Receive Our Free Email News
Stay up to date with the latest news about Rail Trails with our free email news.
Register for news updatesBlazing the rail trail path around Victoria
Paul Baker has cycled over 2,400 kilometers since the start of January. The 47-year-old set himself the goal of riding all 43 rail trails around Victoria within 12-months – and he’s nearly there.
He wouldn’t describe himself as an athlete. “I’m not an elite athlete whatsoever” he joked. “I’m a 140kg dad of two kids who just loves getting out there”. Paul rekindled his love of cycling during the Melbourne lockdown. Paul decided to tackle Victoria’s rail trails after seeing a post on social media. “Someone had ridden all the bike paths in metropolitan Melbourne” he said. “That looked cool, but also a little boring. So, I thought I’d do rail trails instead”.
He arrived in Mansfield on Thursday September 14 after finishing the full length of the Great Victorian Rail Trail (GVRT) – meant to be his final hurrah. Day 1 saw Paul ride from Yea to Tallarook and back to Cathkin, while Day 2 he rode from Alexandra via Cathkin to Mansfield and back. On his arrival in Mansfield, he was met by members of the ‘Friends of the GVRT’ who congratulated Paul on his 1-man effort to tackle all of Victoria’s rail trails.
Despite the enormity of his mission, Paul seems unfazed. “Overall, it’s a pretty easy challenge for most riders,” he says. Paul attributes much of his renewed love of riding to the capabilities of the modern eBike. “It allows you to keep riding and dialing down the assistance as you progress,” he explained. “There are people who are using them as a bridge to come back to cycling from minimal or no fitness, or a torn ACL” (in Paul’s case).
He won’t pick a favorite. “I don’t think its fair to compare trails” he said. “It’s a fruit salad out there; there are so many different trails that suit different types of riders.”
Baker hopes that by taking on this challenge and sharing the journey on social media, he can help spread the word about Victoria’s rail trails and inspire others to explore this far-reaching network.
More News
If you live in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, regional Victoria and NSW, Adelaide and Tasmania and are available to count bik...
Long-standing rail trail supporter Ms Rosamund Lesley Heit has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in...
Rail Trails Australia had 289,000 visits to its website in 2025, many by people looking for information on specific rail...
Byron Shire in northern NSW is working on getting approvals and funding for the transition of the 132km rail corridor th...
A 49km rail trail west from New Norfolk to mountain bike park centre Maydena is an exciting proposition from Derwent Val...
Pioneer Valley Rail Trail volunteers Mike and Margie Browne have won an Excellence in Community Project Achievement awar...
Update: as of 25 January 2026, Cycle Dindi 26 has been postponed due to damage to the Great Victorian Rail Trail (GVRT)....
Construction has begun on the next 1.5km stretch of the Yarra Valley Trail in Victoria, which will extend to the Birraru...
We know that rail trails are not exclusively enjoyed by cyclists: horse-riders, runners, walkers and mobility aid users ...
Queensland’s Somerset Regional Council and City of Moreton Bay have confirmed they have undertaken a Multi Criteri...
Hilltops Council is inviting the community to have their say on the Boorowa Galong Rail Trail Concept. The concept explo...
The 2026 Victorian bushfires caused widespread damage to many communities and also severely damaged 2 rail trails in nor...
Northern Tasmania’s Latrobe Council and Kentish Council have released the Latrobe-Kentish Trails Strategy to guide the...
Friends of The Bendigo – Kilmore Rail Trail (FBKRT) continue to improve the O’Keefe Rail Trail, with 2 recent wo...
In December, Logan City Council (bordering Brisbane) decided to proceed with a staged development of the 11.5km section ...
As Rail Trails Australia (RTA) ramps up its efforts to assist New South Wales increase the number of rail trails in the ...
Calendar of Events
See upcoming eventsNews Archives
Receive Our Free Email News
Stay up to date with the latest news about Rail Trails with our free email news.
Register for news updatesFeatured Articles
Celebrating RTA’s Volunteers
26/05/25
More News
If you live in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, regional Victoria and NSW, Adelaide and Tasmania and are available to count bik...
Long-standing rail trail supporter Ms Rosamund Lesley Heit has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in...
Rail Trails Australia had 289,000 visits to its website in 2025, many by people looking for information on specific rail...
Byron Shire in northern NSW is working on getting approvals and funding for the transition of the 132km rail corridor th...
A 49km rail trail west from New Norfolk to mountain bike park centre Maydena is an exciting proposition from Derwent Val...
Pioneer Valley Rail Trail volunteers Mike and Margie Browne have won an Excellence in Community Project Achievement awar...
Update: as of 25 January 2026, Cycle Dindi 26 has been postponed due to damage to the Great Victorian Rail Trail (GVRT)....
Construction has begun on the next 1.5km stretch of the Yarra Valley Trail in Victoria, which will extend to the Birraru...
We know that rail trails are not exclusively enjoyed by cyclists: horse-riders, runners, walkers and mobility aid users ...
Queensland’s Somerset Regional Council and City of Moreton Bay have confirmed they have undertaken a Multi Criteri...
Hilltops Council is inviting the community to have their say on the Boorowa Galong Rail Trail Concept. The concept explo...
The 2026 Victorian bushfires caused widespread damage to many communities and also severely damaged 2 rail trails in nor...
Northern Tasmania’s Latrobe Council and Kentish Council have released the Latrobe-Kentish Trails Strategy to guide the...
Friends of The Bendigo – Kilmore Rail Trail (FBKRT) continue to improve the O’Keefe Rail Trail, with 2 recent wo...
In December, Logan City Council (bordering Brisbane) decided to proceed with a staged development of the 11.5km section ...
As Rail Trails Australia (RTA) ramps up its efforts to assist New South Wales increase the number of rail trails in the ...