Riders taking to the picturesque Great Southern Rail Trail in South Gippsland now have another 36 km of uninterrupted pedalling to enjoy, with works on a new section between Leongatha and Nyora now complete.
Set on what was Australia’s southernmost mainland rail line, the Great Southern Rail Trail is a 90-minute drive from Melbourne and takes visitors on a winding journey through rolling farmlands, quaint towns, river valleys and magical mountain scenery.
The trail originally started in Leongatha and finished in Port Welshpool, covering more than 70 km and running through Koonwarra,, Fish Creek, Foster, Toora and other historic towns along the way. But with exciting extensions in the pipeline that are now starting to materialize, the increasingly popular trail is growing at both ends.
In early 2021, a major extension was announced that would see a new section built between Leongatha and Nyora. This involved works on eight bridges and construction of a gravel trail, with a 15-km section between Leongatha and Korumburra opened to the public in April last year.
Though the remaining Korumburra to Nyora section was navigable, riders were required to take on-road detours as works continued on bridges and surfacing. With these finishing touches now applied to the Bass River and Allsops Creek bridges and remaining section of the trail, riders can now enjoy the continuous 36 km-ride between Leongatha and Nyora.
A rider enjoys the recently finished Bass River Bridge on the Great Southern Rail Trail (Credit: Rail Trails Australia)
“Prior to decking and the completion of this last section, for several months really keen riders would have to develop their own on-road detour,” explained John Birrell, East Gippsland Regional Representative for Rail Trails Australia.
The total length of the Great Southern Rail Trail stands at 109 km, but works are underway that will soon make it the second longest in the country, behind only the 161-km Brisbane Valley Rail Trail.
A $6M extension was announced in July 2021 to build a new 21-km section of the trail linking Welshpool to Alberton, where it would connect with an existing trail to Yarram. This would stretch the continuous length of the Great Southern Rail trail to 135 km, and make it Victoria’s longest. Construction on this section is scheduled to begin this year, according to Rail Trails Australia.
And there is another exciting extension on the horizon, with the South Gippsland and Bass Coast Shires currently pursuing funding for a new section connecting Nyora to Woolamai. This 25-km leg would in turn connect the Great Southern Rail trail with the Bass Coast Rail Trail. Together with the extension at the eastern end to Alberton, this would allow for more than 180 km of continuous, relaxing rail trail riding.
For more information on the Great Southern Rail Trail, visit Rail Trails Australia.
Lead image supplied by Rail Trails Australia.