In April 2023, Malcolm and Vicky rode a three-day, u-shaped tour of the northern GABCY Network, from Tatura to Echuca and then to Elmore.
My wife Vicky and I planned a ride from Shepparton to Bendigo via the Yellowbelly Trail to Echuca then back roads to Bendigo. We planned to break the journey at Wakiti Creek Resort and stay with Warm Showers hosts in Echuca over the 5 days leading up to Easter. The idea was a leisurely ride with time to enjoy the region. I was riding my Vivente Patagonia and Vicky was testing out her Merrida espresso ebike.
Unfortunately, a late start on the Monday after catching the train and coach replacement from Melbourne, made us decide to leave the section of the trail from Shepparton north for another ride and so we did a country road circuit to Tatura and stayed in the Tatura Hotel ($80 a night double with shared facilities). The staff and locals were friendly and we had time for a look around the town.
The next day we took back roads parallel to the C357 to Undera. One choice was a dirt road with a Dry Weather Road Only sign. Despite the fact it hadn’t rained for over a week, there was a 300m walk dodging beside the flooded road!
It was sad to see the General Store at Undera was closed and up for sale and the Undera Hotel/Motel was only operating from Wednesday to Saturday. We took Madill Rd north.
We’ll always stop for gelati and so we pulled up at the entrance to the Dairy Fresh Gelato roadside stall but it was closed.
Fortunately, a neighbour was just leaving and, after a call to the owner, our “new best friend” opened the stall and sold us two of their great gelatos made on the farm from their own milk.
We turned into Leith Rd and Hutchinsons Rd to the Munro Track, so we were on the Yellowbelly.
The track is in reasonable condition following the floods but there are signs of how high the river rose. It’s hard to imagine the deep river course flooding over the high banks but the sand bags are there as a reminder.
At McCoys Bridge, the junction of the Murray Valley Highway, B400, Vicky decided to take the back roads on the northern side of the Goulburn to Wakiti Resort.
I followed the track for 17 km to Yambuna Bridge Road where a 4km diversion along Yambuna Bridge Road took me to the Resort.
The track was dry with a few big ruts from 4WDs going through in the wet.
The track winds along the river with some good river views and if you enjoy riding off-road trails, the track is for you. The bird life is prolific, particularly the White Winged Chough, (not to be confused with crows).
We stayed in a cabin at the Wakiti Creek Resort which we can recommend ($110 which included free use of the washing machine). The next morning, we followed the Trail into Echuca along more tracks and quiet back roads with a good pie for early lunch at the Bakehouse 151.
We found our Warm Showers hosts, Peter and Carmel, and Peter took us on a great bike tour of Echuca Port. We rode over the new road bridge which was only open for a few months before access was cut off by the floods. We also learnt that the Victoria /NSW border is on the Victorian side of the Murray River, not the middle, to avoid disputes over water management! A swim at the aquatic centre rounded off the day’s exercise.
The next day we rode to Elmore via the gravel Andersons Road to Strathallan and into Rochester on the bitumen for another bakery lunch at the Rochester Bakery. “Rochie” is still recovering from being flooded and cut off by the floods.
Being the Thursday before Easter, the tourist traffic was intense and we were glad we were travelling on the back roads. Railway Road/Clarkes Road/McCormicks Road/Simmie Street on the western side of the Northern Highway took us quietly to Elmore and a night at the Victoria Hotel/Motel. The ladies at the Op Shop provided me with a colourful Easter Bonnet!
The forecast for Good Friday was for heavy rain so we took the one and only train for the day from Elmore, arriving in Bendigo for the Bendigo Festival just before the rain. One of the advantages of riding in this area is the option of public transport, with the advantage of V/Line’s enlightened approach to roll-on bikes on trains (and coaches).
The Yellowbelly Trail information and the GABCY interactive map is a great resource and congratulations to Nick for his enthusiasm for the region and the work in setting these rides up. It’s a great riding area and we look forward to doing more in the region.
I was on my Vivente with 2 panniers and my usual Marathon 700×35 tyres which handled it well, although suspension is always nicer on a track like the Yellowbelly and corrugated sections of gravel roads.
Malcolm and Vicky Cowan (Launceston, Tasmania)
.
More Ride Reports
Click on this link to see more Ride Reports from the GABCY Network
.
Nix-Tracks 