Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
-
- Posts: 2433
- Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:28 am
- Contact:
Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby dalai47 » Fri Jul 24, 2015 10:45 am
Primarily looking for potential 2-7 days off road routes suitable for MTB bikepacking.
Goldfields Track- viewtopic.php?f=14&t=85364" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Mt Beauty to Falls Creek and return via Fainter and Timms Spur viewtopic.php?f=14&t=85364" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Found a few interesting circuits on http://www.fwdvictoria.org.au" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Mallee loop around Wyperfeld / Murray Sunset National park 625km http://www.fwdvictoria.org.au/iconic4wd ... mallee.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Davies Plains 160km loop http://www.fwdvictoria.org.au/iconic4wd ... davies.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Wonnangatta loop 222km http://www.fwdvictoria.org.au/iconic4wd ... ngatta.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Snowy river loop 286km http://www.fwdvictoria.org.au/iconic4wd ... _snowy.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
-
- Posts: 745
- Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 3:22 pm
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby Espresso_ » Fri Jul 24, 2015 12:36 pm
Subscribed and keen to see what pops up.
E
-
- Posts: 2433
- Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:28 am
- Contact:
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby dalai47 » Fri Jul 24, 2015 1:27 pm
Like Espresso, also keen on local to Melbourne overnighters including potential S24O rides...
-
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Sun May 11, 2014 5:08 pm
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby tooslowtorace » Fri Jul 24, 2015 2:38 pm
- il padrone
- Posts: 22931
- Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
- Location: Heading for home.
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby il padrone » Fri Jul 24, 2015 5:19 pm
Day 1 - Heyfield and Licola.
Day 2 - Licola to Guys Hut
Day 3 - Guys Hut to Mt Howitt car-park and Macalister River bridge
Day 4 - Climb to King Billy. Walk out to Mt Magdala and Hells Window
Day 5 - Down Brocks Rd to Jamieson River Hut
Day 6 - Over Mt Sunday to Wrens flat
Day 7 - To Jamieson
Day 8 - Rest day
Day 9 - To Eildon and the Cathedral Range
Day 10 - The Acheron Way to Warburton then the Warburton Trail to Lilydale
A bit more than your ideal duration (and it does all rely on the Macalister River bridge still being extant), but it was one of the most challenging tours that I have ever done - mostly because of the terrible weather around Jamieson River and Mt Sunday..... in January !! Only the middle bit (from Licola to Jamieson) was real rough-stuff touring. And there was no food supplies at all for this section of 5 days.
Recommend to wait until at least November before doing this one.
Also anything in the Grampians is really great. Once you get out over the ranges to the Victoria Valley, or north around Mt Stapylton, there are many kilometres of great quiet roads to explore. Do watch out for the soft sand and loose surfaces though. This brought me unstuck last September (busted collarbone ). Sept-Oct are the best time to explore here as the roads are at their firmest, and the wildflowers give a great display.
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
-
- Posts: 1065
- Joined: Mon Jul 01, 2013 11:30 pm
- Location: Bundoora, Melbourne
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby nezumi » Thu May 12, 2016 12:39 am
I'm looking to organise a 4 day trip to take advantage of the AFL grand final or Melbourne Cup long weekends.
Current remit is to have the route and travel be through national park/state forest/etc, with camping having flush toilets, water and, where possible, showers (do caravan parks allow you to pay to just use the showers?). Half the group intend to be self-sufficient and cook at the camp site each night, with the others happy to pop into a nearby town for dinner each night.
Terrain wise, most will be on CX bikes, so leaning to gravel roads and firetrails or smooth single track, not something to the level of the Goldfields Track. I will likely not have sufficiently light/compact gear to be properly bikepacking so may resort to panniers - others will likely be doing the same, or cobbling something together.
I rode Ballarat to Bendigo as an overnighter with a friend, camping at the Maldon Historic Reserve and having dinner in the pub, which worked pretty well.
Does anyone have any good route suggestions that could be a match to this?
2015 Merida Scultura 5000
-
- Posts: 174
- Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 3:07 pm
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby Hildalgo » Thu May 12, 2016 9:49 am
http://www.lavelocita.cc/la-velocita-ri ... dge%20road
http://www.racv.com.au/wps/wcm/connect/ ... d+ridge+rd
-
- Posts: 647
- Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2015 2:26 pm
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby BenGr » Thu May 12, 2016 10:34 am
It goes on Grand Ridge Rd for a bit. Was a great ride, just have decent volume tyres as a few sections are rough.
I've been thinking of using some of their other routes as multi day trips, no idea on facilities though.
-
- Posts: 800
- Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 4:54 pm
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby Uncle Just » Thu May 12, 2016 10:35 am
A four day suggestion is to take the train to Wang and ride via Eldorado and the dirt back roads to Beechworth. Day 2 to Harrietville partly along the rail trail. Day 3 climb Hotham to Mt St Bernard down to Dargo via the good dirt High Plains rd. Day 4 you climb out of Dargo and take the fantastic dirt Freestone rd to Briagolong and end up in Sale for the train home.
