Bellarine Rail Trail and the Bellarine Railway

The Bellarine Rail Trail is a 35 km shared path for walkers and cyclists that follows the old railway line from South Geelong station to Queenscliff. The first 18 km, to Drysdale, are sealed asphalt; the last 17 km, to Queenscliff, are compacted crushed rock that suits most bikes. It is mostly flat. From Drysdale onwards, the volunteer-run Bellarine Railway still runs heritage steam and diesel trains on the line beside the trail, so you can ride one way and take the train back.

The trail starts at South Geelong station, so you can arrive by train from Geelong or Melbourne and leave the car at home.

The route, section by section

From the City of Greater Geelong. Checked October 2026.

Section	Distance	Surface	Facilities
South Geelong station to Moolap station	About 6 km	Asphalt	None listed
Moolap to Christies Road, Leopold	About 5 km	Asphalt	Toilets, shelter and drinking fountain at Fred Cooke Reserve
Leopold to Drysdale Station Reserve	About 7 km	Asphalt	Toilets, playground, barbecue, drinking fountain
Drysdale to Queenscliff station	About 17 km	Compacted crushed rock	Shelter at Swan Bay Road; toilets at Suma Park, Mannerim

The council names Geelong, Leopold, Drysdale and Queenscliff as the towns with all services, so those are your food and water stops. Between Drysdale and Queenscliff the council lists only the shelter at Swan Bay Road and the toilets at Suma Park, so carry water.

Which part to ride

• Drysdale to Queenscliff (17 km). The pick for most visitors: gravel, quiet, past Swan Bay, and it ends in Queenscliff with its fort, harbour and cafes. Pair it with the train.
• South Geelong to Drysdale (18 km). Sealed all the way through Moolap and Leopold, so it suits road bikes and a shorter ride from Geelong.
• The whole trail (35 km one way). Riding there and back is about 70 km. A bus or the train makes a one-way ride easier.

Hills, rules and safety

The council calls the trail mostly easy and flat with gradual climbs. The one to plan around is the uphill return from Queenscliff to Mannerim, which families often skip by taking the steam train or other transport.

The council’s rules for the shared path:

• Keep left and pass with care; slow down near walkers and warn before you overtake.
• Wear an approved helmet and bright clothing.
• Dogs must be on a lead and under control.
• Follow the signs at road crossings.
• Emergency vehicles may use the trail.

Emergency markers (ESTA) stand along the trail. In an emergency, call 000 and quote the code on the nearest marker post.

A short history of the line

The Geelong to Queenscliff railway opened on 21 May 1879. Regular passenger services stopped in 1931, apart from occasional excursions, and the line closed completely on 6 November 1976. Volunteers from the Geelong Steam Preservation Society, who had been running a short line at Belmont Common since 1968, moved to Queenscliff. Their first trains ran from Queenscliff to Lakers Siding on 19 and 20 May 1979, the line’s centenary, and Drysdale followed soon after.

The unused section from Drysdale to South Geelong became the rail trail, with a walking and cycling path laid alongside the working heritage line from Drysdale to Queenscliff.

The Bellarine Railway

The Bellarine Railway runs 16 km between Queenscliff and Drysdale on track converted to 3 ft 6 in narrow gauge. It is a not-for-profit run by volunteers. The collection has 13 steam locomotives, five diesels and two diesel railcars, of which three steam engines, three diesels and ten carriages are in working order.

Station	What happens there
Queenscliff	Start of the Swan Bay Express; workshops
Swan Bay	Short platform; stops on request
Lakers Siding	Depot and main rolling stock shed; reached only by train
Suma Park	Stop for charters and The Blues Train
Drysdale	Booking office, water tower and The Q Train’s shed

Which train

Service	Route	Running (Checked October 2026)
Swan Bay Express	45-minute ride from Queenscliff	Weekends during shed-tour periods, weekdays in school holidays; e.g. Sat 10 Oct 2026 at 11 am, 12 pm and 2:15 pm
Seaside Explorer	Drysdale to Queenscliff, about 45 minutes each way, with about 2.5 hours in Queenscliff	Selected Sundays: 29 Nov 2026, 27 Dec 2026, 3 Jan 2027
Day Out With Thomas	Family event	Weekends in school holiday weeks
The Q Train	Five-course dining train from Drysdale to Queenscliff and back	Bookable separately; from A$150 on GetYourGuide
The Blues Train	Live blues across the carriages	Seasonal, see the railway’s site

We don’t quote standard fares here: the railway’s fares page sits behind a bot check that stopped us reading it. Book at bellarinerailway.com.au.

Ride and train together. On a Seaside Explorer Sunday, cycle Drysdale to Queenscliff in the morning and look at the town; or ride to Queenscliff and take a Swan Bay Express ride before heading back. Ask the railway about bikes before you rely on carrying one.

The Q Train

The Q Train is a restaurant train that runs on the same line. You board at Drysdale for a five-course degustation cooked on board, past Swan Bay to Queenscliff and back. It is one of the easier ways to see the line if you’re not a train enthusiast. More on it, and the wineries near Drysdale, is in our Bellarine wineries guide.

Getting to the start

Start	How to get there (Checked October 2026)
South Geelong station	V/Line train, one stop past Geelong station; see Melbourne to Geelong
Drysdale	McHarry’s bus 60 or 61 from Geelong; car
Queenscliff	Bus 56 from Geelong; car; Searoad ferry from Sorrento (bikes free)

Another flat ride on the Bellarine is the 17 km foreshore trail from Portarlington to St Leonards, which the cruise-and-cycle day from Melbourne uses. The Bellarine Peninsula guide shows how the towns fit together, and our tours page lists bookable trips.