Exploring the Best Melbourne Bike Trails for Every Cyclist
Whether you're a local or a tourist wanting to explore the city’s incredible views and historical sites, there are many bike trails Melbourne has to offer enthusiasts.
Melbourne's trails cover rivers, beaches, forests, and even mountains. These trails cut across the city's southern, northern, eastern, and western regions, so you can ride in any direction. And lots of rental spots to rent a bike and start your outdoor journey.
In this article, we’ve selected 10 bike trails perfect for first-time, regular, solo, or group riders. Without any ado, let's explore these trails!
Capital City Trail
This Melbourne bike trail takes you on an 11 km ride west of Rushall Station to Southern Cross Station. Some beautiful places en route this trail are parklands in North Carlton, the Yarra River, and Moonee Ponds Creek.
Interesting attractions include the Tullamarine Freeway, one of Australia's busiest freeways boasting a daily traffic of over 200,000 vehicles.
Docklands, an area you'll come to on your ride, used to be an industrial area but is now a lively residential neighborhood. Stop for a moment to appreciate the Cow Up A Tree art. This is a sculpture depicting a cow stuck in a gum tree - a tribute to flood victims during World War II.
With many more attractions to explore, you'll enjoy biking this path with the company of friends or family.
Koonung Creek Trail
At a distance of 18 km from Blackburn Railway Station to Alphington Station, Koonung Creek Trail is one of the best bike trails Melbourne cyclists love to explore.
The terrain features a gentle downhill slope, with a few hills to climb. Less uphill encounters make for a more comfortable ride on the legs
Different points along the route feature bushland sections, maintained landscapes, and other excellent views which are all a treat for the eyes.
A Freeway Golf Course Café is located around Bulleen Road along the route. You might consider a brief stop. Seats are available in shaded areas for resting stops and tables for picnics.
Regardless of your riding skill level, Koonung Creek Trail is easy to travel.
Broadmeadows Trail
At a distance of 22 km, this is one of the bike trails in Melbourne Broadmeadows. The trail begins at Craigieburn train station and ends at the Pascoe Vale train line.
Ride through wetlands adjoining the Craigieburn train line to Lake Mcivor and to a linear parkland where you have nearby houses and other attractions. Ensure to take in the views as you come to important areas such as Moonee Ponds Creek, Broadmeadows Valley Parks, Yurokee Creek, and finally, Jacana Wetlands.
In terms of difficulty, you'll have to do some uphill rides when riding north, making the ride in general one of medium difficulty.
Ride in groups and enjoy the beautiful scenery together. Even as a solo cyclist, you'll meet other cyclists and pedestrians on the multi-use path.
Braeside Park Trail
Go on a circuit ride from Mordialloc Station to Braeside Park, enjoying the sights and views before looping back to Mordialloc Station. At a distance of 22 km, ride with friends, family, or a group to fully explore this Melbourne trail with pretty wetlands.
Follow Mordialloc Creek onto Yammerbrook Reserve, where you'll ride through Secondary Drain. This waterway leads you to Seaford-Edithvale Wetlands, a big area with lots of grass and water.
As you keep cycling, you might want to stop on Edithvale Road at a small public bird hide where you can watch birds up close. Just a short ride down is The Discovery Center, a much bigger bird hide where you have staff happy to educate you about all kinds of birds.
To get to Braeside, you follow bike paths and a quiet street that twists and turns to Waterways, a pretty housing area, and then to Braeside Park.
After cycling around the park to satisfaction and learning more about the park’s history and features, circumnavigate the Waterways Lake to Mordialloc Creek and back to the Mordialloc Station.
The Solar System Trail
Interested in Astronomy? If yes, then the Solar System Trail west of Melbourne is for you. Aside from being one of Melbourne bike tracks with beautiful bay views and parklands en route, the trail - as the name suggests - also features models of 8 planets, along with Pluto.
This 30 km ride begins at Gardenvale Station and ends at Southern Cross Station, near the popular Jeff’s Shed.
Continue the adventure by riding down from Elster Creek to Bay Trail to Sandridge Beach.
The models of the Sun and the 8 planets, along with Pluto, on the Bay Trail help you understand how big or small each planet is compared to the other, and how vast the Solar System is.
Other beautiful attractions along the trail include yachts, kite surfing, skydiving, and people having fun outdoors.
Extend your ride to Westgate Park to take in the beautiful views of the Lake and admire the vastness of the Westgate Bridge.
