Victorian Tours and Rides:
 

Back to Business & Play: Update January 2021

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Bushranger Bikes - cycling in the Victorian High Country in 2021 - tours planned for both Autumn and Spring - the Awesome Seasons! There are some dates set (see options below) however other trips are available so please enquire.

In Autumn and Spring each year Bushranger Bikes runs back country adventure cycling tours in the Victorian High Country (Murray to Mountains Rail Trail) and, depending upon the particular itinerary, I also include either the High Country Rail Trail (Lake Hume), the new Great Victorian Rail Trail between Mansfield and Tallarook.  These tours are rated Grade 2 - easy to intermediate.  Category is bike path/road - with some gravel trail surfaces.

These are amazing adventures in the Victorian High Country and world renowned Wine Regions and Gold fields of North Eastern Victoria.  In both seasons the colours are pure magic, the weather is crisp and clear, the historic towns absolutely beautiful, the people friendly, the cycling inspirational and the wine, food and produce fantastic, fresh, yummy and a real bonus!

Plus there is every chance we will get to play in the snow on the top of Mount Buffalo, where the scenery is literally breathtaking, as is the ride down!

My tours are a little bit indulgent with great food and fantastic accommodation, nice and relaxed cycling with some opportunities to stretch or challenge yourself - if you want to - and a load of fun.

Click on the links below to find out more about my back country cycling adventures in Victoria.  For information, dates, cost and booking forms  E-mail info@bushrangerbikes.com.au

Bushranger Autumn Tours                                                       Bushranger Spring Tours

On the Victorian Great Rail Trail

    Murray to Mountains Rail Trail Official Web Site                     Click here for additional Rail Trail media.

Autumn 2021 - The Three Rails Trails Tour - High Country Rail Trail, Murray to Mountains Rail Trail & The Great Victorian Rail Trail.  The Alps, the lure of Ned Kelly, Wine & Produce - Gourmet Adventures and Cycling in the Victorian High Country!

May 2021 - The Awesome Autumn Tour!  Fully Booked

Autumn Tour Overview -

                For information and cost - E-mail info@bushrangerbikes.com.au

My Mountains to the Murray, Ned Kelly, Wine and Yarra Trail back country cycling adventure is rated Grade 2 - easy to intermediate, with great cycling, fantastic scenery, and loads of fun and produce sampling.  Category is bike path/road - possibly some gravel.

Autumn is an Explosion of Colour - Beechworth - North Eastern Victoria.

Summary:

Bushranger Bikes is running a 8 night/9 day 'Awesome Autumn' tour to this fantastic region of Australia taking in the delights of the North Eastern Victoria high country, a night in epicurean Rutherglen - vine & wine central, a night in Bright at the top of the Alpine Way, 2 nights stay in beautiful and historic Beechworth, and a night in gourmet Milawa.  Then it's onto the Goulburn River Valley to have some fun cycling the new 'Great Victorian Rail Trail' - riding between Mansfield and Tallarook with a side trip up to Alexandra over three days.

This region is the land of vineyards, tobacco, hops, berries and bakeries and an abundance of local produce is waiting to be sampled.

This tour commences in the north with a cycling warm up on a newer section of the Murray to Mountains trail from Rutherglen to the Murray and the NSW border.  Then it's a spin on the great High Country Rail Trail which skirts the shoreline of Lake Hume on the Murray River. The recent rains have filled the lake and it is now a sight to see, and with the completion of the 660 metre long bridge across Sandy Creek inlet this trail that runs between Wodonga and Old Tallangatta is a brilliant ride.

Then we transfer to Bright and pick up the Murray to Mountains (M2M) - Victoria's best rail trail, and arguably the best in Australia.  We will follow the trail down to Everton and then divert for the climb up to Beechworth.  The next day will provide time to explore on bike and foot around Beechworth, check out the sights and history, and also provide a part rest day.

We then take the M2M for an exhilarating downhill blast back to Everton Station, pick up the main line again and follow this through to Milawa.  Depending upon time available and energy levels this might include a loop through Wangaratta and then out to Milawa via Oxley.

And there's more - from Milawa we will take a brilliant scenic drive across an alpine range or via Glenrowan and pick up the new Great Victorian Rail Trail which runs between Mansfield - 130kms of perfect backcountry adventure cycling  - and Tallarook.

Accommodation will be in high quality boutique establishments with an emphasis on something different or historic, and the food is fantastic - a trade mark of Bushranger Bikes tours.

Heading to Yea - North Eastern Victoria.

