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The Mornington Rail Trail is a developing shared cycling and walking trail on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, currently following approximately 4km of the former Mornington railway corridor between Baxter and Moorooduc. Around 60km south of Melbourne’s CBD, it offers an easy ride through a leafy railway corridor with plenty of local history along the way. The trail uses a mixture of asphalt and concrete surfaces with gentle gradients, making it suitable for mountain bikes, hybrids, touring bikes and recreational riders. Much of the route follows alongside the disused railway tracks, with plenty of shade and a relaxed feel that makes it well suited to families and newer riders. At the Moorooduc end, riders arrive near Mornington Tourist Railway and Mount Eliza Regional Park, where the history of the old Mornington branch line becomes a big part of the experience. The heritage railway continues to operate tourist trains between Moorooduc and Mornington. The trail is also part of a much bigger vision for cycling on the peninsula. Plans through the Peninsula Trails project aim to eventually extend the route towards Mornington and connect it with other existing and proposed trails, forming part of a planned network of around 170km of walking and cycling trails across the region. RTS Tip: The Mornington Rail Trail is still a work in progress, so don't expect a continuous rail trail all the way into Mornington just yet. The current Baxter–Moorooduc section makes an easy standalone ride, but its future connections are what make this one particularly exciting. For now, check the latest route information before riding and consider combining it with other Mornington Peninsula trails for a bigger day out.

Red Hill MTB Park, more formally the mountain bike trail network within Arthurs Seat State Park on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, is one of the region’s best-known destinations for trail, enduro and downhill mountain biking. Located around Red Hill, Dromana and Arthurs Seat, the network uses the steep forested slopes of Arthurs Seat to deliver everything from beginner-friendly cross-country singletrack through to fast flow trails, technical rock gardens, steep chutes, jumps, drops and competition-level downhill terrain. There is a good progression of riding across the network. Wonga provides a wide, flowing introduction for first-time mountain bikers, while Loop Trail and Friends can be combined into a relatively gentle family-friendly lap. Riders ready to step up can tackle blue trails including High Roller, Rock Salt, Wombat and Slippery Gypsy, where roots, rocks, berms, tighter corners and faster descending start to become a bigger part of the experience. Experienced riders have plenty to keep them busy. Fall Line, Deadwoods and Crits deliver increasingly technical descending, while The Crusher is a challenging black trail featuring rock step-downs, drops, technical gullies and rapid changes in terrain. At the top end, Gunn Barrell is a double-black, competition-level downhill trail with steep rocky drops, gap jumps, high-speed sections and demanding technical features intended for advanced riders only. The network also extends towards Seawinds and McLarens Dam, with Sawtooth providing a roughly 2.8 km descending trail through natural bushland before transitioning into fast, flowing berms through the ferns. Riders can then earn their way back up via Bowsaw, a dedicated climbing trail with switchbacks, rocks and roots. This combination of climbing and descending trails makes Red Hill equally enjoyable for riders chasing a longer pedal-powered MTB adventure rather than simply gravity laps. Red Hill is also well positioned for a bigger Mornington Peninsula cycling trip. Nearby Red Hill Station Reserve has a free MTB skills park with jumps, a berm/wallride and skinny boardwalk features, while the Red Hill–Merricks Rail Trail provides around 6.5 km of easier shared riding through the surrounding countryside. RTS Tip: Red Hill has a big jump in difficulty between its easier trails and its black and double-black descents, so use Wonga, Loop Trail and High Roller to get a feel for the conditions before progressing. The natural roots and rocks can ride very differently when wet, and unfamiliar jumps and drops should always be inspected before committing. For a great first visit, build a loop using the dedicated climbing trails rather than trying to tackle everything at once — there’s enough variety here to easily fill a full day of Mornington Peninsula mountain biking

The Red Hill Rail Trail, also known locally as the Merricks–Red Hill Trail, is a scenic 6.3 km cycling, walking and horse-riding trail on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, connecting Merricks with Red Hill. Around 90 km south of Melbourne, the route travels through rolling rural countryside, vineyards, orchards, pine trees and native vegetation, with excellent views across Western Port towards Phillip Island. The surface is predominantly compacted earth and fine gravel, making it best suited to mountain bikes, gravel bikes, hybrids and capable e-bikes rather than narrow-tyred road bikes. Starting at Merricks Station Ground, the first 2.7 km towards Tonkins Road is actually steeper than many riders expect from a rail trail. This lower section does not follow the original railway formation for its entire length, and riders face a steady climb for roughly 2 km before being rewarded with expansive views across the Mornington Peninsula countryside and Western Port. The trail is narrow in places and is regularly used by horse riders, so cyclists need to approach blind corners and passing situations carefully. From Tonkins Road to Red Hill, the character changes as the trail returns to the original railway easement. This approximately 3.6 km section climbs much more gently, passing through pine trees and two old railway cuttings before reaching Red Hill Station Reserve. Interpretive signage and a commemorative plaque mark the former Red Hill railway station, while the nearby Red Hill village provides cafés, a bakery and other places to stop before the return ride. The trail follows part of the former Bittern to Red Hill railway, which opened in 1921 after decades of campaigning by local residents. The railway was particularly important for transporting the district’s fruit — including apples, pears and strawberries — towards Melbourne markets. Despite the effort involved in building the steep branch line, improving roads reduced demand and the railway closed in 1953 after only 32 years of operation. Much of the former corridor between Bittern and Merricks later passed into private ownership, leaving the Merricks–Red Hill section as today's rail trail. There are plans to make the trail considerably more significant in the future. Mornington Peninsula Shire has identified the Red Hill Rail Trail extension towards Balnarring and Bittern as an opportunity within the broader Peninsula Trails network. Almost 7 km of the potential 14 km corridor is currently established, with future connections intended to make better use of surviving railway land and road reserves. RTS Tip: If you're riding return, start at Merricks and get the harder climbing out of the way first — then enjoy Red Hill's cafés before a generally easier trip back. Allow roughly 13 km for the out-and-back ride. The trail can become muddy and slippery during winter or after significant rain, and the lower section is steeper and rougher than you might expect from the words “rail trail”, so wider tyres are a good choice. Remember this is a shared trail with walkers and horse riders, slow down when passing and give horses plenty of room.