Café along the trail helps you to get food and refreshments and toilets if you need to answer the call of nature.
Café along the trail offers essentials, while toilet facilities if you need to answer the call of nature.
Two Creeks Trail
This 31km Eastern Melbourne bike trail from Ferntree Gully to Dandenong may seem a long ride, but for nature enthusiasts, the scenic bush and wetland terrain make the distance fly by.”
For the first part of the ride, you'll have some downhill ride to do for the most part along Blind Creek. Don't cycle too fast downhill so you can feast your eyes on the mix of houses, bushes, and other attractions surrounding the Creek.
Flat and easy, the second leg of the trail ride follows fields alongside Dandenong Creek to Jells Park to Dandenong Creek Trail. Explore the great views of the Dandenong mountains, a lake, wildlife, parks, and wetlands scattered across different points en route.
Little to no elevation encounters on the first part of the ride, followed by a stretch of flat terrain on the next leg makes this route one of the best bike tracks Melbourne offers.
A busy and vibrant destination, try visiting the local Dandenong market for a snack or shop around before you cycle back to Ferntree Gully or other routes.
Westgate Park
Westgate Park trail is one of the top bike Trails Melbourne biking enthusiasts love. Get to enjoy the great views of Yarra River, Yarra Bay, and a close-up look at Westgate Bridge - one of the impressive structures in Melbourne.
At a 14 km distance, this is a circuit ride starting and ending at Melbourne Exhibition Center, which is near Southern Cross Station.
Follow the Yarra River west to reach Westgate. As you ride beneath the Westgate Bridge, take a stop, look up at the towering bridge, and appreciate the incredible feat of engineering!
Other notable features of Westgate Park are two lakes in the area, one freshwater and the other saltwater. With the right weather conditions, the salt water turns pink due to algae growth.
Take the route along the Bay Trail to Station Pier via Sandridge Beach to complete the circuit to Westgate Park.
You Yang Trail
This is one of the mountain bike trails Melbourne has to offer MTB enthusiasts of all skill levels Located 50 minutes away from Melbourne’s CBD, the You Yang trail has two sections, Kurrajong and the Stockyard’s Area.
Perfect for those looking to develop some mountain biking skills, Kurrajong features XC trails.
Stockyard, on the other hand, is for advanced riders who need challenging and technical trails. Come here to practice for an upcoming competition or show your skills while simultaneously having fun at it.
Parking spaces and facilities such as toilets and picnic tables are available to make either your stay or visit in the avenue comfortable.
We recommend coming with your drinkable water pack as you come to one of the MTB trails Melbourne has for mountain biking enthusiasts
The Federation Trail
At a distance of 24 km, the ride starts at Albion Station and ends at Hoppers Crossing Station. Although a long ride, the exposure to some features of Melbourne's history makes this trail worth exploring.
At first, the trail follows Kororoit Creek via a linear park. This is just one of the creeks on the path that lies ahead. Pay attention to the surrounding vegetation and views to appreciate this section of the trail.
Before turning right onto Federation Trail, you'll get a glimpse of the industrial Melbourne, and a full view of industrial areas of Melbourne as you make the turn.
Time to slow down and take in the views, perhaps ponder how comfortable our lives are because of these industrial developments.
Another part of Melbourne's history you'll encounter on your trail is Main Outfall Sewer, an old sewer system built in the 1890s. Made of bricks and concrete, this old sewer used to carry waste from Melbourne to a treatment plant in Werribee.
A project named Greening the Pipeline is already underway. This project aims to transform the decommissioned Main Outfall Sewer into a vibrant parkland where locals can meet together.
On this bike trail, multiple cafes as well as toilet facilities en route help meet your essential needs.
Explore this side of Melbourne on all wheels with the company of friends or family to appreciate the history and attractions even more.
The Plenty River
The Plenty River Trail takes you from Greensborough to Alphington at a distance of 20 km.
The bicycle ride takes you along two scenic rivers, the Plenty and Yarra Rivers, as well as the Main Yarra and Darebin Creek.
Along the Plenty River route, you have lots of views to appreciate, including landscaped parklands and bushes with tall eucalyptus trees. Watch for birds like lorikeets and kookaburras, as well as spiders and echidnas.
Along the Main Yarra, you'll come to notable spots such as Banyule Flats, Bulleen Park, Warringul Parklands, golf courses, and artwork from Heidelberg.
The final section of the ride which takes you through Darebin Creek features scenic views, Latrobe Golf Course, and some beautiful parklands.
