Anglesea Singletrack

Summary: 15-20km of great flowing single-track of intermediate difficulty. Also plenty of fire trail to keep beginners entertained.

Thoroughly recommended.

Where? – about 110km from Melbourne – just east of Anglesea

How to get there:

From Melbourne – Drive towards Geelong, but bypass Geelong itself (continue on the freeway rather than exiting to Geelong). At the end of the ring road (as it is at April 2011) turn right towards Colac, then left at the roundabout towards Torquay and Anglesea. Follow this road for 16km, then turn right onto the Great Ocean Road. After 6km turn left into Hurst Rd to park.

From Anglesea – Park at the football oval and ride along the track (running between the oval and the Great Ocean Road) into the heart of the trails. Alternatively there are numerous parking areas along the road between town and Hurst Rd – wherever there are gaps in the barrier on the southern side of the road.

Level:

Beginner and intermediate.

Fun for most levels, though nothing to really challenge advanced riders. Plenty of fast single-track – most flow pretty well with a mix of natural and man-made obstacles. The trails on the northern side of the Great Ocean Road are a must for intermediate riders. There is quite a network of fire trails for beginners.

More information:

Moderately sized block of sandy scrub between Anglesea and Point Addis. The network of single-track probably totals 20km, plus probably that much again in ranger tracks. The sandy base drains readily and remains relatively dry after rain (at least light rain).

Trail quality drops off in the more southerly areas -  the major fire trail/unsealed road heading east-west in the south of the park is the end the worthwhile trails that I have found. There are still some trails down there, but they are pretty underwhelming. Entertainingly, there is an outdoor church there – possibly tied in with the scout camp a little futher south.

Crossing the Great Ocean Road

Here you will find a couple of loops of singletrack – not a large network of trails (probably less than 5km), but what is there is the best that the Anglesea area has to offer (as far as I have found). The riding here is quick, with short fast descents and sweeping bends which you can roll through at speed. There are also some small jumps scattered along the trail.

The trail quality drops off as you get further down the hill towards town, but this is mostly because these trails appear to be newly cut and still a bit overgrown – with further use they will improve. Cross the highway opposite Elimata Rd to access the fire trails from which the singletracks start. Head right, and follow the firetrail to the lookout at the top of the hill to find the trailhead.

There are rarely many people here – over 5-6 rides here I have seen 6 other riders (plus a school group on fire trails on one occasion), so you really have the place to yourself.

Relatively frequent wildlife encounters – kangaroos, wallabies are common, and echidnas if you look carefully.

Keen to get involved in the Anglesea and Surf Coast mountain biking scene or help to develop and maintain trails in this area? Have a look at the Surf Coast Offroad Riders site www.trailhead.com.au/club

Anglesea Singletrack – Map
(updated map coming soon)