More:

The historic gold towns offer some amazing scenery, historic buildings and fantastic shopping and food - all easily accessible on foot or by bike.  Beechworth is one of the highlights offering a great ride on the Beechworth Gorge road, unique shops some interesting Australian history, and the option to visit some local vineyards and tourist spots. The leisure day in Beechworth offers an opportunity to explore in and around this beautiful historic town. 

The Murray to Mountains rail trail is fully bitumen surfaced and the gradients are kind, which makes for fantastic cycling.   The High Country Rail Trail and Great Victorian Rail Trail offer an easy undulating gradient and well formed gravel trail through vibrant regional towns, over long bridges and across interesting countryside.

This tour takes advantage of the brilliant autumn colours and and crisp days and nights in this beautiful region of Australia and all my tours to this region include visits to award winning local vineyards like Brown Brothers Winery at Milawa and a chance to check out local produce including delicious berries, olives, cheeses and mustards - food heaven!

The ever expanding rail trail experience on offer in North Eastern Victoria is really taking off and it’s easy to see why – the cycling is superb, the scenery brilliant and the region has so much to offer as an ‘indulgent but active’ holiday destination.  My tours to North Eastern Victoria High Country are simply magic!

Beechworth Gorge - Beechworth, North Eastern Victoria

                        E-mail info@bushrangerbikes.com.au

Other dates and custom group tours are available, including Southeast Queensland and New Zealand mountain bike tours - please contact Bushranger - info@bushrangerbikes.com.au for more information or to discuss options.

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Spring 2021 - The Three Rails Trails Tour - High Country Rail Trail, Murray to Mountains Rail Trail & The Great Victorian Rail Trail.  The Alps, the lure of Ned Kelly, Wine & Produce - Gourmet Adventures and Cycling in the Victorian High Country!

October 2021 - Sensational Spring Tour!  Fully Booked 

Spring Tour Overview - Fantastic cycling, scenery, wine & produce!  The HCRT, M2M plus the new Great Victorian Rail Trail - Brilliant!

                                                      For information, dates and cost - E-mail info@bushrangerbikes.com.au

Spring is an Explosion of Colour and perfume - Bright - North Eastern Victoria.

Summary:

Bushranger Bikes is running a 8 night/9 day 'Stunning Spring' tour to this fantastic region of Australia taking in the delights of the North Eastern Victoria high country, a night in epicurean Rutherglen - vine & wine central, a night in Bright at the top of the Alpine Way, 2 nights stay in beautiful and historic Beechworth, and a night in gourmet Milawa.  Then it's onto the Goulburn River Valley to have some fun cycling the new 'Great Victorian Rail Trail' - running between Mansfield aand Tallarook, with a side trip up to Alexandra - over three days.

This region is the land of vineyards, tobacco, hops, berries and bakeries and an abundance of local produce is waiting to be sampled.

This tour commences in the north with a cycling warm up on a newer section of the Murray to Mountains trail from Rutherglen to the Murray and the NSW border.  Then it's a spin on the great High Country Rail Trail which skirts the shoreline of Lake Hume on the Murray River. The recent rains have filled the lake and it is now a sight to see, and with the completion of the 660 metre long bridge across Sandy Creek inlet this trail that runs between Wodonga and Old Tallangatta is a brilliant ride.

Then we transfer to Bright and pick up the Murray to Mountains (M2M) - Victoria's best rail trail, and arguably the best in Australia.  We will follow the trail down to Everton and then divert for the climb up to Beechworth.  The next day will provide time to explore on bike and foot around Beechworth, check out the sights and history, and also provide a part rest day.

We then take the M2M for an exhilarating downhill blast back to Everton Station, pick up the main line again and follow this through to Milawa.  Depending upon time available and energy levels this might include a loop through Wangaratta and then out to Milawa via Oxley.

And there's more - from Milawa we will take a brilliant scenic drive across an alpine range or via Glenrowan and pick up the new Great Victorian Rail Trail between Mansfield - 130kms of perfect backcountry adventure cycling  - and Tallarook.

Accommodation will be in high quality boutique establishments with an emphasis on something different or historic, and the food is fantastic - a trade mark of Bushranger Bikes tours.

Spring colour - cruising the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail - North Eastern Victoria.

More:

The historic gold towns offer some amazing scenery, historic buildings and fantastic shopping and food - all easily accessible on foot or by bike.  Beechworth is one of the highlights offering a great ride on the Beechworth Gorge road, unique shops some interesting Australian history, and the option to visit some local vineyards and tourist spots. The leisure day in Beechworth offers an opportunity to explore in and around this beautiful historic town. 

