The hidden nature walks locals love but tourists miss

Bendigo residents have long used the lesser-known sections of the Bendigo Creek recreational trail for morning walks that avoid the busier tourist loops near the city centre.

The interest has grown this July as more people seek outdoor routines after the national focus on workplace changes and health habits, pushing locals toward spots that stay off standard maps handed out at information centres.

Quiet stretches near Rosalind Park

The trail runs alongside Bendigo Creek from the edge of Rosalind Park parkrun course outward toward the suburb of Golden Square, where it links with smaller paths that locals use for steady 5-kilometre loops without crossing the main park crowds. Nearby, the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail offers another option starting from the old station site on Hargreaves Street, where riders and walkers head east on the flat rail bed that passes through light bushland rather than the advertised lookout points.

These routes connect directly to the Bendigo Health campus walking groups that meet on weekday mornings, giving residents access to graded paths that tie into the weekly Rosalind Park parkrun held every Saturday at 8am.

Numbers behind the local use

City records show the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail recorded 87,000 passes in the last financial year, with the majority logged on weekdays by residents rather than weekend visitors. Entry remains free on all these trails, though participants in the parkrun can register for a $2 timing tag if they want official results.

Anyone starting out can pick up a printed route sheet at the Bendigo Health campus reception or check the current conditions on the council website before heading out, then adjust plans with advice from a local medical professional if needed.