Bass Coast Rail Trail

Victoria's only coastal rail trail, following the old Wonthaggi railway line (opened 1910 to serve the State Coal Mine, closed 1978) from Woolamai Racecourse near Phillip Island to the regional centre of Wonthaggi. Runs close to the Bass Strait coast for much of its length, with sweeping ocean views around Kilcunda, farmland and coastal bushland, historic coal mining reserves, and an iconic beachside timber trestle bridge at Bourne Creek. Council is seeking funding to extend the trail 24 km north-east to Nyora, which would eventually link it to the Great Southern Rail Trail. A separate new connecting path from Wonthaggi to Inverloch (14 km) opened in 2026.

Official section distances (Rail Trails Australia): Woolamai-Anderson 6 km, Anderson-Kilcunda 4 km, Kilcunda-Wonthaggi 13 km (total 23 km, matching the GPX-measured 23.2 km closely). Predominantly crushed granite/fine gravel with 1 km sealed at the Wonthaggi end; sand can drift across the trail near Kilcunda in windy conditions, and the timber trestle bridges (Bourne Creek and Powlett River, both recently upgraded with FRP grating decks) require care. Two moderate climbs only — otherwise flat. The Woolamai end has no facilities and only informal roadside parking on McGrath Rd; several reviewers note the start is unsigned and easy to miss. Horses are permitted along the full length except within the Wonthaggi town centre. Some local buses (South Coast Bus and Phillip Island Bus) carry bike racks, making a one-way ride with a bus return a popular option between Anderson and Wonthaggi.