East Gippsland Rail Trail

Bairnsdale

Length: 50 kilometres
Cycle: 5 hours one way
Track: Good
Grade: Flat
Start: Howitt Park, Bairnsdale
Finish: Nowa Nowa
Nearby: Bairnsdale
Permits/bookings: None required.

Tracing the path of an old railway line, the trail begins in Bairnsdale, just north of the Gippsland Lakes, and heads east through grazing land toward the small farming township of Nicholson. After travelling for 8.5 kilometres, it crosses an old railway bridge spanning the Nicholson River. Before tackling the next part of the trail, take time out for tasting at a Nicholson winery. Weaving its way through tall forest, the 21.5-kilometre undulating section from Nicholson to Bruthen offers spectacular views of the Mossiface flats. There are plans to extend the East Gippsland rail trail all the way to Orbost, and eventually to the seaside town of Marlo at the mouth of the Snowy River.

NB: The track has recently been extended beyond Bruthen and finishes in the township of Nowa Nowa