Services on the East Gippsland Rail Trail
The East Gippsland Rail Trail is book ended by Bairnsdale in the west and Orbost in the east, both of which offer a fairly wide range of services. In between on the rail trail itself are just 3 towns: Nicholson, Bruthen and Nowa Nowa. These are all small towns with limited services. In addition there are some locations essentially in the middle of nowhere but offer some welcome services.
Lakes Entrance is 25 km off the rail trail, but is joined to the rail trail by the Gippsland Lakes Discovery Trail and it's on road continuation.
Details for bike repair and transport services can be found below the table.
Distances and population sizes below are indicative only!
Services East Gippsland Rail Trail
Location |
km W |
km E |
Popn. |
Accommodation |
Food |
Water |
Toilet |
Car Park |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bairnsdale |
0 |
97 |
13,000 |
Wide range: guesthouse, motels, caravan parks |
Supermarkets, restaurants, cafes. |
Howitt Park |
Howitt Park |
Howitt Park |
Nicholson |
10 |
87 |
500 |
Small motel, caravan park |
General store, pub. |
On trail ( trailer), riverside park |
Riverside park |
Riverside park |
Bruthen |
30 |
67 |
600 |
Cottages, pub. |
Pub, cafes, general store. |
Main street |
Main street |
Main street |
Colquhoun Forest (locality) |
45 |
52 |
nil |
nil |
nil |
Water drum (check status with us) |
nil |
forestry roadsides |
Nowa Nowa |
60 |
37 |
300 |
Motel, caravan parks, cabins. |
Pub, cafe, general store |
Main street |
Main street |
Main street |
Partellis Crossing Rd (locality) |
75 |
22 |
nil |
nil |
nil |
Water drum (check status with us) |
Pit toilet |
Limited |
Orbost |
97 |
0 |
2000 |
Motels, pubs. |
Supermarkets, cafes, pubs. |
Forest Park |
Forest Park |
Forest Park |
Lakes Entrance (via Discovery Trail) |
65 |
80 |
4500 |
Wide range of styles and standards |
Supermarkets, restaurants, cafes. |
Esplanade |
Esplanade |
Esplanade |
Bike Repairs
Bike Repairs and parts
Bairnsdale: Riviera Cycles has a full workshop and range of spare parts - they are the only bike shop in East Gippsland. Monday - Friday 9.00 - 5.30; not open weekends. (because they want to go riding on the weekend too).
Lakes Entrance. Venture Out is a bike and kayak hire business that stocks standard spare parts for bikes and has some repairs capacity. Contact them for opening hours as they also run tours.
Orbost. Snowy River Cycling ( that's us) has limited spare parts and some repairs capacity. We are often out and about so contact us if you need some help.
Transport
Transport Services
Snowy River Cycling no longer provides passenger transfer services, as we move to significantly reduce our carbon emissions. We encourage use of the Vline bus service which has 2 to 3 services daily between Bairnsdale and Orbost. We can provide bike transfers, or provide bike hire with pick up / drop off options at either end of the rail trail.
Venture Out provide shuttle services for cyclists and bikes out of Lakes Entrance.
Vline Coach Services transport passengers only, but will not transfer your bike.