Locals share favourite rides around Bendigo

By Geoff O’Sullivan

Close to home: Bendigo boasts rides close to town for all abilities and interests. Photo courtesy City of Greater Bendigo.

Grab your bike and cycling mates and tick off these favourite local rides.

Short rides

Start at the north end of Lake Weeroona near the rowing sheds and cross Weeroona Avenue to head down the Bendigo Creek trail. It’s a slightly downhill, fully sealed 5 km to Howard Street Epsom. Call into the White Hills Botanical Gardens for a break (toilets available) on the way. This is a great ride for kids or someone who hasn’t ridden a bike for a while.

Or turn right just after the start of the Bendigo Creek trail and follow the signs to the O’Keefe Rail Trail. Cross over Napier Street and Bob Street, head through the railway tunnel and out onto the gravel trail. It will soon take you to Heathcote, but you could turn at McIvor Highway and head back for a 12 km ride.

Medium rides

If you haven’t already grabbed a free local rides brochure from the Visitor Information Centre in Pall Mall now is the time. It gives you details of medium length road rides throughout our beautiful region. Or grab a cycling mate and head out past the One Tree Hotel in Spring Gully, turn left down Tannery Lane, then right into Strathfieldsaye. Grab a coffee then head across to Junortoun, pick up the O’Keefe Rail Trail and head back into Bendigo.

Or drive down to Harcourt, hop on your bike and ride along the old Calder Highway – next to no cars on a great road surface in another beautiful and quiet country setting. Enjoy the wineries of the area then head back to Harcourt for a coffee.

Long rides

You don’t need to join “organised” rides to cycle up to or over 100 km. Although they can be great fun, you can organise your own small group and make up your own track.

A couple of mates and I rode this the other day.

We headed out to Spring Gully, through to Sedgwick, turned right up the North Harcourt Road, down through Harcourt and turned right into Golden Point Road at the infamous Faraday school. This took us on a beautiful downhill road to Chewton and into Castlemaine where we breakfasted in one of the many great coffee shops. Next stop Maldon for another coffee and back to Bendigo after a great morning’s ride.

Cycling with mates is great for your physical and mental health and if you’re not riding regularly you’re missing out on its many benefits.