Gellibrand Gravel Loop

The Gellibrand Gravel Loop is a good sampler of some Otways Gravel.

This loop takes you along a well-used gravel climb up Roadknight Creek before rolling down into the green hills surrounding Gellibrand. There's a short sharp hill on McDonald's Rd that will have you puffing with a bit of reprieve before the final but less intense ascent along Boundary Rd near the Yaugher trail head. Coast back into town on the Tiger Rail Trail.

Stats

The route is 38km long and has 680 vert metres. My time of 2:04 was ridden at an average speed of 18kmph.

Course Terrain

There's a short section of bitumen to take you to Roadknight Creek Rd at the start of this ride. The rest is decent gravel roads with some climbing.

Course Route

Leaving from the main street,

Leave Forrest via Turner Drive, next to the Brewery and ride for 1.3km.
Turn left when it intersects the Colac-Forrest Rd and ride 1.5km.
Turn left at Roadknight Creek Rd, ride this for 5.8km.
Take a right turn onto Ridge Rd and ride for 9km.
Turn right onto Kawarren East Rd and follow for 3.5km.
Turn right onto McDonalds Rd. This continues for 4.6km but note that to follow it, it does feel like you're taking a left turn at one point - but to go straight would take you onto private property.
Turn right onto Parkes Lodge Rd. In a short distance you will reach an intersection with three roads/tracks crossing. Take Pipeline Rd which is almost a straight continuation of Parkes Lodge Rd.
Follow Pipeline Rd for 3.6km.
Turn left onto Boundary Rd, and follow it for 6km. Take care crossing the Colac-Forrest Rd. Boundary Rd takes you past the Yaugher MTB Trail head.
Continue on Boundary down to the main road back into town (Birregurra-Forrest Rd).
Cross over the Birregurra-Forrest Rd to the other side and take the small piece of singletrack. Note: You can just turn right and ride the road back into town instead.
The singletrack spits you out on the Tiger Rail Trail.
Turn right and follow the Tiger Rail Trail back up into town for 2km.

Tips

Strava lists two roads as Pipeline Rd which is confusing as they intersect, however it is clearer on Google maps. Here is the intersection shown on both formats. You need to take the labelled Pipeline Rd on Google, not the one labelled Colac-Olangolah Pipeline Rd.

Route Name	Distance	Vert Metres	Loop/Point to Point
Thompsons Loop	31	830	Loop
Pipeline Track	25	646	Loop
EC Loop	39	870	Loop
Kawarren Loop AC/	48	850	Loop
Forrest to Apollo Bay - Sunnyside Down	50	880	Point to Point
Barramunga Loop	20	430	Loop
Dewings Bridge Loop	26	320	Loop

The EC Loop

The EC Loop – Sunnyside/Kaanglang I’ve named the EC Loop after the local legend who rides this loop regularly for training. She can smash this out in under 2 hours… as of Sep 2020, my best time is 2:20 so still a way to go to catch her! Stats The course has 870 vert metres … Read more

Pipeline Track Loop

Pipeline Track Loop, Kawarren The Pipeline Track loop is an easy introduction into gravel grinds in the Otways. Stats Just shy of 25km, 646 elevation, this loop will take about 1.5 hr at an average speed of 17kmph. Most of the climbing is at the start on Roadknight Creek rd. Course Terrain You start with … Read more