Besides the Great Alpine Road Victoria offers another excellent ride over the high country via Falls creek. This used to be gravel but is all sealed and some people claim a better ride than the GAR as far as scenery goes. I have not completed this, last time I rode it the road was not sealed all the way (yes been awhile) and then when I returned I had terrible weather 8 degrees and rain and still did not ride it.
You can locate this road on the map, expand to see the list.
These ‘good road’ posts were published 2006-2008. At some point the original images and descriptions became out of date and I moved overseas. I archived them here to update when I ride Australia again. This collection is just my own personal riding records, not a definitive list.
Excellent news!
I really don't mind a bit of dirt, and this road was well travelled, wide and flat – but it was covered in a thick layer of large-rock gravel which made the trip really very unpleasant. Not recommended for most tar bunnies.
You're right, this is now definitely a good alternative to GAR – especially considering the beautiful little stretch near Angler's Rest. The best part, though, is probably that it opens up new routes and loops in the area – e.g., north over Hotham, through Mt Beauty, south over Falls Ck, then North along the Omeo highway (?) to the Murray Valley and beyond. Talk about the perfect route to Phillip Island! Or, just a loop over both mountains (for those staying in Bright/Omeo/).
Looking forward to showing some photos of this route end of year!
Fantastic! My brother and i heard the news recently by chance about that section being newly sealed and checked out a few YouTube clips of it also. The three of us will also be treking through that way during the week after Christmas We'll be based in Bright and will be doing the loop on a day trip and will be sure to get plenty of snaps (not the bone kind of course ;))
The road after Falls Creek to the Omeo Hwy is now sealed. It has been sealed for about one yr or so, I am from Wodonga and a group of us road up over Falls down the other side (the new sealed rd is a very a light tar, and there is allot of gravel on the corners very hard to see due to the tar type) from there the ride to Omeo is twisty paradise then over Mt Hotham to Bight and so on.
The G.A.R-Falls-Omeo loop is *the* greatest ride on the mainland i.m.h.o! If you're coming up the Gippsland side, swing a left in the middle of Swifts Creek for a sweet little diversion up the Cassilis valley to Omeo. The Blue Duck Hotel at Anglers Rest serves a great steak sandwich and the verandah's the spot to contemplate the 1000 corners you've negotiated while sipping a pot and listening to the 'Mitta Mitta' gurgling past. The surface on the 'new' sealed section across the Bogong Plains has settled down somewhat with most of the loose scree now gone but the tarmac is coarse & quartzy, the road unmarked and not signposted. Coming from Falls side, as you start the decent to Shannonvale, there is at least one 90 deg. left hander hiding behind a downhill crest. Sneaks up very quickly if you're pushing along! Perhaps best just taking in the scenery on this section. You might catch sight of some brumbies or it may be fogged to the point of following the brake light of the bike in front… just don't follow them off the road!