Bicycle Network: Where to Ride

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This route breaks the ride around Port Phillip Bay into two day-rides. It also avoids the busy Geelong road which carries a lot of traffic and isn’t very uninteresting.

From Geelong station to Queenscliff is a distance of 38km on the first day. On the second day, you can ride as far as you like. Sorrento to Frankston is 52km, Mordialloc is a further 16km, Sandringham is 12km from Mordialloc. And Sorrento to Southern Cross station is 100km.

Geelong to Queenscliff

If you’re getting the train from Melbourne and it stops at South Geelong, get off there and ride south east down Carr St to the start of the rail trail. If you get off at Geelong station, you will have to make your way through Geelong itself to the start of the trail. Although this has its advantages as it will enable you to stock up on supplies for the ride – there isn’t anywhere on the rail trail itself where you can buy food along the way.

The rail trail is very flat with only slight undulations all the way to Queenscliff. It passes mainly through farmland and is quite pretty.

From Drysdale, steam trains can occasionally be seen on the tourist railway which runs alongside the trail. There is a small museum at Drysdale station which is open whenever the trains are running.
When arriving in Queenscliff, the rail trail officially ends just before town. There is a shared path along the coastline which will take you to the ferry terminal. If you’re staying overnight in Queenscliff or you just want a look around, stay on the road here and follow it into town.

The Queenscliff YHA hostel is a good place to stay set in a magnificent historic building in Hesse Street. It has single and double rooms as well as the traditional dormitories. Alternatively, there are many other places to sleep in Queenscliff from the caravan park to hotels, guest houses and B&Bs.

The ferry from Queenscliff to Sorrento runs every hour so you won’t have to rush to catch one. The cost is $10. There are also lots of places to stay in Sorrento including another Youth Hostel.
The advantage of making the ferry crossing in the evening and staying in Sorrento is that you can time your departure in the morning to miss the stream of traffic coming off the ferry.

Sorrento to Melbourne

Navigation is straightforward from Sorrento, follow the Point Nepean Road keeping the bay on your left. Traffic can be busy going through Rosebud but if you start early, you should miss most of it. At Dromana, the Nepean Highway veers off to the right along with most of the traffic. Continue straight through on to Marine Parade After Safety Beach, the road climbs up to the cliff top and winds its way through to Mornington. This is one of the most scenic rides in Melbourne but it’s quite narrow so take care.

At Mornington, turn right at Tanti Avenue and join the Nepean Highway to Frankston. This is a very busy road but has a nice, wide shoulder for you to ride on.

Once in Frankston, you can catch the suburban train home or continue on as far as you like.

Turn right off the busy highway at Carrum on to Station Street just after crossing the Mordialloc River. Station Street follows the train line to Mordialloc so you can easily bail out at any station along the way.
At Mordialloc, rejoin the highway and cross over the Patterson Creek. Turn left at the roundabout and you are on Melbourne’s famous Beach Road – a mecca for weekend cyclists.

Once on Beach Road, just follow your nose all the way to Port Melbourne. You will pass close to Sandringham and Brighton Beach stations if you’ve had enough.

Turn right at Station Pier in Port Melbourne on the shared path that runs alongside the Sandridge light rail line. This takes you into Clarendon Street where you turn left and head towards Southern Cross Station for the train home.