You can start at either end of this trail, or in the middle. Merricks is a good option if you want a downhill run for your return trip after a decent lunch at Red Hill! The 2.8km lower section, which is popular with horse riders, does not follow the original alignment so it is steeper than a typical rail trail.  The original line rose at 1 in 44 to Red Hill, steeper than normal for branch lines but it would have been quite manageable for walkers and bikes. Unfortunately, the rail corridor up to Tonkins Rd was sold and the diversion is even steeper than 1 in 44. The trail is narrow in parts and can also be muddy, so it’s unsuitable for road bikes in winter.

For public transport options, go to ‘GET AROUND’ below and click on ‘SHOW MORE’ if necessary

Merricks to Tonkins Rd (2.7km)

• Access: The Merricks Station Ground car park entrance is obscured from Frankston-Flinders Road (C777). Look for the mobile phone tower about 150m east of Merricks General Wine Store. There are public toilets here.
• Merricks has a restaurant, cafe and craft shop at the former general store. There’s another restaurant at Pt Leo Estate and several other wineries.
• A narrow track runs beside the equestrian reserve on the left but you can avoid this squeezy section by using the shared path around the outside of the horse riding area, next to Merricks Rd. Be aware that horses use this trail.
• Turn left, climb steadily for 2km and enjoy the views over Western Port to Phillip Island. After a sharp right turn, the trail continues down a steep hill (with grapevines on the left), where it meets the end of Tonkins Rd.

Tonkins Rd to Red Hill (3.6km)

• Access: There is limited parking at Tonkins Rd but it is narrow and unsuitable for horse floats. The trail up to Red Hill starts next to #22.
• The shared path, known locally as Merricks Trail, continues to the left after Gainsborough Park and is now on the rail easement. It ascends gently for 3.6km to Red Hill, first through pine trees (look for colourful fungi in autumn) and then two small cuttings.
• Next to the mountain bike pump track at Red Hill, the station has been partially recreated, with a plaque commemorating the 75th anniversary of the railway opening.
• The trail continues to Point Leo Rd behind the shopping strip. Explore the area, visit the cafés or bakery and either return via the trail or local roads. There are asphalt and dirt shared paths from here along Arthurs Seat Rd.
• If starting at Red Hill, there is a carpark with toilets, BBQ, bike repair station and room for horse floats at the Red Hill Station Reserve. It’s off Point Leo Rd and behind the shops.

CONNECTING PATH

• One of the proposals in the massive Peninsula Trails project is to build a 10km shared path along Frankston-Flinders Rd from Bittern to Merricks, more than half of it close to the alignment of the Red Hill Line (which happened to be close to the road), but the cost was estimated at $11m in 2022 and the build is dependent on outside funding. If you’re desperate to arrive by train and unwilling to wait for that shared path, you can already ride or walk the Western Port Bay Trail from Bittern Station to Balnarring Beach. Then watch for marker posts featuring a Peninsula PathLinks logo to get you along Library Rd and Bayview Rd to the continuation of Junction Rd. This route gets rougher as you approach Merricks, is 6km longer and is only suitable for mountain bikes and experienced walkers.