THE beauty of The Red Gum Trail was enjoyed by locals and visitors last Saturday morning during The Red Gum Trail Velo Rally.

The event was organised by The Friends of Hamilton-Coleraine Rail Reserve Committee with the aim of sharing the 34-kilometre trail with as many people as possible.

Committee member and keen cyclist, Hilary King, said she was overwhelmed by the support shown from the community and was pleased they were able to raise some money to go towards improving the trial.

“We were thrilled,” she said.

“We had about 60 people show up which was great, obviously locals, but also people from Warrnambool, Ararat, Stawell, and Portland, which was a pretty good turnout.

“Most people made it all the way through, and some people rode all the way back.”

Riders enjoyed exploring the trail, which was completely open for the first time, with Ms King saying many commented on the picturesque setting and how pleasant it was to ride through the Blue Gum country.

“People were quite surprised at how lovely it is,” she said.

Refreshments were provided for riders in Wannon and Coleraine for those who completed the full distance. 

The event was attended by both experienced cyclists and those just wanting to give it a try, with Ms King saying one stand-out for her was a six-year-old boy who rode all the way to Wannon with his family.

“I was so impressed,” she said.

“He was really enjoying himself, and that was lovely to see.”

The Friends of Hamilton-Coleraine Rail Reserve Committee consists of around 12 people who have been working on improving the trail since 2000.

Ms King said the Committee wanted to promote the trail as an environmental conservation reserve that can be used by walkers, cyclists, or birdwatchers, with members of the Committee able to accompany those who are unsure about tackling the trail alone.

“We want to make sure the whole community has a bit of an opportunity to get behind it,” she said.

“We want people to explore it - it’s just lovely.

“It’s our backyard, it’s our history and we don’t want to lose it.”

The Committee plans to continue working on the trail, including cleaning up the area from Balkins Road into Hamilton.