Popular Rail Trails Featured by Rail Trails Australia

Updated

Rail Trails Australia highlights five featured trails on its homepage: Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (161 km), Great Victorian Rail Trail (135 km), High Country Rail Trail (81 km), Murray to Mountains Rail Trail (137 km), and Northern Rivers Rail Trail (54 km). These are presented as some of the most popular trails to try, and each entry gives a length so you can compare scale at a glance. For the full list beyond these five, the site points to a "SEE ALL RAIL TRAILS" option.

The featured trails at a glance

Rail trail Length
Brisbane Valley Rail Trail 161 km
Murray to Mountains Rail Trail 137 km
Great Victorian Rail Trail 135 km
High Country Rail Trail 81 km
Northern Rivers Rail Trail 54 km

The lengths span from 54 km to 161 km, so the featured set covers both shorter day-trip options and multi-day routes.

What the featured trails have in common

Rail Trails Australia describes rail trails as routes that follow former railways, cutting through hills, over embankments, and across gullies and creeks. According to the site, most have a gravel or dirt surface and suit walking, mountain bikes, and horses, while some are sealed and also work well for touring bikes. That surface distinction matters when you're choosing between the featured trails: a sealed trail is the safer bet for a touring bike, while gravel or dirt surfaces point toward mountain bikes or walking.

How to move from these five to a shortlist

The homepage only names five trails, so treat them as a starting point rather than a complete catalogue. To narrow down:

  • Use the length column above to match a trail to the time you have.
  • Check the surface type (gravel/dirt vs sealed) against your bike and riding style.
  • Note that the featured trails sit in different states, so if you're planning around a specific region, filter by location rather than by popularity.
  • Go to "SEE ALL RAIL TRAILS" for the complete list once you know roughly what distance and surface you want.

Access note

The homepage shows "SIGN IN OR REGISTER TO SEE MAPS," so maps are gated behind an account rather than shown openly on the page. The trail names and lengths above are visible without signing in, but if you want map detail for planning a route, expect to register first.