MOUNTAIN BIKING / CYCLING / BMX
Welcome to the land of the big hill! Not I don't mean Arapiles. Around Natimuk there are a number of strange riding phenomena. One of them is the three directional headwind. You can ride from town out to the Mount, across the front and back and seemingly have a headwind the whole way. And sometimes this headwind can be very strong - The Big Hill.
Having said that there is good riding potential for both Mountain and Road bikes around Natimuk. Note: Helmet wearing is a strictly enforced policy in the area. I had a friend who rode from Canberra, down the coast, through Melbourne and up to Natimuk. He was fined for not wearing a helmet 5ks from town.
Roadcycling:
There is a strong cycling fraternity in Horsham and they often ride out the Wimmera Highway towards Natimuk. This road is perhaps the most dangerous in the area, with large trucks being common. From Natimuk it is possible to go south to Noradjuha and back to Horsham through Lower Norton (see Map). This is quieter. Another option is to take O'Bree's Lane or the Polkemmet Bridge Road. From Natimuk you can ride north, around the lake and out toward the little desert without seeing a car. There are no shortages of roads taking in places like Grass Flat. From the Mountain itself a circuit of Camp-Edenhope Road to Tooan, turn right here to Mitre, Right again and down the Goroke-Natimuk Road to Alfred Wright Lockwood Memorial Drive and back to camp (All sealed). Or there is the pull to the summit and the race down. Watch for cars on this though, a lot of the corners are pretty blind.
A good ride from Natimuk is to take the Creek Road just to the west of town (turn left) and follow this as it winds along the creek past large redgums. Depending on the weather and road conditions it is possible to cut from this road down dirt roads to the Clear-Lake Rd - turn right to take you back to the Natimuk-Edenhope Road. If you continue along the sealed road you will come to Noradjuha from where it is 8km back along sealed roads to Natimuk.
Mountain Bikes:
All the above rides are good on Mountain bikes if you're after distance. There are numerous dirt roads that offer variations to these as well.
At Arapiles there is not much scope for Mountain Bikes without leaving the paths which in a small fragile ecosystem like the Mount is not a responsible action. The dirt road around the mountain (16km) does offer good rough riding.
Out in the other part of the park, Tooan, there are great tracks to ride. The quickest way on bike from the mountain is to take the Golf Course turnoff (on the Edenhope Road a little past the turn-in to the Mount) and follow this road down past the back of Arapiles and onto the Tooan-Mitre Road - take Worthy Lane and access the park at the back of St Mary's Lake. The tracks can be sandy in places but the sand never lasts for long. It a great place to ride and see kangaroos, emus and numerous different bird species. Watch out for snakes in spring though. The Little Desert to the North offers even more potential for riding though it is even sandier. Drop the pressure in your tyres for best ride.
Another good area to ride in Natimuk is along the Wimmera River. There are a system of rough tracks that follow the river through nice riparian areas - redgums, goannas, water birds are all just part of the experience. Please shut any gates you pass through though. It is possible to follow the river right up through the Little Desert Park and into Dimboola.
Then of course, just a brief drive away we have The Grampians, the excellent Black Range, Wyperfeld, the Dergholm Scrub, the Murrayville Track
As you can see, Natimuk is an excellent place to bring your bike. Not forgetting the excellent accommodation and cafe's.
BMX
Local children have hassled the Horsham Rural City into providing space for a BMX track in town.
It is located behind the sale yards - which is across the bridge from the milk bar (or the Post Office / Newsagent).
Follow the bitumen road across the bridge, and turn left past the saleyards, take the turn right - and enter where the bitumen stops.
The track is not exactly eXtreme Sports level, but has a couple of berms, a table top and rhythm section.
The local Shire provided the dirt and a backhoe, but local enthusiasts - including Leigh Hateley & Bryn Smith have spent a lot of time and effort in hand digging and moving dirt to make it as good as possible.
It is suitable for all ages - 5 years up - probably less interesting for people in or past their mid teens!
