Image: Mt Buller
Get set to Ride High Country! A brand new season in Australia’s premier cycling region has officially kicked off, offering prime cycling across every discipline.
We’re back, live, in 3D and ready to explore the High Country’s wide open spaces, rolling farmlands and the views to the horizon from the tops of the alpine peaks.
Relaxed rail trails, challenging road climbs, epic mountain biking and endless gravel experiences are here to enjoy for six glorious months through Summer and Autumn 2022.
Now’s the time to get training for Australia’s best, most scenic and most challenging road climbs – the 7 Peaks of Mt Buffalo, Mt Buller, Dinner Plain, Falls Creek, Mt Hotham, Mt Baw Baw and Lake Mountain. Ride one or ride them all to discover spectacular views and epic riding experiences comparable with any of the classic European climbs of the Alps and the Pyrenees. Challenging yourself on the 7 Peaks is a great way to prepare for the hugely popular Alpine Classic or Peaks Challenge road cycling events on the long weekends in January and March, not to mention the perfect excuse to unwind for a few days’ break at the alpine resorts or in Bright, Porepunkah, Mt Beauty or Marysville, where the amazing food and drink and accommodation choices will turn any post-ride recovery into a happy holiday escape.
Aside from the 7 Peaks road climbs, the High Country also boasts four alpine mountain bike parks across the region: Mt Buller, Dinner Plain, Falls Creek and Lake Mountain. All are now back open after winter, and each offers its own unique take on mountain biking … on actual mountains. The pick of the bunch is a toss-up between Falls Creek’s 12km of unbroken gravity line from the Summit to Flowtown, and Mt Buller’s new trail refurbishments thanks to a big cash injection from the State Government. Dinner Plain’s easier trails are always a hit with families (plus your furry friend doesn’t have to stay at home!).
Hundreds of kms of gravel roads await the explorers among you. Australia’s gravel paradise, Beechworth, is home to some of the best gravel riding in the country, with fast, smooth gravel in the Mt Pilot National Park and chunkier granite loops towards the foodbowl of Stanley. Roll over to the King Valley on a day ride and take in the sweeping views from the valley sides before stopping for a feed at King River Brewers or one of the Prosecco Road wineries such as Dal Zotto Wines, Chrismont or Pizzini.
Feeling adventurous? Leave the car at home, pack some spare clothes and flashpack your way around the region – that’s going to be huge this summer.
Families and new riders will love the relaxed cycling experience on the 300km of safe off-road paths across 3 different rail trails in the Ride High Country region: the famous Murray to Mountains Rail Trail to Bright, the Great Victorian Rail Trail between Tallarook and Mansfield, and the High Country Rail Trail between Wodonga and Corryong.
With cafes galore in the towns and villages, plus farm gates, wineries, breweries and distilleries to take in, it’s easy to settle in for the day and forget you’re here to ride a bike! Try the Bright to Wandiligong path for a lovely flat ride, or tackle Beechworth to Everton’s 16km downhill section – with a welcome shuttle back to town. There’s an even longer downhill on the High Country Rail Trail from historic Shelley Station to Old Tallangatta, where you’ll pass old trestle bridges and other relics of times gone by.
Many Ride High Country businesses offer bike-friendly accommodation, shuttles and fully guided tours. Head to Ride High Country to explore this stunning region on two wheels.