Whether you are riding with family, friends, or exploring this Melbourne's bike track on your own, happy exploring!
Tips for Safe and Enjoyable Ride on Melbourne Bike Tracks
When planning to cycle bike trails in Melbourne, safety has to be the #1 thing in mind. V
For example, multi-use trails designed for cyclists and commuters along Melbourne bike tracks means sharing paths with pedestrians. This calls for safety preparation and putting measures in place.
Next to safe riding is making a plan on how to enjoy the adventure.
For a combination of safe and memorable cycle experience while using bike paths Melbourne has to offer cyclers, here are some tips and recommendations.
Stay Alert
Melbourne is a busy city! Locals go about their daily business and people come from different places to tour attraction sites. In most cases, you'll be sharing not only trails but also roads, city lines, boardwalks, shopping districts, and more with locals and tourists.
Be mindful of other road users. On a busy path, ride slowly and enjoy the views. Riding at a controlled speed helps with fast reaction time to uncontrolled situations like when a kid crosses the road suddenly.
Unlike cars with loud engines, bicycles are relatively silent, especially when going slow. So make your presence known where and when necessary by letting out a shout or sounding your bike bell.
Bring Water Along
Though contributing to a pleasant riding experience, water provision is that one little item on the checklist some riders often fail to check off before heading out. It doesn't even make it to some riders' checklists
Summer can be quite hot in Melbourne. Therefore, bring along with you at least a liter of water for hydration.
You can use a frame-mounted bag or pouch on your bike to carry a water bottle. For refills, stop at trailheads, cafes, or other facilities with potable water.
Wear Sunscreen and Protective Clothing
Due to its climate, Melbourne receives high levels of UV radiation throughout the year. And as a rider, you are exposed for longer periods.
So come out with a pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes and broad-spectrum sunscreen for your skin.
Sun rays aren't the only things you're riding against - pun intended. Strong winds can dry out your skin, cause windburn, or lead to dehydration issues.
Wear such protective clothing as breathable long-sleeved shirts or pants and hats to protect yourself from breezes along your route.
Shop
How fun is a riding adventure in a city like Melbourne with shopping centers, cafes, malls, and restaurants without grabbing an item or two?
You can make the riding adventure a pleasant one by shopping for snacks, fruits, or energy bars. Or wait some time to experience the culture and cuisine.
Choosing The Right Bike
Not all bicycles are made the same and so are Melbourne's diverse bike trails. Select the bicycle that's going to ride smoothly, not one that'll make the ride uncomfortable for you.
Let's face it, long-distance rides on a bike can be uncomfortable if there is a mismatch between your bicycle type, suspension needs, wheel size, and a host of other factors.
Choose a suitable bike, as there's going to be a mix of climbs, descents, and technical areas in your Melbourne bike tracks. You can consult with an experienced friend, family member, or staff at a bike shop if you don't know what to look for.
Important tips and features to consider before buying a bicycle for trail riding include:-
Terrain: It can be difficult to tell exactly what types of terrain on which you'll ride from time to time. In case you aren't familiar with the tracks you'll be covering, just go with a bicycle that'll perform on different types of terrains, be it steep inclines, rocky terrain, difficult declines, and the like.
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Gearing: look for a bike with a wide range of cassettes and chainrings for improved speed and terrain handling. This way you cover more distance and areas with less strain and fatigue on your legs.
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Tires: Riding in wet conditions or down a steep slope requires proper grip between the tire and the surface. Knobby tires provide grip, traction, and control on different paths. Tire width and thread pattern help with performance too.
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Comfort: Go for a bike with better seating, handling, and maneuvering features. Adjustable handlebars and ergonomic saddles, for example, reduce discomforts and pressure points, making your outdoor cycling outings and adventures more enjoyable, exciting, and memorabl
Factoring into your bike purchase decision functional and comfort features will ensure you get the right bicycle for your outdoor cycling experience.
Final Thoughts
Whether you want to get away from the city or see attraction sites on a bicycle, Melbourne has lots of interesting cycling trails you can explore.
Feel free to ride in any direction - north, south, west, or east. If you'll be riding solo, let someone know where you're heading, or better, ride alongside friends, family, or a group for company.
Make sure to follow our tips and recommendations on safe and memorable riding practices. And if you need a bike or a replacement part, you have lots of rental spots all across the city for help!
Happy exploring any of the bike trails Melbourne has to offer!