Be prepared for any weather at that time of the year. First time was hot, second time we had very cold, wet muddy conditions on the high plains.
- Leaf T
- Posts: 957
- Joined: Sat Mar 29, 2008 12:22 pm
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby Leaf T » Thu May 12, 2016 3:04 pm
-
- Posts: 647
- Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2015 2:26 pm
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby BenGr » Thu May 12, 2016 3:21 pm
One reason i want to give it a go, loaded. http://theclimbingcyclist.com/wiki/DargoLeaf T wrote:Yikes! Was just looking at ride with gps route from Dargo to Dinner Plain and it shows 32.9% in places!
I'm guessing the 32% is overestimating it though.
-
- Posts: 800
- Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 4:54 pm
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby Uncle Just » Thu May 12, 2016 5:49 pm
- RonK
- Posts: 11508
- Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 2:08 pm
- Location: If you need to know, ask me
- Contact:
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby RonK » Thu May 12, 2016 6:20 pm
Hehe - you're a real mountain goat Ben.BenGr wrote:One reason i want to give it a go, loaded. http://theclimbingcyclist.com/wiki/DargoLeaf T wrote:Yikes! Was just looking at ride with gps route from Dargo to Dinner Plain and it shows 32.9% in places!
I'm guessing the 32% is overestimating it though.
-
- Posts: 647
- Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2015 2:26 pm
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby BenGr » Thu May 12, 2016 7:08 pm
I'm heading over to North America next month, planning on going along the Rockies, I think i could use the practice!RonK wrote:Hehe - you're a real mountain goat Ben.BenGr wrote:One reason i want to give it a go, loaded. http://theclimbingcyclist.com/wiki/DargoLeaf T wrote:Yikes! Was just looking at ride with gps route from Dargo to Dinner Plain and it shows 32.9% in places!
I'm guessing the 32% is overestimating it though.
- RonK
- Posts: 11508
- Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 2:08 pm
- Location: If you need to know, ask me
- Contact:
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby RonK » Thu May 12, 2016 7:52 pm
As I understand it, the climbing in the Rockies is generally not so steep but very long ~ 20kms fairly common.BenGr wrote:I'm heading over to North America next month, planning on going along the Rockies, I think i could use the practice!RonK wrote:Hehe - you're a real mountain goat Ben.BenGr wrote: One reason i want to give it a go, loaded. http://theclimbingcyclist.com/wiki/Dargo
I'm guessing the 32% is overestimating it though.
Have you checked when the passes will be open?
-
- Posts: 647
- Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2015 2:26 pm
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby BenGr » Fri May 13, 2016 12:37 am
Doing the Great divide MTB route. Walking is apparently fairly normal in some parts.RonK wrote:As I understand it, the climbing in the Rockies is generally not so steep but very long ~ 20kms fairly common.BenGr wrote:I'm heading over to North America next month, planning on going along the Rockies, I think i could use the practice!RonK wrote:
Hehe - you're a real mountain goat Ben.
Have you checked when the passes will be open?
I'm actually starting in Alaska, so I won't be near any big passes until July/August. From what I've heard the snows been melting early, hopefully not too early! I want to see some!
- RonK
- Posts: 11508
- Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 2:08 pm
- Location: If you need to know, ask me
- Contact:
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby RonK » Fri May 13, 2016 1:14 pm
Yeah, I'm aware if the GDMBR route, and it certainly interests me.BenGr wrote:Doing the Great divide MTB route. Walking is apparently fairly normal in some parts.RonK wrote:As I understand it, the climbing in the Rockies is generally not so steep but very long ~ 20kms fairly common.BenGr wrote: I'm heading over to North America next month, planning on going along the Rockies, I think i could use the practice!
Have you checked when the passes will be open?
I'm actually starting in Alaska, so I won't be near any big passes until July/August. From what I've heard the snows been melting early, hopefully not too early! I want to see some!
Why don't you start a new thread and tell us about your plans?
-
- Posts: 647
- Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2015 2:26 pm
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby BenGr » Fri May 13, 2016 2:13 pm
Will do, have been meaning to for a while... Time to stop derailing...RonK wrote:Yeah, I'm aware if the GDMBR route, and it certainly interests me.BenGr wrote:Doing the Great divide MTB route. Walking is apparently fairly normal in some parts.RonK wrote: As I understand it, the climbing in the Rockies is generally not so steep but very long ~ 20kms fairly common.
Have you checked when the passes will be open?
I'm actually starting in Alaska, so I won't be near any big passes until July/August. From what I've heard the snows been melting early, hopefully not too early! I want to see some!
Why don't you start a new thread and tell us about your plans?
