Mountain Biking in Gippsland, Vic

Several years ago my husband and I stumbled across the mountain bike trails in the Colquhoun (pronounced Kol-hoon) State Forest. This ‘discovery’ came about thanks to a hand-painted sign by the highway that simply read ‘MTB’ with an arrow to show the way. We visit the East Gippsland region of Victoria annually and that sign was enough to set us exploring. What we discovered was a spider’s web of narrow, often barely maintained singletrack weaving through the forest. Whilst the trails were fairly basic and amenities non-existent, we were chuffed to have found somewhere new to ride.

Over the years we slowly expanded our knowledge of the trails and were amazed at how far they extended into the forest. At some point, discussion with staff in a local bike shop yielded a rudimentary ‘mud map’ that allowed us to explore with a bit more confidence.

While the Colquhoun trails started out informally, a recent collaboration between the Gippsland Mountain Bike Club and the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) led to the official recognition of the trail network. The concept of cycle tourism is not new to the area; there has long been excellent support for ‘rail trails’, which sees unused railway tracks converted to paths for cycling, walking, running and horse riding. But as we all know, mountain biking is still a growing sport, so it’s exciting to find enthusiastic support for a mountain bike park.

Recognition & Refinement

In the time since gaining the DSE stamp of approval, the developments have been clear and very positive—returning to the trails was like a revelation. Now there’s new signage installed with a detailed map of the whole area at the trailhead. You’ll also find a pump track to play around at the main parking area on and the awesome ‘Scalectrix Loop’ has been unveiled. Most trails are now well marked, better maintained and easy to follow.

There is a variety of fun, fast and flowing sections throughout Colquhoun and I had often wondered if it would be possible to combine the best of them into a single comprehensive loop. Fortunately the area’s founding trail builders had similar thoughts. With support from the DSE and some finessing by Tasmanian trail building company Dirt Art, they have constructed a fantastic 15km figure-of-eight loop, which takes in all of the best that Colquhoun has to offer. The route takes in the raucously fun ‘Lollipop’, which swoops and rocks its way down a broad gully, cutting back and forth and side to side, requiring minimal pedalling effort but delivering maximum thrills. There’s Lennies Track, which winds its way through bracken fern so dense sometimes you wonder if you’re still on a track at all. A one kilometre ‘commute’ along the Gippsland Lakes Discovery Trail (page XX) allows you a breather while you take in some classic Victorian tree fern scenery alongside picturesque Mississippi Creek. Then the lung busting ‘Roos’ climb takes you back onto the singletrack—this climb is only achievable thanks to some heavy-duty excavation work and a series of lumpy switchbacks that help to keep you pedalling.

The vegetation at Colquhoun is relatively open eucalypt forest with an understory of native cassinia and weedy bracken fern. Typical of coastal environments, the underlying soil is quite sandy; this makes for a fast draining base that’s rideable in all but the worst conditions. It certainly gets quite hot in summer and you need to watch out for march flies as big as light aircraft, but neither those nor the mozzies are a problem as long as you keep moving. Thankfully that’s not too tall an order when there’s plenty of great singletrack to be found!

Completing the 15km Scalectrix Loop should take around 45 minutes for a fit, experienced rider to well over an hour for the average weekend warrior or someone who’s taking their time to look around. The nature of the trail network makes it easy to shorten or extend the loop as needed, or to access your favourite bits as desired. I’m sure that many find themselves coming back to ride ‘Lollipops’ again and again, as you don’t need to complete the entire loop to hoot and holler down that trail—it’s an experience that only gets better with practice!

Accessibility is not the only element of Colquhoun that has been given a lot of thought. Every obstacle is rideable without the need to jump or be able to manage steep or sharp rollouts. Because every log rollover is built up on the exit side, most mountain bikers will be able to forge ahead with confidence and give everything a go. Personally, I’d be happy to see a few more technical obstacles but it’s certainly a very attainable trail network for all rider abilities. More experienced riders will find a few decent sized log rollovers and there’s a tonne of windswept swooping turns through the gullies of the Sinkhole and Lollipops to keep you entertained.

The foundations originally laid by local riders clearly provided a great base to build on. Since DSE approval was granted, Dirt Art has tweaked and made changes to improve sustainability as well as adding an element of sophistication to the trails. The recent developments have made a tangible difference and really added to the accessibility of the trails. With the formalised trailhead, informative signage and good trail marking, anyone can rock up and have a blast on the Colquhoun trails.

 

Other Ride Options:

As awesome as the Scalectrix loop might be, is it enough to warrant a trip to East Gippsland? Well, when you consider the many other mountain biking options in the region, the answer may well be yes! Using the town of Bairnsdale as a central base, intrepid mountain bikers have access to a number of established riding opportunities that are within an hour’s drive.

