5 Of The Best Bike Trails In Melbourne

We all know that Melbourne is famous for being the home of some of the country’s best sporting venues, such as the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Rod Laver Arena and Flemington Racecourse, amongst others.

But you might not know that it also has more than its fair share of excellent bike trails.

We put our heads together and came up with a list of the top five bike trails in Melbourne that will definitely end up on your to-do list. 

Explore The City

1. Capital City Trail

See Melbourne’s sites and landmarks as you’ve never seen them before on this 30km trail. The loop, which uses peaceful car-free paths, is a circuit trail, so there’s no start or finish point. You begin where you want to, and you can do shorter sections if you’re low on time or energy. The Capital City Trail will take you past the trendy Docklands, the Royal Botanic Gardens – a lush urban sanctuary, the historical Como House and Dights Falls – an ideal spot for a pitstop. You’ll also pass the famous Melbourne Zoo. 

Tour The Coastline

2. St Kilda Beach to Half Moon Bay

If you’re looking for a beach ride, this is the perfect trail and won’t take too long to complete as it’s only 13km. You’ll follow the bike path that runs by the beach, making your way from St Kilda Beach down to Half Moon Bay, passing through Brighton and Sandringham. This is an ideal trail for a lazy Sunday afternoon because it’s flat from beginning to end and so easy to navigate. Expect panoramic views of the coast on one side and a glimpse into Bayside suburbia on the other.

Around the Bay

3. Port Phillip Bay Trail

This trail is not for a Sunday afternoon, and nor is it for the hobby cyclist. If you want a real workout, take the 210km trail route around Port Phillip Bay. It begins and ends at Alexandra Gardens, but you have a choice of two directions to choose from: you can head west towards Queenscliff or south-east towards Sorrento. To complete the trail, you’ll need to use the ferry to get from Queenscliff to Sorrento or vice versa, which will give you a welcome chance to rest. 

Head Inland

4. Lilydale to Warburton Trail

How about an inland trail following old railway tracks, from which you’ll see wineries, fields, forests and look across the Yarra Valley? This 38km trail can be done in a day, but you might want to spend a night in one of the small towns you pass through and make a weekend of it. It’s not too tough, so you can take it slow or turn it into a challenge.

Diverse Scenery

5. Bass Coast Rail Trail

Another trail that follows a disused railway line, the Bass Coast Rail trail will take you from Anderson to Wonthaggi. It starts at the coast and heads inland, so you’ll see a diverse range of landscapes, from coastal bush to farmland. This 16km trail is a pretty easy ride, so it’s suitable for all fitness levels.

These are just five of Melbourne’s best bike trails, but there are many others that are well worth exploring. Seeing the landscape – whether city, sea or bush (or a combination, of course) – is always better on a bike, so keep pedalling. Contact Bikes.com.au for all your bicycle needs.