Guest author Kerri Newell writes of her recent adventure on the Camperdown Timboon Rail Trail:
Camperdown is two hundred kilometres west of Melbourne. It sounded like an interesting place to stay with lakes and craters and a rich and varied history. Also, we could cycle the Camperdown Timboon Rail Trail, also known as the “Crater to Coast”.
The map described most sections as “flat and easy to walk/ride” with just five kilometres “difficult for bike and horse riders, steep descents, narrow with sleepers and track still in place”… mmm were we up for the challenge ???
We drove to Naroghid Station site eleven kilometres down the line, an easier start point recommended to avoid the “steep hill out of town”.
The track was gravel. I quickly got a sense that I might be in for a tough ride on my trusty hybrid. We passed through gated, scenic farmland with cows staring at us as they wandering across the track to the dairy.
We were soon in the little township of Cobden. The Camperdown Timboon Rail Trail led us through the golf course then down a steep descent to a little bridge where I had to get off and walk. Little did I know that I would be doing this much more frequently as the ride progressed!!!
We missed a turn just out of town. Was this the start of our challenge? Oh yes!! Next we were on a track the width of a bike tyre. I found myself knee high in weeds whipping my legs from every angle, ouch!! After a kilometre or so the track widened, so that was a relief.
We rolled on fairly easily another eleven kilometres to Glenfyne. Here we found remnants of a platform, a history board, a little wooden shelter and a porta loo. We were recharged and Timboon was only ten kilometres away. Not long now?
Two kilometres on and we were descending, the vegetation was becoming more dense with tropical ferns and moss and the track was rougher with steep and slippery approaches to little bypass bridges.
Staying on my bike became quite difficult and I was now walking more than riding!
As we crossed bridges we’d look up occasionally to see grand old trestle bridges, inaccessible and untouched for years. The track had changed with sections of original railway line and sleepers exposed but the scenery was worth every bump!
We arrived at Curdies River Bridge. This has been magnificently restored and listed with Heritage Victoria.
It had taken an hour to descend five kilometres!!! We now knew we only had a five kilometre gentle climb into Timboon. The track became easier and a little busier with walkers.
At last we arrived in the sleepy town of Timboon. Luckily we found a bakery open. We rested in a park area adjacent to the little restored railway hut and ate our bakery treats.
The Timboon Railway Shed Distillery was in the background. Maybe we’d visit another time for a leisurely meal but for now our thoughts were on the return trip!
Back to Naroghid
We made steady progress back, only stopping to walk our bikes up those steep sections. With about five kilometres to Cobden I was tiring. The track was so rough and with no suspension on my bike it was a struggle, so we left the trail for the road. A few easy kilometres on the quiet road helped to make the last section of the track more manageable, all the same I was glad to see the Naroghid siding!
This had been a huge ride…after 5.5 hours in the saddle and 65 kilometres we had finally finished!!
It had been an adventurous day on the Camperdown Timboon Rail Trail and I had a great sense of achievement at the end. I also knew I’d sleep well that night as I was aching from head to toe!!!
UPDATE: As of 28 November 2024, the Camperdown-Timboon Rail Trail is closed between Merritts Road and the Curdies River Bridge until work is completed on two bridges.
Kerri has also completed two sections of the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail between Beechworth and Everton and Everton and Myrtleford. Other rail trails nearby are the Port Fairy to Warrrnambool Rail Trail and the Old Beechy Rail Trail between Colac and Beech Forest.
