Trails
Central Victoria provides a wide range of Mountain Bike trail options. The Club is currently developing a list of priority trails for development and will be working in partnership with the relevant land managers to ensure that the trails are of high quality, environmentally sustainable and provide access for a variety of abilities. Club members will have the opportunity to provide input into this planning process once the draft proposal is compiled.
Parks Victoria are working with the Club, the Great Dividing Trail Association and the Goldfields Track Committee to develop the Goldfields Track (Great Dividing Trail) as a mountain bike friendly trail. Check out our 2010 ride calender for the guided rides along this fantastic trail.
Places to Ride:
Chewton Loop (Easy – Medium): Start at the Rotunda (approx. 200m Melbourne side of the roundabout). Follows the Forest Creek Trail (graded gravel surface) to Chewton, then climbs up Eureka Street to the top of the Poverty Gully water race, followed by a singletack decent alongside the historic water race (part of the GDT), before returning to town along Wheeler Street for a coffee or beer at the Theatre Royal. Download an aerial of the route here.
Goldfields Track (Medium): A shared walking – mountain bike trail, the Goldfields Track (part of the Great Dividing Trail) offers a unique riding experience. The trail stretchs from Ballarat to Bendigo and is signed along its entire length. Works are currently underway to improve mountain biking at a couple of locations – until these are finished, avoid Mount Alexander and Breckneck Gorge between Daylesford and Hepburn Springs. A popular ride, which featured in “Australian Mountain Bike” magazines Top 10 trails is the 40km (approx) Hepburn Springs to Castlemaine section (one way – best ridden in that direction) – the trail includes some fire trail climbs, sweet flowing single track, historic sites and even a swim at Vaughan Springs. More information on the Great Dividing Trail/Goldfields Track is available from the Great Dividing Trail Association Website.
The Pineys (Hard): The Pineys offers some 30km of technical single track – including plenty of switch backs and rocky decents. A great location year round (shady in summer, sheltered and well drained in winter). Drop by Cycle Concepts Castlemaine for directions and you might even pick up a mud map.
Baco Trails (Easy – Medium): One of Castlemaine’s lesser known locations, there is heaps of fast flowing single trail in an open woodland forest. Best bet is to hook up on a club ride, or find a local guide.
Have a sneak peak at the Youtube footage
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