Exploring Queenland's Scenic Rim Trail by Mountain Bike

The only way to experience the rugged landscape of Queensland.

Mountain biking is a little misunderstood. It conjures images of Red Bull-sponsored athletes risking life and limb to get to the bottom of a perilously rocky hill quicker than the next person. And while mountain biking can certainly be this, it’s also so much more.

The Scenic Rim Trail Bike tour

As I was to discover on the Scenic Rim Trail Bike tour, which weaves a path through a spectacular portion of the Brisbane hinterland, mountain biking is also the perfect means by which to see vast, otherwise impenetrable corners of Australia. That’s not to say that it isn’t a trying, lung-busting, but ultimately exhilarating form of travel. If you do not have a bike for the tour, To take a look at Ecosmo Bikes’ complete range of folding bicycles, just click here .

See Australia’s pristine country side by mountain bike (photo: Lara Down).

Our snaking journey among the mountains that constitute the periphery of the Scenic Rim, a region of lush bush and farmland hemmed by extinct volcanoes, begins at Spicers Peak Lodge. High up in the hills, it’s a tempting retreat set in a forest clearing with views out across to its namesake Spicers Peak, so called after Peter Spicer who stumbled across it looking for escaped convicts, whose hard labour was helping to create the New World.

The dense vegetation of its slopes are a good indication of the type of terrain we’ll soon be (hopefully) conquering ourselves. Our small group includes the husband and wife team of a mountain biking magazine, Mike and Imogen. Lithe and athletic they look the part, having brought their own gear. I’m starting to wonder whether my claims of being a ‘competent’ rider will hold water over the next three days.

We’ve adjusted suspension settings and seat heights, pulled on Lycra, and it’s off to a nearby practice run. We hurtle through a forest of muddy chicanes and corners of earthen banks; so far so good. Emerging in a field for another run, a shaggy Highland cow blocks my path, like an orange woolly triceratops with long, lethal-looking horns.

“He’ll move out the way," says our guide, Alastair Oakman, coming up fast behind me; a true outdoorsman with a chin to rival that of Bondi Vet.

Not wanting to lose face I continue to ride straight at the beast, closing my eyes and waiting for something unthinkable to happen; it grunts and moves off just in time.

Day one on the trail

lodge plateu walk Queensland bike riding — First stop on the trip, the Brumby Track (photo: Lara Down).

Day one begins proper with a series of steep descents over the boulders of the Brumby Track, so called because of a wild horse that roams here; hopefully it won’t feel the desire to get in the way.

This trail is rated blue (intermediate), and it proves to be hairy stuff if you’re new to the sport, standing up to let the suspension take the big hits, the legs slightly relaxed to act as further shock absorbers.

Like all things on the extreme side of adventure, mountain biking is perversely easier (and safer to an extent) the faster you go, the momentum helping to carry you over the rocks. Sitting back and cruising down the trails is a glorious feeling, a little like snowboarding as you lean into corners. I dare to think I’m getting good and relax brakes further to gain ground on the pros up ahead.

We wind our way through elegant forest, itself part of the Spicers Peak estate and a sizeable nature reserve, blasting through the occasional shallow, rocky creek.

Many species of macropod (roos to you and me) can be found on the property, and we dismount to spot rare rock wallabies in a nearby gorge. They’re shy and remain elusive, but the opportunity for respite that our legs receive means we’re all feigning disappointment.

A night at Canopy Eco Lodge

Indeed, after some soul-sapping climbs, it’s a relief to arrive at Canopy Eco Lodge, a series of safari-like canvas tents open to expansive views, all centred round a communal lodge.

We dine here as wallaroos graze in the surrounding fields and relax muscles in the onsen-like hot tub; never before have I been so pleased to experience the glam side of camping – hot water bottles in our beds soothe the symptoms of saddle-bottom.

Day two on the trail

mountain biking Queensland adventure — The forests of the Scenic Rim are laced with flowing creeks, blast through on the bike if you’re brave (photo: Lara Down).

The following morning we’re cycling through ancient rainforest, betrayed by the presence of a tree related to the Jurassic-era Wollemi pine, and we soon reach the World Heritage-listed Spicers Gap Road, an old settler route carved out of the rock and bush by convicts from 1859 to 1865. With spectacular views out across gum tree-floored valleys, I’m told it’s rare to be able to cycle on a piece of national heritage like this.

Lunch is a pie and half-an-hour to admire the view out across the mountains from Governor’s Chair Lookout, farms competing with bush for space at their bases.

A night at Hidden Peaks Eco Camp

Walkers come and go to take in the scene, red-faced from the climb; we’ve covered 10 times as much as them today. Hidden Peaks Eco Camp, our stop for the evening, is a collection of rustic, settler-style huts, each with a pre-made fire in a wood burner ready for you to light and warm up after dinner.