The Murray to Mountains rail trail is fully bitumen surfaced and the gradients are kind, which makes for fantastic cycling.   The High Country Rail Trail and Great Victorian Rail Trail offer an easy undulating gradient and well formed gravel trail through vibrant regional towns, over long bridges and across interesting countryside.

My October tours take advantage of the brilliant new growth colours and and crisp days and nights of Spring in this beautiful region of Australia and all our tours to this region include visits to award winning local vineyards like Brown Brothers Winery at Milawa and a chance to check out local produce including delicious berries, olives, cheeses and mustards - food heaven!

The ever expanding rail trail experience on offer in North Eastern Victoria is really taking off and it’s easy to see why – the cycling is superb, the scenery brilliant and the region has so much to offer as an ‘indulgent but active’ holiday destination.  My tours to North Eastern Victoria High Country are simply magic!

The magic of the vines - Gapsted, Alpine Way, North Eastern Victoria

                                                                                       E-mail info@bushrangerbikes.com.au

Other dates and custom group tours are available, including Southeast Queensland and New Zealand mountain bike tours - please contact Bushranger - info@bushrangerbikes.com.au for more information or to discuss options.

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News Articles about the trail: - Click Here

The Sunday Telegraph writer, Veronica Matheson wrote a feature article on the Murray to Mountains trail - Trailblazing in Kelly country, December 11, 2005
Check out what she had to say - click here!

Simon Troman sampled the delights of the Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail on a trip he titled 'a tasting tour'.  Simon commented that 'this was a marvellous trip with views, atmosphere, wine and food'.  Check out his article  in the Jan - Feb edition of Australian Cyclist magazine.

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Trailblazing in Kelly Country

By Veronica Matheson, The Sunday Telegraph

December 11, 2005

CRUISING along the much-lauded waterways of France is a popular tourist pastime. Holidaymakers spend their nights in a canal boat, then hop on a bike by day to explore the countryside.

Paths of glory ... cyclists enjoy stunning views off the beaten track

Markets, vineyards, and tempting food are essential to the daytime pedalling experience.

But, while north-eastern Victoria has no canals, the region has plenty to offer with sparkling, clean rivers, historic towns including places where bushranger Ned Kelly once roamed, a stunning mountain backdrop and a magical rail trail for tourists.

Defunct railway lines have become safe bike paths where cyclists have no problems weaving in and out of traffic to explore breathtaking scenery in the alpine foothills to Mount Buffalo and Mount Feathertop.

It is an out-of-town experience where holidaymakers become fit without knowing it, while feasting on the freshest produce the area can provide, trying local wines and bedding down in an eclectic range of accommodation.

The route is along 98km of trails connecting Wangaratta with Beechworth, Myrtleford and Bright.

The Beechworth and Ovens Valley railway lines were the first branch lines built in country Victoria. The first train to Beechworth was in 1876 and the last in 1977; and the first train to Bright headed out in 1890; and the last in 1983.

At the same time, the Ovens Valley railway line was used for passenger services until 1952 and continued goods services until the 1980s.

Some of the old train stations have been converted into shelters with toilet stops and drinking water for the rail trail bikers.

Cycling along the well-surfaced, and meandering rail trails doesn't have to be a race, more a fun experience, or a get-together of friends who travel at a relaxed pace.

The rail trail has attracted more than 40,000 users in the past 12 months, with 99 per cent taking to the trail on bicycles, either touring and staying in different places each night or taking day trips along the trail from a central location.

While in north-eastern Victoria, there are many more ways to extend the holiday. For starters, it is possible to catch a bus to the top of Mount Buffalo and ride back down by bike, or take a break for a river swim, or a mountain walk or do a spot of fishing for the next meal.

Many consider the ride from Beechworth to Everton one of the most seductive rides in Victoria. A highlight of the 15km rail trail ride is that it is all downhill and passes through native bushland.

It takes about 35 minutes, but can be much longer if stopping off to check out the flora (the scent of soaring gums adds to the experience) and fauna (cockatoos, kingfishers and rabbits are plentiful, as are noisy magpies).

A further excuse to dawdle is a much-needed stop at Pennyweight Winery's inviting cellar door to sample the organic wines. Pennyweight's back gate is right on the Rail Trail, 5km out of Beechworth; details at www.pennyweight.com.au

Also handy to the rail trail is Gapsted Wines, which provides an opportunity to sample great antipasti platters as well as checking out the cellar door. Jazz on Sundays; see http://www.gapstedwines.com.au/

A good diversion is to head to Milawa for cheese, mustards, berries, olives, and the wine treats at Brown Brothers.

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