Melba Flats to Zeehan Rail Trail

The Melba Flats to Zeehan Rail Trail is a remote 9 km adventure trail on Tasmania’s rugged West Coast, following historic railway formations between Melba Flats and the mining town of Zeehan. Unlike a manicured recreational rail trail, this is a genuine exploratory mountain bike ride across open button-grass plains, with compacted earth, grass, gravel, old railway sleepers, creek crossings, washouts and sections that can become wet or overgrown. The trail is relatively isolated and poorly signposted, making it best suited to mountain bikes and self-sufficient riders comfortable with navigation and rougher terrain. The route has an interesting railway history, with two separate railway lines once running roughly parallel between Zeehan and Melba Flats. One was the two-foot-gauge North East Dundas Tramway, built to transport ore from the mines around Williamsford to Zeehan, while the other was the wider-gauge Emu Bay Railway, which connected Zeehan with Tasmania’s north-west coast. Remnants of both corridors can still be encountered, including old sleepers, railway formations, bridge sites and other infrastructure slowly being reclaimed by the West Coast landscape. One of the biggest attractions for adventurous riders is the opportunity to extend the ride beyond Melba Flats. The trail connects with the 19 km Montezuma Falls Rail Trail, following more of the old North East Dundas Tramway towards Montezuma Falls and Williamsford. Linking the trails can create an adventurous ride of around 55–56 km return from Zeehan, taking riders from exposed button-grass plains into lush rainforest and past historic mining and railway remains on the way to one of Tasmania’s highest waterfalls. RTS Tip: Don’t approach Melba Flats to Zeehan expecting a smooth family rail trail — this is West Coast adventure riding. Navigation can be tricky, creek crossings and washouts may require some hike-a-bike, and sections can be boggy or overgrown. Download your route before leaving, carry food, water, repair gear and suitable wet-weather clothing, and allow considerably more time than you normally would for a 9 km ride. For experienced riders wanting a bigger mission, link it with Montezuma Falls and Williamsford for a memorable full-day MTB adventure.