Tallarook to Yea Rail Trail

StartClick to Reverse the Dynamic Map and Driving NotesTallarook
FinishYea Station Precinct
Suitable ForWalk/Run Cycling/MTB Horse 
Distance38.86 km
Average Speed6.31 km/hr
Travel Time6 hrs 9 mins
Page Updated: 18 Jan 2024

Description

At 134km, the Great Victorian Rail Trail is Australia's longest rail trail. It follows the route of an old train line once known as the Mansfield Line from Tallarook to Mansfield in the Victorian High Country. These days the route is designed for cyclists, walkers and horse riders and due to the route passing through numerous townships, accommodation, food and supplies are readily available along the way. There are numerous rail trails throughout Australia, being shared-use paths recycled from abandoned railway corridors. The numerous access points make it easy to plan day trips, or the journey can be done as a multi-day trip without the need to be fully self-sufficient.

For the purpose of providing ease of navigation and planning, we have split the route into 6 smaller Treks. This one covers the section from Tallarook to Yea. After completing this Trek you can continue along the rail trail using our next Trek in the series Yea to Molesworth.

This Trek covers the westernmost section of The Great Victorian Rail Trail and is just under 40km in length. The route follows the banks of the beautiful Goulburn River for the first 23km and includes crossing the King Parrot Creek over a bridge. After the bridge the trail turns away from the Goulburn River and the Trawool Valley opens up into gently undulating grazing farmland. This area is classified by the National Trust for its scenic beauty. The trail is constructed from a mix of compacted gravel (chert) and granitic sand and does include approximately 450m of elevation however the gradients are gradual. The station precinct at the former Yea Railway Station has been restored and features the Yea Country Markets on the first Saturday of each month.

How to Use this Trek Note

  • To download this information and the route file for offline use on a phone, tablet, headunit or laptop, go to the app store and purchase ExplorOz Traveller. This app enables offline navigation and mapping and will show where you are as you travel along the route. For more info see the ExplorOz Traveller webpage and the EOTopo webpage.

TIP

ExplorOz Traveller now features the NEW EOTopo 2023 mapset!

History

Indigenous History

Scar trees, rock shelters, rock art and place names all indicate that the Taungurung people (Daung wurrung) have been in this part of Victoria for thousands of years. Many Taungurung people still live on their country and participate widely in the community as cultural heritage advisors, land management officers, artists and educationalist.

European History

In 1824 Hamilton Hume and William Hovell were commission to lead an expedition to find new grazing land and attempt to discover where New South Wales's western rivers flowed.

Yea was established in May 1837 as the first service centre for the early squatters and settlers of the district and in the gold rush era of the 1850s it became a stopping place for gold prospectors.

In the 1860 the first section of railway line from Melbourne to the North East reached Essendon and then extended to reach Tallarook in 1872. By 1883 it had been extended further to Wodonga however a junction was built at Tallarook and a branch line built from Tallarook heading east into mountainous territory. This became the Mansfield line which is the route of this Trek.

The first stage from Tallarook to Yea was opened in 1883 being extended in stages through various small townships and reached Mansfield in 1891 some 117km from the junction. The line was quite scenic and included a 200m tunnel near Cheviot and a viaduct over an arm of the Lake Eildon reservoir in Bonnie Doon.

The line provided access for agricultural products from the region to the Melbourne markets but was closed and dismantled in 1978. No train has ever visited Yea since then.

After the 2009 Victorian bushfires, the Victorian Government announced a project to utilise the railway corridor to build a 134km cycle trail as an economic stimulus. AU$14Million was spent to repair and build bridges, road crossings, car parking, rest stops and amenities. The Great Victorian Rail Trail was opened in June 2012.

TrekID: 13416

Preparation

Permits

This is a cycle/walking/horse trail only. Motorised vehicles are not permitted.

Best Time To Visit

The Trail is suitable for use all year round. The climate is generally mild by Australian standards, but can be hot in summer and cold in winter, depending on what you're used to. Average summer maximums are about 30C but may rise to low 40's on extreme days. Winter maximums average about 16C, but may be as low a 0C on occasions. Autumn and Spring are ideal seasons for this trek.