Blore’s Hill

Furthest west (towards Melbourne) is Blore’s Hill Mountain Bike Park, located on the shores of Lake Glenmaggie near the township of Heyfield. Encompassing a well-established and extensive network of trails within Glenmaggie Regional Park, Blore’s Hill has developed a reputation as one of the best mountain bike parks in the Gippsland region. Rock gardens, flowing singletrack and log rollovers are all on the menu, and whilst offering trails for mountain bikers of every level, Blore’s Hill features plenty of action for experienced riders. Jim’s track, a fast and furious decent through the scrub, the challenging Trig Circuit and the thrilling ‘Dippers’ are all highlights. Blore’s Hill hosts a number of events throughout the year and because the area is in a rain shadow, there’s a better chance of year-round fair weather riding.

Mount Taylor

Another location that’s benefited from the love and attention of Dirt Art is Mount Taylor, 15 minutes north of Bairnsdale. Like Colquhoun, locals have been riding and maintaining Mount Taylor for years, but with support from the DSE Mount Taylor has been reworked and relaunched as a prime downhill location. Gippsland Mountain Bike Club held a grand opening for Mount Taylor in 2012 and it’s since played host to a round of the Victorian Downhill Series. Whilst the revived ‘Double Black Diamond’ downhill course, with features such as the ‘Dirt Art Monster Double’, is not for the faint-hearted – B and C lines exist for those who want to give it a go. There are also XC options at Mount Taylor if you prefer.

Nowa Nowa

Also worth a look is the Nowa Nowa Mountain Bike Park, a 40 minute drive east of Bairnsdale (or 20 minutes from Lakes Entrance). This is definitely a family friendly option; incorporating around 20km of trails, the area uses a really gentle 5km ascent which gives access to a number of downhill options including easier trails for beginners as well as more challenging trails. The very short ‘Little Track’ (0.4km) and Heartbreak Track (0.5km) are suitable for beginners and even young children, while the Wallaby Ramble (4.8km) offers something for more experience riders. A highlight is the Jumping Jackaroo Track (5.2km), which offers a 15-minute downhill run of sweeping berms with a few fast fun log jumps thrown in.

Rail Trails

Of course for those who just love to ride no matter what the terrain, there is also the East Gippsland Rail Trail. Heading east from Bairnsdale, the rail trail offers family friendly riding and lets you cruise and take in the scenery. The full trail stretches for 100km, making its way to Orbost via the townships of Nicholson, Bruthen (on the Tambo River), Nowa Nowa and Newmerella. Opportunities abound to feast along the way; try a delicious homemade pie or a classic Devonshire tea. If the full 100km is a bit of a stretch, completing the 65km to Lake Entrance and utilising the Discovery Trail opens an opportunity for a great overnight return trip.

 

 

Colquhoun Mountain Bike Park

Getting There
Located in the East Gippsland region of Victoria, the MTB park is just off the Princes Highway about 270km east of Melbourne and 720km south of Sydney.

When to ride
Colquhoun can be ridden all year round but it can be pretty hot in summer so bring plenty of water, and wet conditions can bring out the mozzies!

Facilities
There’s not much more than car parking available at the Colquhoun trailhead, so take plenty of water and food. The nearest township is Swan Reach 5.5km west, which has a general store for basic supplies. Accommodation, bike shops, restaurants and supermarkets can be found at Lakes Entrance (10km east) and Bairnsdale (26km west).

Bike Shop
Gary and Lisa Jackson of Riviera Cycles, located on the Princes Highway in Bairnsdale, are happy to provide advice on the local trails and directions if needed; www.rivieracycles.com.au

 

Gippsland Lakes Discovery Trail

Many visitors to East Gippsland will be familiar with Lakes Entrance, a bustling coastal tourist town with access to the Gippsland Lakes network. ‘Lakes’, as it is referred to, is a favourite summertime tourist destination and it’s packed with options; there’s mini-golf, scoop ice-cream and hot cinnamon donuts, as well endless beautiful beaches and a variety and lake and river cruises. The view out over Lakes from the Kalimna Lookout is stunning, and one of the most striking features is the permanent access channel between the ocean and the lakes system that gives Lakes Entrance its name. Both sides of the channel are lined with enormous granite boulders that protect against tidal erosion.

All that granite had to come from somewhere, and that somewhere is the Mississippi Creek Quarry buried deep in the Colquhoun State Forest. The Gippsland Lakes Discovery Trail is a cycling track that retraces the route of a historic tramway. This light rail used to bring granite from the quarry down to Lakes Entrance for the channel and also to be shipped off to Melbourne for use in buildings and other construction.

By linking with the East Gippsland Rail Trail near Bruthen, the Discovery Trail enables cyclists to complete a 65km one-way route between the coast and Bairnsdale (a major service centre for the region). The Discovery Trail itself is around 25km in length, with the rest of the distance made up by the rail trail.