Victoria

Overview

Throughout Victoria there are many great trail networks to take your bike out and get into nature for fitness or an adrenaline rush. A long-time favourite with mountain bikers in Melbourne, Lysterfield Park, offers 24 kilometres of trails suitable for beginners through to seasoned riders. The relatively flat terrain means the more hardcore descents are out, but also means the climbs aren't overly arduous. Cross country riders will find a lot to love here, with plenty of opportunities to get the lactic acid right up hammering through singletrack.

30 minutes drive north of Geelong and 45 minutes west of Melbourne lies the You Yangs, with two designated mountain bike areas containing over 50 kilometres of singletrack that cater for riders of all ages and abilities. The easier and flatter Kurrajong Plantation weaves for 20 kilometres and consists of three loop tracks through established Eucalypt plantations. It's ideal for family groups, wanting to experience mountain biking for the first time right through to experienced riders wanting to test their endurance and speed. The more testing Stockyards area in the north of the park has a range of flowing single trails and steep technical sections through rocky landscapes - this area contains three down hill tracks and a range of cross country tracks that will test riders of all levels.

With the bulk of it nestled near the heart of Dromana on the Mornington Peninsula, the sprawling trail network at Arthurs Seat State Park offers both serious climbs and serious descents. Boasting an incredible amount of trail variety, this place is a must see for the discerning mountain biking enthusiast. Arthurs Seat offers a natural, rooty, rocky and sandy trail environment. Every trail here is unique and every trail offers elevation, flow and serious pace through heavily wooded areas. Despite this, sightlines are typically very good and allow for the many drops and rooty, rocky sections to be taken with maximum enthusiasm. However the choppy, undulating terrain is also a good test of equipment – an entry level bike is going to be out of its element a lot the trails. This is most definitely an enthusiast environment – bring a full suspension bike and kneepads.