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Great Southern Bike Trail
Victoria on board the Melbourne to Adelaide

The South Australian government is said to be in talks with Victoria about locking in the proposed Great Southern Bike Trail, a tourist route linking Melbourne and Adelaide.

The Adelaide Advertiser has said that SA Tourism Minister David Ridgway is in “on-going talks” with Victoria about the project.

“The Victorians thinks it is a very good idea and want to work collaboratively on it,” Mr Ridgway said recently.

However, those expecting that the trail would be a continuous off-road bike path are set to be disappointed.

Original information released in February this year indicated that the tourist trail would be virtually entirely off-road, but new details from Minister Ridgway suggest will that the project will link already existing bike paths and upgrade sections of highway.

“It won’t be a new Amy Gillett-style dedicated bikeway,” the minister said in reference to the off-road shared path in the Adelaide Hills.

“It is more about joining up existing routes and some work on the highway.”

Even though the trail will not be continuously off-road, it will still be a great tourist attraction offering a mix of riding for all people.

Riders of course would not have to tackle the full 1,000+ kilometre route and could centre themselves around sections in destinations including the Great Ocean Road, Port Fairy, Mount Eccles, Limestone Coast, Robe and the McLaren Vale wine region.

And with large international events held early in the year, riding the trail could also become part of bike riders’ annual pilgrimage.

“We are the two biggest cycling states. We have the Tour Down Under and Victoria has the Herald-Sun Tour and the Cadel Evans (Great Ocean Road) Race. There are benefits for both states,” added Mr Ridgway.

Click here to the SA Liberal's Great Southern Bike Trail policy page.

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