We drink wine and enjoy burgers from the outdoor grill while having a go at chopping wood for our cabin fires. We watch the stars climb and enjoy that sleep you only get after a day of exertion.

Day three on the trail

scenic views Queensland bike riding — Expansive views off a steep descent make it hard to keep your eye on the track (photo: Lara Down).

‘Hard yakka’ would best describe the previous day’s climbs, but on day three we learn the origin of the phrase as we drop down a cliff-hugging trail past Yucca plants that, along with outcrops of orange sandstone, make it feel like Arizona.

“‘Hard yakka’ comes from the tough work involved in farming the stuff to make rope," says Alastair before explaining aboriginal uses for it.

We’re soon out of the bush and on part of the Bicentennial National Trail, enabling us to look across to a spine-like ridge of rock forming part of the boundary of the Scenic Rim – in fact part of a massive, extinct volcano.

The gently undulating road makes for an easier third day, as we pass farms and villages.

Falling behind, I ask a stockman whether I’m headed the right way. He gallops over from the herd, his cowboy hat and big moustache like something from the old Wild West, and reassures me that I’m on the right path.

Nearing the end

Our journey is coming to an end, the others will continue on to stay another night. The road feels luxurious compared with he rocky passes and muddy descents of the previous days, as we roll up to an old Lutheran church for lunch.

I remember Imogen enthusing about mountain biking back at Spicers Gap Road: “It’s a big country, and given a few days the mountain bike can take you places you wouldn’t otherwise be able to access on foot."

In our short time we’ve managed to cover this diverse landscape and get among it, with the occasional adrenaline rush thrown in for good measure. And isn’t that what travelling is all about?

Queensland retreat relax bike riding — After completing what feels like the Tour de France , relax in the Spicers Cumber Cabins (photo: Lara Down).

What you need to know before you go:

Fitness:This trail is graded moderate to hard; there are some lengthy hills to climb and you’ll be cycling a substantial 60 kilometres on day two. We recommend doing some training in the saddle before you leave if you’re fitness isn’t quite what it should be.

Experience: Everyone can ride a bike, right? But if you have no trouble on a road bike then don’t think you’ll immediately be smashing around a mountain bike track. Get some experience of mountain biking, how to handle descents and corners, even climbs, and the Spicers Rim Trail will be all the more enjoyable.

Gear:Padded cycling shorts are essential. Remember to pack some. Your writer forgot… you’ve been warned. Other than that Spicers supplies great Merida 140 dual-suspension bikes along with helmets, gloves, and glasses. All your luggage will be ported to meet you each night.

The details:

Getting there: Guests can meet at Spicers Hidden Vale (617 Grandchester Mount Mort Road, Grandchester) or arrange a pre-booked transfer from Spicers Balfour in Brisbane.

Playing there:The four-day, three-night Scenic Rim Trail Bike Tour now starts at Hidden Vale Adventure Park and finishes at Spicers Canopy. $2290 per person twin share includes three nights’ accommodation, luggage portage and use of bikes and other equipment.

For more information visit scenicrimtrail-bike.com

Wind through fern tunnels, stop for a wine in a tram bar, or chase giant murals across the wheatbelt. These drives and rides prove Victoria’s best stories are found off the straight and narrow.

There’s something unmistakably Australian about a road trip: car packed, playlist on, landscapes shifting. Travelling down the highway toward Healesville, in Victoria’s Yarra Valley , the mountains rise, flanking me on both sides. I feel its embrace, a silent invitation to explore what lies beyond.

Moss-covered embankments rise on either side, and towering mountain ash trees form a green tunnel overhead. Road signs warn of wombats and cyclists but with giant ferns lining the roadside, the landscape feels prehistoric, as if a dinosaur might suddenly emerge. This, the Black Spur , is one of my favourite road trips.

The Black Spur

Location: Yarra Ranges
Duration: 30 kilometres / 30 minutes

The Black Spur is short compared to other Victorian road trips, just 30 kilometres, stretching from Healesville to Narbethong. But what it lacks in distance, it makes up for in scenery. Just outside Healesville, Maroondah Dam offers bushwalks and scenic views. However, if pressed for time, Selover’s Lookout is an easy roadside stop offering uninterrupted views of the dam.

In Narbethong, close to the Marysville’s snowfield, is the Black Spur Inn , a charming double-storey brick hotel that’s been welcoming travellers since 1863. Here, diners cosy up by the roaring fire or gaze through the floor-to-ceiling windows, imagining horse-drawn coaches carrying hopeful gold seekers to the eastern goldfields.

Victoria’s Silo Art Trail

Location: Various towns across the Wimmera Mallee region
Duration: More than 200 kilometres / 4–5 hours but best over a minimum of three days

What began as a way to draw travellers back into town bypassed by highways – places such as Nullawil, Sea Lake and Patchewollock – has grown into a celebrated outdoor art movement. The Silo Art Trail now includes 23 silos, each transformed with large-scale mural portraits sharing local stories, celebrating community heroes, Indigenous history, farming life, or regional identity.

