Winter is the sweet spot for exploring Victoria’s Murray to Mountains Rail Trail, with crisp riding conditions, colourful crowd-free landscapes and plenty of gourmet pit stops along the way.
With autumn foliage still burning bright and clear winter skies settling in, now is the ideal time to layer up and embark on a cycling adventure through Victoria’s High Country. Having completed an $8.5 million upgrade in September 2025, the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail is safer, more scenic and spectacular than ever.
The sealed, off-road trail is a 137-kilometre cycling route linking the vibrant towns of Wangaratta, Beechworth, Rutherglen, Bright and Myrtleford in Victoria’s north-east.
Pass through historic townships. (Credit: Tourism North East/Karen Webb)
Your days will be spent gliding through boulevards of towering golden poplars, pedalling past cow-dotted fields along decommissioned rail tracks and discovering the historic gold rush towns of north-east Victoria. Stop in at small-batch cellar doors, gourmet restaurants and honey shops for a taste of the region’s top-notch produce, and enjoy the wide-open scenery you’ll essentially have all to yourself.
Backed by $8.5 million in funding from the Victorian government, the new development added a 32-kilometre extension connecting Beechworth to Yackandandah, as well as safety enhancements including nine new bridges, an elevated boardwalk and improved signage.
Discover the colourful streets of Bright by bike.
Discover new art along the trail, such as in Myrtleford. (Credit: Tourism North East/Karen Webb)
Stop in at Milawa Cheese Company.
The upgrade also included the addition of art installations and silo murals that celebrate the stories of Victorian artists, creating memorable ‘must-see’ moments along the journey. On top of this, park landscaping and nature play areas invite deeper connection to the surrounding scenery.
Suitable for families, couples and friends, the trail is graded as ‘easy’ and is mostly flat, with sealed surfaces and wheelchair-accessible segments. You can complete smaller sections as shorter daytime adventures or check into accommodations along the way for a longer journey. Many people tackle the rail trail as a self-guided trip; however, you can also book a guided tour for ease of mind and fuss-free logistics.
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Highlights of the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail
The trail is perfect for families. (Credit: Tourism North East/Karen Webb)
Whether you’re into fine wines and farm-fresh produce or outdoor exploration, there are abundant things to do along the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail. Here are our top picks.
Milawa Gourmet Region: Savour the flavours of the region at the hatted Brown Brothers Restaurant, Milawa Cheese Company and Hurdle Creek Still distillery.
Mountain vistas: Admire majestic Mount Buffalo, along with Feathertop and Hotham in the distance, on the scenic pedal from Bright to Myrtleford. And keep your eyes peeled for the occasional echidna!
Red wines: Taste your way through Rutherglen’s rustic and boutique cellar doors, experiencing its famous muscat and red wines at stops such as Olive Hills Estate, Stanton and Killeen Wines and Anderson Winery.
Don’t miss cycling along scenic Ovens River.
Stop in the town of Bright: This adorable town is rich in scenic parks, gold rush history and charming cafes. It’s also home to the stunning Ovens River.
Birdwatching: Spot parrots, wrens and magpies along the Bowser to Tarrawingee section of the trail, where you’ll also find Emily Floyd’s Magpie Family artwork.
New art installations: Located in Rutherglen, Tarrawingee, Porepunkah, Eurobin and between Oxley & Milawa, these new artworks and sculptures bring colour, narrative discovery and topics of discussion to the trail.
Historic Beechworth: Sip craft beer, take a tour of Old Beechworth Gaol and wander heritage streetscapes.
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Eleanor Edström is Australian Traveller’s Associate Editor. Previously a staff writer at Signature Luxury Travel & Style and Vacations & Travel magazines, she's a curious wordsmith with a penchant for conservation, adventure, the arts and design. She discovered her knack for storytelling much earlier, however – penning mermaid sagas in glitter ink at age seven. Proof that her spelling has since improved, she holds an honours degree in English and philosophy, and a French diploma from the University of Sydney. Off duty, you’ll find her pirouetting between Pilates and ballet classes, or hunting down Sydney's cosiest cafes.
The passionate community that saved Bendigo Tramways has kept the story of this city alive for generations.
It was an absolute steal: a fleet of 23 trams for just $1. But such a fortunate purchase didn’t happen easily. It was 1972 when the Bendigo Trust handed over a single buck for the city’s historic collection of battery, steam and electric trams, which had transported locals since 1890.
Bendigo Tramways is a historic transport line turned tourist service. (Image: Bendigo Heritage)
The city’s tram network had been declared defunct since 1970 due to post-war shortages in materials to upkeep the trams and declining passenger numbers as motor vehicles were increasing. However, determined locals would not hear of their beloved trams being sold off around the world.
The Bendigo Trust was enlisted to preserve this heritage, by converting the trams into a tourist service. The Victorian government approved a trial, however news spread that the Australian Electric Tramways Museum in Adelaide had acquired one of the streetcars for its collection.
A tram on its way to Quarry Hill in 1957. (Image: Bendigo Heritage)
An impassioned group rallied together to make this physically impossible. Breaking into the tram sheds, they welded iron pipes to the rails, removed carbon brushes from the motors, and formed a blockade at the depot. The community response was extraordinary, and a $1 deal was sealed.
A new chapter for the city’s fleet
The old Tramways Depot and Workshop is one of the stops on the hop-on, hop-off service. (Image: Tourism Australia)
Today, Bendigo Tramways welcomes some 40,000 passengers annually, operating as a hop-on, hop-off touring service aboard the restored trams. Fifteen of the now 45-strong fleet are dubbed ‘Talking Trams’ because of the taped commentary that is played along the route. The trams loop between Central Deborah Gold Mine and the Bendigo Joss House Temple, which has been a place of Chinese worship since 1871, via other sites including the old Tramways Depot and Workshop.
The fleet comprises 45 trams that have been restored. (Image: Visit Victoria/Robert Blackburn)
Keeping things interesting, throughout the year visitors can step aboard different themed trams. Tram No. 302 becomes the Yarn Bomb Tram, decorated both inside and out with colourful crochet by an anonymous group of locals.
During the festive season, Tram No. 15 operates as a tinsel-festooned Santa Tram, and the big man himself hides out somewhere along the route for excited children to find. And on selected dates, the adults-only Groove Tram runs nighttime tours of the city, accompanied by local musicians playing live tunes and a pop-up bar.
Visitors can hop on and off to see the city’s sites such as the historic post office turned visitor centre. (Image: Tourism Australia)
As well as preserving the city’s history, however, the continuation of the tram service has kept the skills of tram building and craftsmanship alive in a practical sense. Bendigo’s Heritage Rail Workshop is world-renowned for restoring heritage trams and repurposing vehicles in creative ways.
Locally, for example, Tram No. 918 was transformed into the Dja Dja Wurrung Tram with original Aboriginal artworks by emerging artist Natasha Carter, with special commentary and music that shares the stories and traditions of Bendigo’s first people. You can’t put a price on preserving history. Nonetheless, it was a dollar very well spent.