Closest Climatic Station

Mangalore Airport
Distance from Trek Mid Point 30.38km N
 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Mean Max. °C29.729.326.121.416.713.412.514.116.820.424.326.9
Mean Min. °C14.114.312.28.56.03.93.13.95.37.29.911.8
Mean Rain mm39.335.736.238.454.253.657.962.855.147.548.140.7
    Best time to travel      Ok time to travel      Travel NOT recommended

Map

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Directions

Tallarook to Dabyminga Creek Bridge
Cycling: 3.27 km
Heading: 87°
Avg Speed: 6.59 km/hr
EST Time: 29:46
  • Head northeast on Upper Goulburn Road (C383) for: 0.17 km time: 00:46
  • Turn right onto Lodge Street for: 0.01 km time: 00:06
  • Turn left onto Upper Goulburn Road for: 0.26 km time: 01:03
  • Continue onto Great Victorian Rail Trail for: 2.83 km time: 27:50
Dabyminga Creek Bridge to Landscape Homestead
Cycling: 0.75 km
Heading: 88°
Avg Speed: 6.32 km/hr
EST Time: 07:07
  • Head east on Great Victorian Rail Trail for: 0.75 km time: 07:05
Landscape Homestead to Picnic Shelter
Cycling: 2.63 km
Heading: 57°
Avg Speed: 6.03 km/hr
EST Time: 26:10
  • Head east on Great Victorian Rail Trail for: 2.63 km time: 26:11
Picnic Shelter to Public Toilet
Cycling: 1.5 km
Heading: 96°
Avg Speed: 5.98 km/hr
EST Time: 15:03
  • Head northeast on Great Victorian Rail Trail for: 1.45 km time: 14:33
  • Turn right for: 0.04 km time: 00:28
  • Turn right onto Upper Goulburn Road (C383) for: 0.02 km time: 00:04
Public Toilet to Trawool
Cycling: 3.13 km
Heading: 124°
Avg Speed: 6 km/hr
EST Time: 31:18
  • Head southeast on Upper Goulburn Road (C383) for: 0.02 km time: 00:12
  • Turn left for: 0.04 km time: 00:27
  • Turn right onto Great Victorian Rail Trail for: 3.07 km time: 30:38
Trawool to Granite
Cycling: 2.57 km
Heading: 167°
Avg Speed: 6.04 km/hr
EST Time: 25:31
  • Head southeast on Great Victorian Rail Trail for: 1.92 km time: 19:15
  • Continue straight to stay on Great Victorian Rail Trail for: 0.65 km time: 06:18
Granite to Public Toilet Granite
Cycling: 0.28 km
Heading: 146°
Avg Speed: 6.16 km/hr
EST Time: 02:43
  • Head southeast on Great Victorian Rail Trail for: 0.28 km time: 02:45
Public Toilet Granite to Underpass
Cycling: 1.19 km
Heading: 144°
Avg Speed: 6 km/hr
EST Time: 11:54
  • Head southeast on Great Victorian Rail Trail for: 1.19 km time: 11:55
Underpass to Picnic Shelter
Cycling: 2.85 km
Heading: 137°
Avg Speed: 6.07 km/hr
EST Time: 28:10
  • Head southwest on Great Victorian Rail Trail for: 2.85 km time: 28:13
Picnic Shelter to Kerrisdale
Cycling: 1.97 km
Heading: 82°
Avg Speed: 6 km/hr
EST Time: 19:42
  • Head southeast on Great Victorian Rail Trail for: 1.97 km time: 19:40
Kerrisdale to King Parrot Creek Bridge
Cycling: 0.98 km
Heading: 125°
Avg Speed: 8.03 km/hr
EST Time: 07:19
  • Head east on Great Victorian Rail Trail for: 0.98 km time: 07:18
King Parrot Creek Bridge to Homewood
Cycling: 8.81 km
Heading: 133°
Avg Speed: 6.43 km/hr
EST Time: 01:22:12
  • Head southeast on Great Victorian Rail Trail for: 7.38 km time: 01:13:01
  • Continue right onto Bryants Road for: 0.25 km time: 01:29
  • Go straight onto Old Goulburn Valley Highway for: 0.58 km time: 02:20
  • Make a slight left onto Great Victorian Rail Trail for: 0.44 km time: 04:29
  • Turn left to stay on Great Victorian Rail Trail for: 0.16 km time: 00:51
Homewood to Yea Station Precinct
Cycling: 8.93 km
Heading: 104°
Avg Speed: 6.35 km/hr
EST Time: 01:24:22
  • Head southeast on Great Victorian Rail Trail for: 8.85 km time: 01:23:35
  • Turn right at the end of the road, onto Great Victorian Rail Trail for: 0.01 km time: 00:08
  • Make a slight left to stay on Great Victorian Rail Trail for: 0.06 km time: 00:37
Distance is based on the travel mode shown (Driving, Straight, Cycling, Walking etc), Direction is straight line from start to end, Avg Speed & EST Time is calculated from GPS data.

What to See

Yea Country Markets on the first Saturday of each month

Facilities

Where to Stay

Accommodation is available at the Tallarook Hotel or in any of the B&Bs and farmstays in the area.
Yea has a number of hotels and motels plus B&Bs and farmstays in the area.

Services & Supplies

Wildflowers

Related Travel Journals

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