Our Local Rail Trail – My Happy Place
The O’Keefe Rail Trail begins in Bendigo goes through to Heathcote, a distance of 50km. There are plans to continue the rail further on past Heathcote to Kilmore. A bit further into the future, the plan is to eventually continue this trail right through to Melbourne, which would be more than amazing.
There have been some recent upgrades to the rail trail, that I’ve been anxious to check out. Unfortunately, due to injury, I’m not back on the bike yet, but should be out there in just a week or two. Usually ‘the O’Keefe” is my ‘happy place’, so I can’t wait to be out there either on my bike or walking. I do miss it terribly.
I’ve ridden my bike the complete length of the trail, about 50 kilometres, many times, and never tire of it. When training for Coastrek, with my team, we walked from Axedale to Heathcote, on the trail, a distance of about 24k, as one of our major training walks. A couple of years ago, I walked alone on the trail, from Axedale to Bendigo.
At the moment, due to Covid-19 most people are taking the government’s advice and staying home, but I thought it might be interesting for you to see what’s happening on the rail trail.
Railway history
In 2018, a rusty railway carriage was transported for Korumburra Station to the Axedale Station on the O’Keefe Rail Trail. Recently the Friends of the Bendigo-Kilmore Rail Trail arranged for this carriage to be taken away for restoration, to the same workshop where it was manufactured, 64 years ago, in 1956. Now that’s what I call history!
The carriage is now back, sitting at Axedale Station, in all it’s restored glory, which I think adds a touch of authenticity and uniqueness to our trail.
Bike Repair & Potable Water Station
Two bike repair stations have been installed along the rail trail by the Friends of The Bendigo Kilmore Rail Trail group. There is one staion located right in Axedale, at the Axedale Community Park, which is right on the trail. It’s position allows it to be used by trail users, local residents, students and visitors to the area. The station has a bike holder to make it easier to perform maintenance on the bike, tools for repairs and an air pump that can be used to inflate bike tyres. The other repair station is located on the trail about half way between Bendigo and Axedale. There is expected to be a third repair station installed at Heathcote in the future.
Two potable water stations have also been installed that can be accessed by users of the trail. One is located in the park at Axedale close to the repair station, and the other just outside Bendigo.
“With no local bike repair businesses in towns like Junortoun, Axedale and Heathcote, such facilities will provide confidence for cyclists planning to use the 49km rail trail” said Garry Long President of Friends of the Bendigo-Kilmore Rail Trail.
O’Keefe Challenge
The O’Keefe Challenge is an annual event, held each year in April, which features running and cycling events held on the O’Keefe Rail Trail, starting just outside Bendigo through to Heathcote. This event is much more than a running event. As well as celebrating health and fitness, it is a huge community participation event. The running/walking events are 5k, 10, half marathon, and marathon.
The Ekiden Relay is for those who would like to enter a team of seven runners, running distance from 2.7k to 9.35k. This is great for community groups, school students, and sporting groups.
There is a cycling event on the Friday night of the weekend, starting in Axedale and finishing at Heathcote. This event is called “Light The Trail”, which gives the opportunity to ride the trail at night, under the stars. O’Keefe Challenge. This is a fun event with novelty prizes given.
*please note: The above event has been postponed this year until October, due to Corona Virus
Do you have a local rail trail. If so, I would love to hear about it. I love it when we have a conversation and promise to reply to all comments made.
This post is linked to Denyse’s Life This Week
Friends of the Bendigo-Kilmore Rail Trail
O’Keefe Challenge
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I don’t think we have a local rail trail Jen but I might investigate. Would you believe I have never been able to ride a bike! You and Debbie Harris would have great conversations about Rail Trails and at this time it is so important to appreciate nature and stay active and healthy. Take care xx #lifethisweek
Sue, as a bike rider for most of my life, I’m always surprised when I hear people say that have never been on a bike. But Sue, I’ve never done ballet! We are all different and that’s great. I agree it’s important in these difficult times to get out into nature. More important than ever. Take care xx
So many of the things we have enjoyed doing are off limits right now! I think our hiking trails here in El Paso, Texas are still open but I don’t know for how much longer. Our foothills are golden with a bounty of yellow poppies coming up volunteer. I would love to walk among the flowers.
What a great idea to have a bike repair station on this lovely trail. We ride bikes but not off road. Still encounter goat’s head stickers or thorns that puncture our tires and tubes and often have to push our bikes home. Takes away from the fun!!
Leslie I really do home that they don’t close down the trails and walking paths. That would be a tragedy, as we need them so we can get out into the fresh air for our mental health. But it’s difficult times, and we really don’t know what’s ahead for us. Your comment about thorns in the bike tyres made me chuckle. There has been many a time, I’ve need to turn my bike upside down on the side of the road and repair a puncture = both on the off road bike and the road bike. I’ve always pushed the bike home more times than I’d like to remember. Thanks for visiting
We have a rail trail here in Hervey Bay but I have to confess I’ve never been to see it / walked it, though I do have friends who live nearby and use it for their walks.
I’m hoping I can get a bit more motivated to do some walking as I’ve not done anything of late and even took my Fitbit off as it depressed me I was never getting to 1000 steps a day (let alone 10,000!).
Get that fitbit back on Deborah. But seriously I do understand how depressed we can feel about not reaching targets. I’ve had to lower my targets due to injury, and I’m not happy about it. We have friends in Hervey Bay. Hopefully, when we are allowed to be out and about again, we can visit them and check out your rail trail.
I love this Jennifer. Our Tumbarumba to Rosewood rail trail opens on April 3, it will now be done ‘virtually’ rather than as we had originally planned. Hopefully we can have a big celeb ration later in the year, it’s take so long to get it to this stage we feel a bit disappointed but understand why we can’t have a huge crowd just at the moment. At least it will be open for anyone who wants to get out in the fresh air while social distancing! I love the ideas you’ve mentioned and keeping the history alive is vital. I must get down there when travel is allowed again. #lifethisweek
Deb I’ve been following your railtrail progress on FB. It looks wonderful and is on my list to visit. I can understand your disappointment, but isn’t it great that we’re living in times when these things can be done virtually. Take care. x
Hikes (and rides) such as these are perfect in these social distancing times where we’re needing to find alternatives to our normal exercise routines.
So ture Jo and great for our mental health in these difficult times
So good to see your continuation of getting outside and moving and with a new venture like this proceeding and growing, I can understand your eagerness to get ‘back on the bike’.
Thank you for linking up for Life This Week. Next week, the optional prompt, is for some, the (Easter) seasonally-based 13/51 Chocolate 30.3.2020. Hope to see you back linking up then too. Denyse.
Thanks Denyse. Been giving thought to chocolate.