When we had settled in at Port Fairy, I went to the Visitor Information Centre to get the update on cycling in the area. Of course I planned to cycle the 37 kilometre Port Fairy to Warrnambool Rail Trail again, but I wondered whether they might have other suggestions.
As a matter of fact they did have a pamphlet with other ride ideas incorporating the Port Fairy to Warrnambool Rail Trail and quiet back roads adjoining the trail. However, as it turned out, I did not have time to pursue these options.
The lady I spoke to in the Visitor Information Centre was also a keen cyclist. She suggested that I join the “Koroit Casuals” the next day in a ride from Port Fairy to Koroit along the rail trail. So the following day, despite gloomy forecasts, I was there a little before 10:00 a.m., ready for the ride. I had my raincoat packed, just in case.
Koroit Casuals
I counted at least 25 keen Koroit Casual riders and more may have arrived after my count.
The riders headed off in a higgledy-piggledy fashion. As soon as we crossed the Princes Highway, the trail surface changed from bitumen to the packed limestone gravel that is characteristic of this part of the trail. As I was stopping to take photos, I soon found myself towards the end of the pack. I thought the pace was generally quite fast.
At around the 8 kilometre mark, where the trail crossed Badhams Road, everybody stopped to re-group. At this point, approximately half the riders turned back to Port Fairy but I continued with the rest of the group towards Koroit.
As we progressed the skies ahead turned darker and I was thinking that those who had turned back probably had the right idea.
The rain began with a few drops
and as we came within about 6 kilometres of Koroit it started bucketing down. Many of us stopped under trees to get out our raincoats. I got a bit of a fright when there was a loud clap of thunder off to our left. I hoped that my tyres (which my husband Derek said are probably not rubber anyway) might give me some protection from a possible lightening strike. Another lady and I were the last to arrive at the Koroit Railway Station. Everybody gave us a clap!
Koroit Railway Station
We waited under the shelter of the railway station roof while the rain continued to bucket down.
Eventually the rain eased and we made our way to a cafe in Koroit for coffee and a bit of a rest.
While it was refreshing to have a break, and the Koroit Casuals were very friendly, I was finding that I was chilling quickly and there was still a lot of rain forecast to come through. I decided to return on my own before I got too cold – these speedy riders would soon probably catch me up anyway!
The Return Trip from Koroit to Port Fairy
Fortunately the rain on the return journey was mostly drizzle, although in some sections the rain was too heavy for me to think of getting my camera out. I was pleased that the track surface, although wet, was not very muddy. This is dairy country and I noticed that the cattle were not in the slightest deterred from their munching.
There were a few bridges across channels allowing the cattle to pass underneath. This bridge crossed the Moyne River.
As I approached Port Fairy there were pretty yellow wildflowers lining the track . Chicanes gave plenty of notice to watch out for traffic on the few road crossings.
Finally I reached the end of the trail and crossed the Moyne River again as I headed back to our site at the Gardens Caravan Park. I marvelled at how much wider the river was here.
Thanks Koroit Casuals for your company! It was really interesting to meet so many local riders.
Summary of My Ride from Port Fairy to Koroit on the Port Fairy Warrnambool Rail Trail
All together I had cycled 39.4 kilometres and climbed 76 metres on the Port Fairy to Warrnambool Rail Trail. I wondered what the weather would be like tomorrow when I cycled the section from Koroit to Warrnambool.
Other enjoyable rail trails not far from Warrnambool are the Camperdown Timboon Rail Trail and the Old Beechy Rail Trail between Colac and Beech Forest.
