Words: Indigo Shire Photos: Dominic Hook

Great news has come out of Victoria with the Indigo Shire Council announcing funding for a brand new Epic trail. The new Epic trail will link the Alpine Foothill towns of Beechworth and Yackandandah. The 'Epic' name is the same title as the Australian Alpine Epic Trail in Mt Buller. Our latest issue looks at the great trails of both Beechworth and Yackandandah and a linking trail will certainly make the area a must visit. Press release below.

Indigo Shire will be home to the Southern Hemisphere’s only all‐seasons Epic standard mountain bike trail thanks to a grant from the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions Fund announced today.

Indigo Shire Mayor Bernard Gaffney welcomed the $1 million grant, which will allow the construction of the Beechworth to Yackandandah Epic Mountain Bike Trail. “We are thrilled to receive this grant and I thank the Federal Government, in particular Senator Bridget McKenzie,” said Cr Gaffney.

“The Beechworth to Yackandandah Epic Mountain Bike Trail will be the only all‐season epic standard mountain bike trail in the Southern Hemisphere. We have always prided ourselves as a premier cycle destination and now we will really be on the world stage.

“An Epic trail recognised by the International Mountain Bike Association as the world‐class standard – completing an Epic trail is like a badge of honour for mountain bikers.

“The new trail will attract mountain bikers from around the world and, with them, many economic benefits for the Shire.

“We expect the trail will bring 12,500 visitors to North East Victoria. It will create 34 FTE jobs and inject $5.18million in direct and indirect expenditure in North East Victoria.

“Mountain biking is also a great low‐cost activity for people of all ages to stay active and explore the great outdoors – something we have no shortage of in Indigo Shire.

“With construction also underway on the extension of the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail from Beechworth to Yackandandah, we will soon have two amazing and very different cycling experiences between these key tourism towns. It will create a truly world class cycling destination.”

Indigo Shire Council voted to support the Building Better Regions Fund grant application at the October 2018 Council meeting. The total project cost will be $2 million and Council has made a budget commitment of $1million over three years to match the grant funding.