Vic- goldfields trail gravelburn road trip.

boyracer

boyracer

Likes Dirt
Couldn't see any threads, any tips on Goldfields trail and surrounds. Just trying for an interesting shakedown run for new (to me) rig. Something different to my normal hot, dry broadacre for miles and miles. Have been thorough area on Motorbike and thought it would be good to explore the dirt a bit more. Leaving this weekend for a road trip. Have lightweight Bivvy but planning on pubs/ cabins rather than camp but go with the flow.
Rusty has suggested some newish built trails half-way ( aqueduct/Castlemaine??) but also suggested they'd be better on MTB than gravel bike with 43 mm panaracers.
Start at Bendigo? Ballarat? Ride out n back or one way? Anyone wanna catch up for a beer enroute?
 
cammas

cammas

Seamstress
Done it both ways and a few other incarnations, the part from Bendigo is shit arse boring once you get out of the edge of town but has some parts that have good views. My mate left Bendigo today and is doing the GDT400 course which mixes it up a bit with some gravel roads which is good for the gravel bike. Here’s the course link that you can follow which was raced last year.
ridewithgps.com

GDT2023Final

Quarry Hill - Spring Gully - Golden Gully - Kangaroo Flat - Big Hill - Mandurang South - Sedgwick - Harcourt North - Elphinstone - Harcourt - Harco... - 388.9 km, +5383 m. Bike ride in Bendigo, Victoria
ridewithgps.com ridewithgps.com
 
Labcanary

Labcanary

One potato, two potato, click
I've only ever done the Creswick to Ballarat part by bike, and hiked Mollongghip to Daylesford.

Some areas can be pretty ordinary after rain. Here's some links that might be of use:

Goldfields Track

goldfieldstrack.com.au goldfieldstrack.com.au
www.parks.vic.gov.au

Storms and floods

We don’t want a little rain to dampen your enthusiasm for nature but planning appropriately for conditions (including having multiple options) will mean a safer and more enjoyable time.
www.parks.vic.gov.au

Forest and road closures

Access to Victoria's parks and forests may be restricted at times for a number of reasons.
www.ffm.vic.gov.au www.ffm.vic.gov.au

Are you just doing the track between Ballarat and Bendigo or are you including Buninyong and out to Baccus Marsh?

If you want to ride between Ballarat and Buninyong, there is a nicer connection through Woowookarung forest. I'll see If I can create a map you can follow for that. Or if timing works out I might be able to ride that part with you.

What sort of beer do you like?
 
cammas

cammas

Seamstress
If I was to do it I would start and finish at Castlemaine they use different ways in and out so you’re not riding the same thing twice or you could do Ballarat to Castlemaine catching the train at either end and just use the actual GDT trail, staying overnight at Hepburn or something depending on how many kilometres you want to do.
 
John U

John U

MTB Precision
boyracer said:
Couldn't see any threads, any tips on Goldfields trail and surrounds
Click to expand...
The section between Castlemaine and Daylesford used to be known as the "Dry Diggings Trail". A search for this will give you a couple of hits.

I'm assuming it's the same trail you're talking about because it included riding along the edge of an aqueduct which runs past the tailings dam for the Wattle Gully gold mine. I started riding this section many moons ago but only got about 20km's out of Castlemaine due to not allowing myself enough time. From what I remember it was pretty regularly covered with reasonably sharp rocks.

Apparently my attempt at it was back in 2007! Below is the guide mentioned in that thread. You used to be able to get it from the Vic Maps shop.
20240104_091625.jpg
 
Haakon

Haakon

has an accommodating arse
cammas said:
Done it both ways and a few other incarnations, the part from Bendigo is shit arse boring once you get out of the edge of town but has some parts that have good views. My mate left Bendigo today and is doing the GDT400 course which mixes it up a bit with some gravel roads which is good for the gravel bike. Here’s the course link that you can follow which was raced last year.
ridewithgps.com

GDT2023Final

Quarry Hill - Spring Gully - Golden Gully - Kangaroo Flat - Big Hill - Mandurang South - Sedgwick - Harcourt North - Elphinstone - Harcourt - Harco... - 388.9 km, +5383 m. Bike ride in Bendigo, Victoria
ridewithgps.com ridewithgps.com
Click to expand...
That goes up the road I grew up on, literally goes past our front gate! I'll have to ask the olds if they've noticed more bikes on the track lately :)
 
Haakon

Haakon

has an accommodating arse
John U said:
The section between Castlemaine and Daylesford used to be known as the "Dry Diggings Trail". A search for this will give you a couple of hits.

I'm assuming it's the same trail you're talking about because it included riding along the edge of an aqueduct which runs past the tailings dam for the Wattle Gully gold mine. I started riding this section many moons ago but only got about 20km's out of Castlemaine due to not allowing myself enough time. From what I remember it was pretty regularly covered with reasonably sharp rocks.

Apparently my attempt at it was back in 2007! Below is the guide mentioned in that thread. You used to be able to get it from the Vic Maps shop.
View attachment 405942
Click to expand...
I grew up riding this area as a kid, so I'm a little biased, but these are some cracking trails. Especially into the back of Vaughn Springs, and the water race section into the back of Castlemaine.
 
cammas

cammas

Seamstress
cammas said:
Here’s the course link that you can follow which was raced last year.
ridewithgps.com

GDT2023Final

Quarry Hill - Spring Gully - Golden Gully - Kangaroo Flat - Big Hill - Mandurang South - Sedgwick - Harcourt North - Elphinstone - Harcourt - Harco... - 388.9 km, +5383 m. Bike ride in Bendigo, Victoria
ridewithgps.com ridewithgps.com
Click to expand...
And if you really want to challenge yourself my friend Dave did it in just over 24hrs on his mountain bike.

1704332677858.png
 
Asininedrivel

Asininedrivel

caviar connoisseur
Haakon said:
I've done Hepburn to Castlemaine a few times and didnt feel over biked on the Trance...
Click to expand...
Yeah that line of reasoning is definitely not going to help you gain a gravel bike. Repeat after me: all your bikes pedal like they're stuck in treacle. You need to be free. You need to feel the zest of agile riding. You need a gravel bike (or a hardtail).
 
cammas

cammas

Seamstress
Haakon said:
Yeah, but that doesn't help me justify a new bike...
Click to expand...
it is if your current hardtail isnt uber light

You know, you need that carbon frame for compliance, those carbon wheels at 30mm internal so you can run a nice rolling 2.4 tyres and if your going that far, you get the carbon fork as those 2.4 tyres are your suspension, then a nice Syntace post so yours arse is comfortable.

Bam new bike time with a surprisingly quick gravel flat bar hard tail.
 
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