New Goldfields Trail cycling route connects Ballarat to Bendigo in 12 stages

The Goldfields Trail — a 210-kilometre purpose-built cycling and walking trail connecting Ballarat and Bendigo through the historic goldfields landscape of central Victoria — has reached the halfway point of its construction program, with six of the twelve planned trail stages now open to the public and generating visitor activity that is tracking above the demand projections that supported the Victorian government's $22 million investment in the project.

The completed stages have attracted more than 18,000 visitors since the first sections opened in early 2025, with the self-guided cycling format proving particularly popular with the Melbourne-based adventure cycling community that has embraced the trail as an accessible multi-day journey within road distance of the capital.

The economic benefits are flowing primarily to the small towns along the route — Creswick, Clunes, Maryborough, and Dunolly — whose cafes, accommodation providers, and local businesses have reported increases in visitor spending that directly reflect the trail's growing visitor numbers. The economic modelling for the completed trail projects $12 million in annual visitor expenditure in the communities along the route once the full 210-kilometre trail is open.

Completion of the remaining stages is targeted for June 2027, with the final connection between Bendigo's Gold Rush Trail walk and the Goldfields Trail creating a seamless active tourism experience that starts at Ballarat's Sovereign Hill and ends at Bendigo's Central Deborah Mine — two of regional Victoria's most visited heritage attractions.

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