Welcome to the land of the big hill! Not I don't mean Arapiles. Around Natimuk there are a number of strange riding phenomena. One of them is the three directional headwind. You can ride from town out to the Mount, across the front and back and seemingly have a headwind the whole way. And sometimes this headwind can be very strong - The Big Hill.
Having said that there is good riding potential for both Mountain and Road bikes around Natimuk. Note: Helmet wearing is a strictly enforced policy in the area. I had a friend who rode from Canberra, down the coast, through Melbourne and up to Natimuk. He was fined for not wearing a helmet 5ks from town.
Roadcycling:
There is a strong cycling fraternity in Horsham and they often ride out the Wimmera Highway towards Natimuk. This road is perhaps the most dangerous in the area, with large trucks being common. From Natimuk it is possible to go south to Noradjuha and back to Horsham through Lower Norton (see Map). This is quieter. Another option is to take O'Bree's Lane or the Polkemmet Bridge Road. From Natimuk you can ride north, around the lake and out toward the little desert without seeing a car. There are no shortages of roads taking in places like Grass Flat. From the Mountain itself a circuit of Camp-Edenhope Road to Tooan, turn right here to Mitre, Right again and down the Goroke-Natimuk Road to Alfred Wright Lockwood Memorial Drive and back to camp (All sealed). Or there is the pull to the summit and the race down. Watch for cars on this though, a lot of the corners are pretty blind.
A good ride from Natimuk is to take the Creek Road just to the west of town (turn left) and follow this as it winds along the creek past large redgums. Depending on the weather and road conditions it is possible to cut from this road down dirt roads to the Clear-Lake Rd - turn right to take you back to the Natimuk-Edenhope Road. If you continue along the sealed road you will come to Noradjuha from where it is 8km back along sealed roads to Natimuk.
Mountain Bikes:
All the above rides are good on Mountain bikes if you're after distance. There are numerous dirt roads that offer variations to these as well.
At Arapiles there is not much scope for Mountain Bikes without leaving the paths which in a small fragile ecosystem like the Mount is not a responsible action. The dirt road around the mountain (16km) does offer good rough riding.
Out in the other part of the park, Tooan, there are great tracks to ride. The quickest way on bike from the mountain is to take the Golf Course turnoff (on the Edenhope Road a little past the turn-in to the Mount) and follow this road down past the back of Arapiles and onto the Tooan-Mitre Road - take Worthy Lane and access the park at the back of St Mary's Lake. The tracks can be sandy in places but the sand never lasts for long. It a great place to ride and see kangaroos, emus and numerous different bird species. Watch out for snakes in spring though. The Little Desert to the North offers even more potential for riding though it is even sandier. Drop the pressure in your tyres for best ride.
Another good area to ride in Natimuk is along the Wimmera River. There are a system of rough tracks that follow the river through nice riparian areas - redgums, goannas, water birds are all just part of the experience. Please shut any gates you pass through though. It is possible to follow the river right up through the Little Desert Park and into Dimboola.
Then of course, just a brief drive away we have The Grampians, the excellent Black Range, Wyperfeld, the Dergholm Scrub, the Murrayville Track
As you can see, Natimuk is an excellent place to bring your bike. Not forgetting the excellent accommodation and cafe's.
BMX
Local children have hassled the Horsham Rural City into providing space for a BMX track in town.
It is located behind the sale yards - which is across the bridge from the milk bar (or the Post Office / Newsagent).
Follow the bitumen road across the bridge, and turn left past the saleyards, take the turn right - and enter where the bitumen stops.
The track is not exactly eXtreme Sports level, but has a couple of berms, a table top and rhythm section.
The local Shire provided the dirt and a backhoe, but local enthusiasts - including Leigh Hateley & Bryn Smith have spent a lot of time and effort in hand digging and moving dirt to make it as good as possible.
It is suitable for all ages - 5 years up - probably less interesting for people in or past their mid teens!
