O'Keefe Rail Trail (50km)

The O'Keefe Rail Trail runs approximately 50 kilometres through Victoria's goldfields, linking North Bendigo with Heathcote roughly 150 kilometres north of Melbourne. Laid over the old Bendigo to Heathcote railway line, first built in 1888 and closed in 1958, the trail is a fine gravel and sealed surface suited to mountain bikes, touring and hybrid bikes, as well as walkers, and it's well established enough to offer options for a half-day out and back or a full overnight trip with a stay in Heathcote.

The route breaks naturally into two sections. From North Bendigo to Axedale (23 kilometres) the trail heads east through box ironbark and yellow gum woodland, crossing the Midland Highway near Napier Street and passing through East Bendigo, Junortoun and the Longlea station site, now redeveloped as Peppercorn Park with toilets, parking, a picnic shelter and bike hoops. Axe Creek is crossed at the 12 kilometre mark on a relatively new bridge, and the trail then diverts briefly around a golf course before running into Axedale on an asphalt path, where a general store, cafe and tavern, along with drinking water and a bike repair station, make for a natural halfway stop.

From Axedale to Heathcote (26 kilometres) the trail crosses the Campaspe River through a mural-covered underpass beneath the McIvor Highway and a dedicated rail trail bridge, then climbs back to the old corridor before entering Knowsley State Forest. Within the forest, a short side trip leads to the Smart Track Day Visitor Area with toilets, a shelter, gas barbecues and picnic tables. After Knowsley the trail climbs Moorabbee Hill for views of the Cobaw Range, then crosses Lake Eppalock on a causeway and the 90 metre Mt Ida Creek Bridge, where the original railway alignment was flooded by the lake. A rest area and replica station board mark the old Derrinal site before the trail shadows the highway into One Eye State Forest, where a stretch of the old easement, between Mia Mia-Derrinal Road and Burnt Track, is shared with trailbike riders. The Heathcote end finishes at Herriot Street, with a Lions Club shelter, information and a dog park, and a loop trail continuing on to the Pink Cliffs Geological Reserve for those wanting to see the eroded cliffs left behind by old sluice mining.

Along the way there's plenty to draw you off the bike or off your feet: Bendigo itself is a major regional centre full of Victorian-era architecture, with the Golden Dragon Museum, Central Deborah Gold Mine and the Bendigo Creek and Bushland trails nearby. Heathcote has a brewery, quality shiraz and several accommodation options, and the Red Rock Volcanic Complex and Bendigo Bushland Trail are close by too. Spring brings wildflowers, including orchids, along the corridor.