-
- Posts: 2433
- Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:28 am
- Contact:
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby dalai47 » Wed Sep 28, 2016 1:34 pm
Was thinking initially about riding the Wonnangatta loop over 4 days (Cup long weekend) accessed by train from Stratford. But when I try to search on the Journey Planner for a train on Cup day it says there are no public transport options that day!?dalai47 wrote:Found a few interesting circuits on http://www.fwdvictoria.org.au" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Mallee loop around Wyperfeld / Murray Sunset National park 625km http://www.fwdvictoria.org.au/iconic4wd ... mallee.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Wonnangatta loop 222km http://www.fwdvictoria.org.au/iconic4wd ... ngatta.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Therefore second option could be driving out and riding some or all of the Mallee loop bike packing on my mountain bike. Has anyone here ridden out there? If so could you please confirm if these tracks are passable on a mountain bike in dry conditions?
-
- Posts: 174
- Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 3:07 pm
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby Hildalgo » Thu Sep 29, 2016 1:32 pm
Who needs sleep
-
- Posts: 2433
- Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:28 am
- Contact:
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby dalai47 » Thu Sep 29, 2016 3:46 pm
Just off the phone with Vline - as the Tuesday is a public holiday it will be running on the Saturday time table and there are trains running. Now just need to get the knee sorted in time!
Has anyone ridden part or all of the Wonnangatta loop?
- Marx
- Posts: 321
- Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:36 pm
- Location: Flemington Melbourne Australia
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby Marx » Sun Oct 02, 2016 12:18 pm
http://www.victoriashighcountry.com.au/ ... ail-trails
I'm just back from Wangaratta to Beechworth: it's entirely off-the-road smooth sealed surfaces. Lots of options for everything from MTBers to elite roadies out that way too.
Trains from Melbourne>Wangaratta $29, takes bikes in their luggage car at an end of the train.
Every town has at least one cafe with bike themes.
Do it!
A bike and a place to ride.
- il padrone
- Posts: 22931
- Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
- Location: Heading for home.
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby il padrone » Sun Oct 23, 2016 6:52 pm
Did you really mean Wonnangatta loop ??dalai47 wrote:Has anyone ridden part or all of the Wonnangatta loop?
Just that that area is pretty hard-core expedition touring. You will need to carry food for 4-5 days depending on your exact route plans, and will face descents and climbs of 15-20+%. Wombat Spur or Hearne Spur getting out is the worst of the climbing. Be prepared for a 2-3 stage bike and gear shuffle - near-as-damn unrideable when loaded. And with the weather this spring, and all the rainfall we've had, it is very likely that you will face some deep river fords. On the road south of Talbotville towards the Kingsville Bridge (Crooked River) there are two crossings of the river at least that could well be thigh deep and fast-flowing. You can of course do the climb out to Grant, but that is another big 'un.
[edit]Just looked at that link above; an extreme circuit - my advice would be to stay well away from Billy Goat Bluff Track. I have not ridden it, but it is even steeper than Wombat Spur, and it is a bit of a 4WD challenge test, aka lots of traffic likely, especially over Cup Weekend. Going UP Billy Goat Bluff would be pure insanity
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
-
- Posts: 2433
- Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:28 am
- Contact:
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby dalai47 » Mon Oct 24, 2016 3:44 pm
Yes, I did really mean Wonnangatta loop and Billy Goat Bluff track sounds right up my alley.il padrone wrote:Did you really mean Wonnangatta loop ??
Going UP Billy Goat Bluff would be pure insanity
Will hold off for a quieter time than the long weekend. Tore my MCL back country alpine touring only 7 weeks ago so better I wait a few more months.
- il padrone
- Posts: 22931
- Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
- Location: Heading for home.
Re: Potential Vic Bikepacking routes 2-7 days?
Postby il padrone » Tue Oct 25, 2016 9:41 pm
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
- General Australian Cycling Topics
- Info / announcements
- Buying a bike / parts
- General Cycling Discussion
- The Bike Shed
- Cycling Health
- Cycling Safety and Advocacy
- Women's Cycling
- Bike & Gear Reviews
- Cycling Trade
- Stolen Bikes
- Bicycle FAQs
- The Market Place
- Member to Member Bike and Gear Sales
- Want to Buy, Group Buy, Swap
- My Bikes or Gear Elsewhere
- Serious Biking
- Audax / Randonneuring
- Retro biking
- Commuting
- MTB
- Recumbents
- Fixed Gear/ Single Speed
- Track
- Electric Bicycles
- Cyclocross and Gravel Grinding
- Dragsters / Lowriders / Cruisers
- Children's Bikes
- Cargo Bikes and Utility Cycling
- Road Racing
- Road Biking
- Training
- Time Trial
- Triathlon
- International and National Tours and Events
- Cycle Touring
- Touring Australia
- Touring Overseas
- Touring Bikes and Equipment
- Australia
- Western Australia
- New South Wales
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Victoria
- ACT
- Tasmania
- Northern Territory
- Country & Regional
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users
- All times are UTC+10:00
- Top
- Delete cookies
About the Australian Cycling Forums
The Australian Cycling Forums is a welcoming community where you can ask questions and talk about the type of bikes and cycling topics you like.
Bicycles Network Australia
Forum Information
Connect with BNA
This website uses affiliate links to retail platforms including ebay, amazon, proviz and ribble.