The East Gippsland Rail Trail between Bruthen and Nowa Nowa has two striking features. The first is the beautiful countryside of the Tambo River floodplain as you head east out of Bruthen, while the second is the stunning historic bridge at Stony Creek as you near Nowa Nowa.
Derek kindly took me to the start of my ride at the small, attractive town of Bruthen. The plan was to cycle east along the East Gippsland Rail Trail to our camp at Nowa Nowa. On the way, I hoped to locate the turnoff to the Gippsland Lakes Discovery Trail for my ride on the following day.
Only a short way out of town I came to this bridge across the Tambo River.
I am always grateful to encounter a purpose-built bridge on a rail trail. Having a bridge means you don’t have to get diverted to the road or descend into a gully and climb out again. There were beautiful views from this bridge – north to the main road and the mountains
and south towards Lakes Entrance.
The Tambo River floodplain was lush and green, and like most of Gippsland, dotted with dairy cattle.
After three kilometres, the East Gippsland Rail Trail crossed the Bruthen-Buchan Road. A sign indicated that it was 27 kilometres to Nowa Nowa and 63 to Orbost.
I had already completed the section between Orbost and Nowa Nowa two days previously, but I was encouraged to see that Lakes Entrance was also mentioned. That was a hopeful sign for finding the turnoff to the Gippsland Lakes Discovery Trail.
I pedalled steadily up this incline for the next seven kilometres.
The climb was enjoyable – I was well rested and at two percent, the grade of the rise was comfortable. It was Saturday, so there were a few people on the trail – a cyclist with a wild beard came roaring down the hill and a determined jogger plodded past.
This clearing in the forest was the perfect place for my picnic morning tea.
When I had cycled 11 kilometres, I came to the turnoff to the Gippsland Lakes Discovery Trail. I took a note of what to look for when Derek brought me back tomorrow, and continued on.
Petite, colourful wildflowers dotted the side of the trail.
I was enjoying a gentle downhill ride now – it lasted for ten kilometres. Suddenly I came to this barrier.
Stony Creek Trestle Bridge
It was the Stony Creek Trestle Bridge, no longer safe to cross. To the right, a track led down to the bottom of the gully.
It was an imposing sight – 276 metres long and 19 metres high. At the bottom there was a clearing with a picnic table and public toilets. I took some time to eat my lunch, thinking about what it must have been like for the men building this bridge and their families.
I had to work hard to push my bike out of this very steep gully.
Soon I was climbing again for another kilometre or so. The ride ended with a delightful three kilometre roll all the way down to Nowa Nowa.
I had cycled 29 kilometres and climbed 266 metres.
Tomorrow it would be the Gippsland Lakes Discovery Trail. Later on in the week I would complete the East Gippsland Rail Trail with the section between Bruthen and Bairnsdale.
