Bass Coast Rail Trail - Trail Description

Location: South Gippsland coast, 130km from Melbourne

Start/end: Anderson to Wonthaggi

Region: Gippsland, Victoria

Length open: 16km

Surface: Gravel

The Kilcunda trestle bridge with ocean in the background. Alexander McCooke

Description

This trail is best known for the trestle bridge at Kilcunda, which has a surf beach as its backdrop. This is the only coastal rail trail in Victoria, and makes an easy day trip from Melbourne or can be part of a weekend away. The landscape varies from the rugged coastline at Kilcunda, to flat farmland and coastal bushland. There are old mining areas of historical significance at Wonthaggi and Kilcunda.

The trail is managed by the Bass Coast Shire Council. As of 2006 they have organised the formation of a rail trail friends group and are seeking funding to upgrade the trail surface to a higher quality suitable for all bikes and motorised scooters and wheelchairs.

The trail is also being extended back towards Nyora (not shown on the map). About 6km has been cleared and while not yet surfaced it can be used by walkers and keen mountain bike riders.

News Items

May 2008 Funding announced for trail surface upgrade.
February 2007 Special Heritage Day Event

For more information on this trail see the book Rail Trails of Victoria and South Australia.

Trail Map

See Rail Trails of Victoria and South Australia for a much more detailed map. The maps in the book include all trail access points, facilities along the trail and gradient profiles (example).

Gallery

Click any of the photos below for a larger image or display all.

Wonthaggi railway station has been well preserved and still contains many of the original structures, including the hand operated goods crane on the left. Graeme Moore - 2007

The trail approaching Kilcunda. Graeme Moore - 2007

Aerial view of the trail looking north to the Kilcunda bridge. Bass Coast Shire - 2006

Scenery on the open but as yet unsurfaced section between Anderson and Nyora

Web Links

Note: Railtrails Australia has no control over the content of external web sites.

Related Information

Discuss this trail in our Victoria Rail Trails Forum
More trails in this region
Find other trails with our Rail Trail Finder

Rail Trails of Victoria and South Australia

This trail is included in our guide book Rail trails of Victorian and South Australia. The book features 25 rail trails. It includes plenty of photos, detailed descriptions and full colour maps.

It is available from book shops and bike shops or order direct.

Contributions and Corrections

We welcome contributions and corrections to our trail information. Please email

Railtrails Australia accepts no responsibility for liability or loss or injury sustained in using the trails described on this site.

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