The Nullawil silo, for example, is a portrait of a local farmer in a chequered flannelette shirt alongside his loyal kelpie, painted by artist Sam Bates (AKA Smug). And the silos at Albacutya in the Grampians, painted by artist Kitt Bennett, depict her joyful memories of growing up in the countryside. Many of the murals sit right in the heart of small towns, such as Rochester and St Arnaud , making them perfect spots to pause for a country pub meal or something sweet from a local bakery.

Metung to Mallacoota

Location: Gippsland
Duration: Approximately 220 kilometres / 4 hours

The Gippsland Lakes are a much-loved holiday spot in Victoria, but road-tripping further east reveals much more. Begin in Metung and time your visit with the monthly farmers’ market, or simply linger over lunch on the lawn of the Metung Hotel. Twenty minutes away is Lakes Entrance , where you can watch the fishing boats return with their catch.

Lakes Entrance. (Image: Visit Victoria/Iluminaire Pictures)

Continue to Marlo, where the Snowy River spills into the sea, and Cape Conran for its many beaches and walks. If needing to stretch your legs, Croajingolong National Park is home to the historic Point Hicks Lighthouse and the Wilderness Coast Walk. Birdwatching and rainforest trails near Bemm River are worth a pit stop before arriving in Mallacoota, where the forest meets the sea.

Great Ocean Road

Location: South-west Victoria, from Torquay to Allansford
Duration: Approximately 250 kilometres / 4–5 hours but best over a minimum of three days

Victoria’s most famous road trip delivers it all: world-class surf breaks, rainforest walks, clifftop lookouts and wildlife encounters. The journey begins in Torquay, the state’s surf capital, then hugs the coast past Anglesea and Lorne to Apollo Bay, before curving inland through the lush rainforest of the Otways. Stop at Cape Otway Lightstation or take to the treetops at Otway Fly.

Between Cape Otway and Port Campbell lies the most photographed stretch – seven of the Twelve Apostles still standing, alongside the golden cliffs of Loch Ard Gorge. Further west, Warrnambool is a winter whale-watching hotspot, before the road winds to Port Fairy, a charming fishing village of whalers’ cottages, walking trails and offshore seal colonies further along the coast.

Bellarine Taste Trail

Terindah Estate. (Image: Visit Victoria/Emily Godfrey)

Location: Bellarine Peninsula
Duration: Approximately 80 kilometres / 2–3 hours

The Bellarine Taste Trail is a feast for the senses, winding through coastal towns, past boutique wineries and artisan producers. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure style trail – simply grab a map and build your own delicious journey.

You might wander historic, seafront Queenscliff, sip wine in a converted tram bar at Terindah Estate , sample a locally distilled whisky at The Whiskery in Drydale or pick up a jar of honey at Wattle Grove in Wallington. Seafood lovers can head to Portarlington, famous for its mussels. Eat them fresh at local restaurants or head out on the water with Portarlington Mussel Tours.

O’Keefe Rail Trail – Bendigo to Heathcote

Pink Cliffs Reserve in Heathcote can be seen on the O’Keefe Rail Trail. (Image: Visit Victoria/Emily Godfrey)

Location: Central Victoria
Duration: Approximately 50 kilometres / 4 hours cycling

Travellers first journeyed between Heathcote and Bendigo in 1888, when the railway line was built to link the towns. Trains stopped running in 1956, but today the route has a new life as the O’Keefe Rail Trail . The path is mostly level for easy riding, and along the way you’ll cycle past bushland, waterways and reserves. There are plenty of places to picnic, birdwatch, and if you’re lucky, spot a platypus.

The trail is well supported with water stations, bike repair points, shelters, and signage. Axedale makes a great halfway stop, with the pretty Campaspe River Reserve for a rest and local cafes for refuelling. Begin in Heathcote, known for its wineries and cafes, or in Bendigo, which is easily reached by train from Melbourne/Naarm. Shorter sections, such as Heathcote to Axedale, are also popular.

Goldfields Track – Ballarat to Bendigo

Location: Central Victoria
Duration: Approximately 210 kilometres / 2–3 days cycling

The Goldfields Track traces a route once so rich in gold it made Melbourne one of the wealthiest cities in the world. Starting at Mt Buninyong, south of Ballarat, the trail leads mountain cyclists and walkers north through Creswick, Daylesford and Castlemaine before finishing in Bendigo. Along the way, you’ll encounter granite outcrops, eucalypt forests, rolling farmland and remnants of the region’s mining past.

As it passes through the lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung and Wadawurrung people, the track shares gold rush history and Indigenous stories brought to life by interpretive signs. Walk or ride the full trail or choose from one of its three distinct sections. With cosy stays, cafes and pubs, it’s easy to mix wilderness with comfort.

Exploring Queenland’s Scenic Rim Trail by Mountain Bike