Short tour with a three year old - recommendations please!

[BobtheBuilder]

We're two adults and a three year-old from the Top End of the NT, looking for a week or two bike tour somewhere in Australia.

We've done a fair bit of long-distance touring (5.5 months on the EV6 from the Black Sea to the Atlantic when his Highness was 1 y/o), so pretty set up with gear and psychology for touring.

What we're after is a holiday that is on wheels, but not necessarily a cycle tour ... in the sense that the aim is to be somewhere nice and get around comfortable and safely by bicycle.

So, apart from nice places to be, the main criteria are:

a) safety/hassle - ideally off vehicle roads or on very quiet country roads (i.e. rail trails)
b) reasonable weather (hot isn't a big issue, but cold and rain is more so)
c) gentle riding, i.e. fairly flat

I'm very out of touch with what's on offer in southern Australia, so would be keen to hear recommendations for somewhere nice to cycle. Rough estimate of when we'll be going is mid-September to early November.

[P!N20]

My first thought is the Bright/Beechworth rail trails in Victoria. Beautiful part of the world and it wouldn't be too hot that time of year.

Another thought is the towns dotted up the west side of Melbourne - Daylesford, Woodend, Kyneton, Castlemaine, Bendigo...plenty of back roads with next to no traffic and a rail trail or two.

[find_bruce]

A one wheel trailer is recommended by Danny


I'll show myself out

[BobtheBuilder]

Another thought is the towns dotted up the west side of Melbourne - Daylesford, Woodend, Kyneton, Castlemaine, Bendigo...plenty of back roads with next to no traffic and a rail trail or two.

Are there set routes or maps available for these? Coming from far away, and wanting a simple holiday, I'm not up for masses of research, but if there are well known routes, that'd be great. As a side note, my experience of back roads around the world, is that in some places there may not be much traffic, but what there is, is horrifyingly dangerous (i.e. Irish country roads).

[WheelsOfChance]

Victoria and Tasmania are in my mind the best touring destinations for non-adventure touring.

Victoria has quite a few rail trails. You can see them here -
https://www.railtrails.org.au/trail-des ... s/victoria

This is my tour report about one of the rail trails
https://sites.google.com/view/have-bicy ... ng-weekend

[BobtheBuilder]

Victoria and Tasmania are in my mind the best touring destinations for non-adventure touring.

Victoria has quite a few rail trails. You can see them here -
https://www.railtrails.org.au/trail-des ... s/victoria

This is my tour report about one of the rail trails
https://sites.google.com/view/have-bicy ... ng-weekend

Many thanks, I'll have a look at that, rail trails seem the best option.

[RonK]

Hard to avoid hills, but traffic on Tasmanian roads is relatively light.

And the Tasmanian tourism organisation has produced a neatly packaged brochure of information and itineraries.
No research required - just pick your preferred itinerary and go.

You can pick up a printed copy from Discover Tasmania offices or email them to get a copy posted to you.

https://www.discovertasmania.com.au/__d ... 10_Web.pdf

You may also like to read my journal for more information and personal observations.

http://cycleintas.blogspot.com/

[baabaa]

This is a good loop without killer hills. The towns, food outlets and accommodation on this route are becoming very bike friendly, so would be a lower stress outing than planning a full do it yourself trip.
Takes in some good off main track sights, worth having a good look at this region at least once and while three is a bit young for the zoo, you should do the zoo - a good ride in and around and a path out and back from town.
Better sooner than later for the temps and Nov can get the odd loaded grain truck - but as mostly off highways, the drivers show care for people who bike.
https://centralwestcycletrail.com.au/maps/