The best cycling routes in Australia for every kind of rider

Australia doesn’t get talked about as a cycling destination as often as France or Italy, and honestly, that’s a little baffling once you’ve ridden here. This country has coastal rail trails that hug turquoise water, wine region loops that end at a cellar door, and high-altitude climbs that will humble even seasoned riders.

What makes Australian cycling special is the sheer variety packed into relatively short distances. You can ride a flat, family-friendly rail trail in the morning and be staring down a genuine alpine climb by the following afternoon. The distances between rides are big by European standards, but the pay-off is having entire routes practically to yourself.

Whether you’re hauling panniers on a multi-week tour or just want a decent half-day loop near a capital city, here’s where to point your wheels.

📋 TL;DR — the quick version

• 🚴 Munda Biddi Trail, WA: Over 1,000 kilometres of off-road forest trail from Perth to Albany — the longest continuous mountain bike trail in the world.
• 🍷 Rail Trail rides in Victoria: Gentle, scenic converted railway lines like the Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail, perfect for casual riders.
• ⛰️ Alpine climbs near Bright and Falls Creek: Some of the toughest and most rewarding road climbs in the Southern Hemisphere.
• 🌊 Great Ocean Road cycling, Victoria: Dramatic coastal scenery, but plan for narrow shoulders and serious traffic awareness.
• 🏙️ City bike paths in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth: Excellent dedicated cycling infrastructure for an easy, low-stress ride.
• 🎒 Bring your own bike or hire: Most major routes have hire and shuttle operators who handle luggage transfers for multi-day trips.
• ☀️ Beat the heat: Start rides early morning, especially outside the cooler months from April to October.

🚴 Why Australia deserves a spot on your cycling bucket list

Cyclists who’ve toured Europe often arrive in Australia expecting less and leave completely converted. The road surfaces on major touring routes tend to be excellent, the coastal scenery rivals anywhere in the world, and the rail trail network, converted from old train lines into dedicated cycling paths, means gentle, car-free riding is available almost everywhere.

There’s also a real cycling culture here. Regional towns along popular routes have leaned into it hard, with bike-friendly cafes, secure overnight storage, and local shops that know exactly which climb you’re about to attempt and how much water you’ll need for it.

🗺️ The routes worth building a trip around

🌲 1. The Munda Biddi Trail, Western Australia

This is the big one for serious mountain bike tourers. The Munda Biddi runs over 1,000 kilometres through karri forest and farmland from just outside Perth all the way south to Albany, and it’s recognised as the longest continuous off-road cycling trail anywhere in the world.

• Huts along the way: Free, basic huts are spaced roughly a day’s ride apart, which means you can travel with minimal camping gear.
• Fitness level required: This is genuinely demanding — soft sand sections and long forest stretches with no phone signal mean it suits experienced tourers rather than beginners.
• Best time to ride: Spring (September to November) hits the sweet spot of wildflowers and manageable temperatures.

🚂 2. The Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail, Victoria

If the Munda Biddi sounds like too much, this is the opposite end of the spectrum. The Murray to the Mountains follows a decommissioned rail corridor through Victoria’s high country wine region, linking towns like Wangaratta, Beechworth, Myrtleford and Bright with a smooth, mostly flat surface.

It’s the kind of ride you can do with kids, with grandparents, or with a group of friends who have wildly different fitness levels, because nobody gets left behind on a gentle rail grade. Plenty of wineries and cideries sit right along the trail, which does slow the average pace down considerably.

👉 Book a Yarra Valley Cycling Tour on GetYourGuide →

⛰️ 3. Alpine climbs around Bright and Falls Creek

For road cyclists chasing a real physical test, the climbs around Bright are legendary. Mount Buffalo, Mount Hotham, and the climb up to Falls Creek regularly feature on lists of the toughest road climbs in the Southern Hemisphere, and professional cycling teams use the region for altitude training camps.

1. Falls Creek climb. Around 33 kilometres of steady, relentless gradient that tests pacing more than raw power.
2. Mount Hotham. Shorter but steeper in sections, with genuinely spectacular views once you clear the tree line.
3. Mount Buffalo. A slightly gentler introduction to alpine climbing, with granite outcrops and lookout points worth the stop.

🌊 4. The Great Ocean Road, Victoria

Riding the Great Ocean Road is one of those bucket-list experiences that lives up to the hype, with cliff-hugging bends and ocean views that make you forget your legs are burning. It’s also genuinely challenging riding, with narrow shoulders, blind corners, and heavy tourist traffic in peak season.

Most experienced cyclists recommend riding early in the morning before the tour buses and rental cars fill the road, and choosing shoulder season months to avoid the worst of the traffic altogether. A rear-view mirror and a bright rear light are worth having even in daylight.

🏙️ 5. City bike paths in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth

Not every ride needs to be an epic. All three of these cities have genuinely excellent dedicated bike path networks that make for a relaxed way to see the sights without fighting traffic.

• Melbourne: The Yarra River trail and Bay Trail from St Kilda to Port Melbourne offer flat, scenic riding right in the city.
• Sydney: The path around Centennial Park and the harbourside route through Barangaroo give you skyline views without traffic stress.
• Perth: The Swan River foreshore path is flat, well-shaded in parts, and connects the city centre to Fremantle in a single satisfying ride.

🚲 Bringing your own bike vs hiring locally

If you’re flying in specifically for a big multi-day route like the Munda Biddi, most airlines will carry a bike in a proper bike bag or hard case for a set fee, and it’s usually cheaper than you’d expect. Just double-check the airline’s specific size and weight policy before you book, since they vary more than you’d think.

For shorter trips, hiring locally is often the smarter move. Rail trail towns typically have hire shops that also handle luggage transfers between overnight stops, meaning you ride with just a day pack while your bags get driven ahead. It removes a huge amount of stress from multi-day touring, especially for first-timers.

👉 Book a Sydney Harbour Bike Tour on GetYourGuide →

☀️ Weather, timing and what to pack

Australian sun is genuinely stronger than most visitors expect, even on overcast days. Sunscreen, a UV-rated cycling jersey, and a proper hydration setup matter more here than they might back home, and it’s worth taking that seriously from day one rather than learning it the hard way.

Timing depends heavily on which region you’re riding in. Southern routes like the Great Ocean Road and Victorian high country are best tackled between October and April, avoiding the coldest, wettest winter months. Northern and alpine routes flip this, with the cooler dry season months generally being far more comfortable for sustained riding.

• 🧴 Sunscreen and a UV buff: Reapply more often than feels necessary, especially on long exposed rail trail sections.
• 💧 More water than you think you need: Regional towns can be further apart than the map suggests, especially on rural routes.
• 🔧 A basic repair kit: Bike shops are not always close by once you’re on a rural or forest trail.
• 📱 An offline GPS app: Mobile signal drops out completely on many forest and mountain sections.

🐨 A few etiquette notes worth knowing

Australian drivers are generally cyclist-aware on popular routes, but rural roads can have long straight stretches where cars pass at speed, so wearing bright clothing and using lights even in daylight makes a real difference. It’s also worth knowing that a helmet is legally required for cyclists of all ages across the entire country, unlike many places overseas.

On shared rail trails, a simple bell and a friendly call before overtaking walkers and slower riders goes a long way, and most regional communities genuinely appreciate cyclists who stop in for a coffee or a meal rather than riding straight through. These towns often rely heavily on trail tourism, and a bit of local spending keeps the whole trail network thriving for the next rider who comes through.