and Coffee Stop

Distance: 16km
Duration: 45 minutes

This is the biggest part of the ride and the most scenic, and of course times vary depending on how many stops you take. From Go Adventure, we headed straight into Nagambie’s main street for a coffee stop at Black Caviar Café. It’s worth a pause just to enjoy the lake views before you get the legs moving.

From there we followed Lake Nagambie past the Black Caviar statue, down through Buckley Park, a quiet bushy reserve that pops out at the waterfront where there’s a splash park — definitely pack your swimmers on warm weather days! We continued along the path and followed the waterfront to Elloura Estate, which was full of birdlife and playful swans, and also has BBQ facilities.

We pedalled through to the boardwalk bridge section, which was a highlight, with water on both sides and a super smooth ride. The loop took us past the Regatta Centre, and if you’re lucky you might catch rowing practice. Soon we were back near Discovery Park, ready to carry on to Tahbilk Winery.

We carried on through Loddings Lane, down Vickers Lane, and left onto Mullers Road toward Tahbilk. Turning onto Nook Road, then Mulberry Drive, and we’d arrived, welcomed by grape vines as we entered.

We’d arrived during vintage (AKA harvest) and the air was thick with the rich, earthy smell of overripe grapes. As we rode further in, the heritage buildings started to appear and the cellar door was just as welcoming as we’d hoped. We locked up the bikes and headed straight for a glass of pinot on the deck overlooking the river. So peaceful — we could’ve stayed all afternoon.

After our first cellar door stop, we hit the eco trails. Tahbilk has its own wetlands and wildlife reserve, home to endangered species and loads of birdlife. Lily pad-lined ponds, boardwalks through the reserve, and the sound of frogs and birdsong all around. A lovely little bonus stop that I highly recommend.

Destination 2: Mitchelton Winery, Museum & Provedore

Distance: 6km
Duration: 25 minutes

From Tahbilk, we followed the grapevines out via O’Neils Road, hanging a right onto Mullers Road toward Mitchelton, then another right onto Mitchellstown Road. This stretch was a treat. Quiet, gum tree-lined roads past pristine horse studs. We pedalled over the Goulburn River, and were nearly there!

Mitchelton was hard to miss, and the ride in spoke for itself. Shiraz and riesling vines spilled over the hills, kangaroos bounded and magpies chortled, and the iconic Mitchelton Tower grew larger as we rolled closer. It was a real moment of arrival.

This stop was a little more refined than our last. Excellent food, great wine, and a long, lazy sit under the alfresco area with a mushroom and truffled bechamel woodfired pizza. Could this ride get any better?

With legs rested and bellies full, we had a decent exploration of the estate. The Michelton Gallery of Aboriginal Art was a highlight — a vibrant showcase of First Nations artists that’s well worth slowing down for. Then there’s the cellar door, the pristine lake, and views that make it very hard to leave.

But we had a loop to finish, so we jumped back on the bikes, waving goodbye to Mitchelton’s lush vineyard and retracing our tyre marks out the drive. 

Destination 3: Back to Discovery Parks Nagambie

Distance: 11km
Duration: 45 minutes

Exiting the vineyard, we turned left towards the Goulburn River, which we glided over and enjoyed the water view on both sides before carrying onto Mitchelstown Road.

The first stretch of the ride back was along a long flat road, but it was broken up nicely with horse paddocks and the occasional curious cow either side.

At the end of Mitchellstown Road, we took a left at Mullers. The country roads were all lined with eucalyptus and peppercorn trees, creating a nice little canopy to ride beneath. With barely a car in sight, we rode side by side most of the way back chatting about the experiences of the day, how good that pizza was, and also how sore our legs were! Before we knew it, we’d reached Loddings Lane and our finish line.

For those keen to complete the loop back into town, it’s about another ten-minute ride to get you to the pub!

Tips For Riding The Strathbogie Winery Loop

• Plan ahead – Download an offline map before you head out as phone signal can be patchy out on the country roads. Also worth thinking about how long you’ll spend at each stop; those winery detours have a sneaky way of eating into the afternoon
• Pick your season – Autumn and spring are the sweet spots — mild weather, beautiful scenery, and if you time it right, you might even catch vintage at Tahbilk like we did
• Pack smart – You’re pretty remote out there, so don’t rely on picking things up along the way. Sunnies, a light rain jacket, plenty of water, sunscreen, and a fully charged phone are non-negotiables
• Share the road – There are no bike lanes or very few on this route, so stick to the left and stay aware of passing cars
• Don’t enter the vineyards – To avoid the spread of disease amongst grapevines, don’t enter as you can carry bacteria on your boots. Look from a distance or only enter vines that are open to the public. Tahlbilk has a section where the public is allowed to enter

Strathbogie Winery Loop FAQs

How do you get to the Strathbogie Winery Loop Trail?

The beauty of this loop is that you can start it wherever suits you best. We kicked off straight from Go Adventure Nagambie, conveniently located opposite Discovery Park Nagambie. If you’ve brought your own wheels, head into town and use the Black Caviar statue as your starting point — you can’t miss it. From there, the route winds out through country roads to both Tahbilk and Mitchelton Wineries before looping back into town.

When is the Strathbogie Winery Loop Trail open?

The trail is yours anytime! It never closes, so you can plan your ride whenever it suits you. Just factor in winery cellar door times if you’re planning stops at both Tahbilk and Mitchelton.

Is the Strathbogie Winery Loop Trail good for beginners?

Absolutely! The roads are flat and the traffic is light, so you don’t need to be a seasoned cyclist to enjoy this one. A moderate level of fitness will get you around the loop comfortably — and let’s be honest, the promise of a wine at the halfway mark is motivation enough.

How long does it take to complete the Strathbogie Winery Loop?

Honestly, it depends on how much you embrace the detours! The ride itself is very manageable, but factor in a coffee in town, a glass of pinot at Tahbilk, and a woodfired pizza at Mitchelton and you’re looking at anywhere from two hours to a solid half day. My advice? Clear the afternoon.