You can start at either end of this trail, or in the middle. Merricks is a good option if you want a downhill run for your return trip after a decent lunch! The 2.8km lower section, which is popular with horse riders, does not follow the original alignment so it is steeper than a typical rail trail.  The original line rose at 1 in 44 up to Red Hill, steeper than normal for branchlines but quite manageable on a bike. Unfortunately, the rail corridor up to Tonkins Rd was sold and the diversion is even steeper. The trail is very narrow in parts and can also be muddy, so it’s unsuitable for road bikes in winter.

Access Points

• Merricks: The Merricks Station Ground car park entrance is obscured from Frankston-Flinders Road (C777). Look for the mobile phone tower about 150m east of Merricks General Wine Store. There are public toilets here.
• Tonkins Rd: There is limited parking but the road is narrow and unsuitable for horse floats. The trail up to Red Hill starts next to #22.
• Red Hill: There is a carpark with room for horse floats, toilets, BBQ and bike repair station at the Red Hill Station Reserve. It’s off Point Leo Rd and behind the shops.

• Look for the ‘Trail’ sign on the timber railing fence, near the phone tower. A narrow track runs beside the equestrian centre to the start of the trail proper. You can avoid this section by using the shared path on the other side of the horse area, next to Merricks Rd.
• Turn left, climb steadily for 2km and enjoy the views over Western Port to Phillip Island. After a sharp right turn, the trail continues down a steep hill (with grapevines on the left), where it meets the end of Tonkins Rd. The trail continues to the left after #22 and is now on the original rail easement. It ascends gently for 3.6km to Red Hill, first through pine trees (look for colourful fungi in autumn) and then two small cuttings.
• Next to the mountain bike pump track at Red Hill the station has been partially recreated, with a plaque commemorating the 75th anniversary of the railway opening.
• The trail continues to Point Leo Rd behind the shopping strip. Explore the area, visit the cafés or bakery and either return via the trail or local roads. There are asphalt and dirt shared paths from here along Arthurs Seat Rd.
• There are several wineries at the Merricks end and a cafe.

Explorer Route

One of the proposals in the massive Peninsula Trail project is to build a 10km shared path along Frankston-Flinders Rd from Bittern to Merricks, more than half of it close to the alignment of the Red Hill line, but the cost was estimated at $11m in 2022 and other parts of the project are taking priority in what is expected to be a 10-year undertaking dependent on outside funding. If you’re desperate to arrive by train and unwilling to wait that long, you can already ride or walk the Western Port Bay Trail from Bittern station to Balnarring Beach and then watch for marker posts featuring a Peninsula PathLinks logo to get you along Library Rd and Bayview Rd to the continuation of Junction Rd. This gets rougher as you approach Merricks, is 6km longer and is only suitable for mountain bikes and experienced walkers.