The Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail — or the “Warby Trail” as locals know it — is one of the best rail trails in Australia. It runs for 40km through the Yarra Valley, following the route of the old railway line between Lilydale and Warburton through farmland, bushland, wineries, and historic townships. It’s flat enough for beginners, scenic enough for seasoned riders, and dotted with enough cafes, pubs, and produce stops that you can stretch a simple bike ride into a full day out.
If you’re staying in Warburton — or planning to — riding the trail is one of the best ways to see what the Yarra Valley has to offer.
The Basics
- Distance: 40km one way
- Surface: Mostly fine gravel, some sealed sections
- Grade: Easy to moderate — gentle gradients, no steep climbs
- Suitable for: Walkers, cyclists, horse riders, prams, and leashed dogs
- Ride time: 2–5 hours each way (depending on pace and stops)
- Cost: Free
- Elevation gain: Around 200m over the full length
The trail passes through nine townships: Lilydale, Mount Evelyn, Wandin, Seville, Woori Yallock, Launching Place, Yarra Junction, Wesburn, Millgrove, and finishes in Warburton. That means there’s never far between refuel stops — a cafe, bakery, pub, or winery is never more than a few kilometres away.
Which Direction Should You Ride?
Most guides will tell you to start in Lilydale and ride towards Warburton. That’s partly tradition (Lilydale is where the train line ends, so it’s the obvious starting point for Melbourne visitors), and partly because there’s a steady, gentle climb from Lilydale up to Mount Evelyn that some riders prefer to get out of the way early. And after that you do get to ride down hill at a gentle grade for about 17kms and then flat the rest of the way to Warburton
If you’re staying in Warburton an out and back to Mount Evelyn may be a good option if you want to only climb one way:
- Flat to start to warm up. The trail is really quite flat Worri Yallock
- Coffee at Mount Evelyn then Lunch at Launching Place Home Hotel. If you get your times right you can make this quite the culinary adventure. The Launching Place Home Hotel Pub is a popular stop with then a flat ride back to Warburton
- Downhill coming home. The 17km stretch after you turn around on the way back gives a great mid ride rest.
- You ride out of your base — leaving with fresh legs and a plan to stop for lunch somewhere along the way.
If you’d rather keep it shorter, the trail is genuinely well-suited to partial sections. Warburton to Yarra Junction (around 8.5km) is a popular out-and-back that takes in the most scenic stretch along the Yarra River.
What You’ll See Along the Way
The trail isn’t just a flat piece of gravel — it moves through genuinely varied country.
Warburton to Millgrove (3.3km): Shaded bushland, glimpses of the Yarra River, and a gentle leaving-town feel. This is arguably the prettiest stretch of the whole trail.
Millgrove to Yarra Junction (5.2km): Open pasture, the old Yarra Junction station (now the Upper Yarra Museum), and a good spot for a coffee or a snack. Launching Place is just before, home to the historic Home Hotel if you fancy a lunch stop.
Yarra Junction to Woori Yallock (6.4km): Farmland, creeks, and some of the trail’s most pleasant riding. The Woori Yallock bakery is legendary among rail trail riders — worth planning a stop.
Woori Yallock to Seville (4km): You start moving into wine country here. Several cellar doors and trail-side cafes are within a short detour.
Seville to Wandin (3.4km): Rolling farmland, vineyards, and the sound of bellbirds in the forested sections.
Wandin to Mount Evelyn (5.4km): A steady climb up to the highest point on the trail. The Mt Evelyn station site has toilets and a cafe at the top — a well-timed reward.
Mount Evelyn to Lilydale (6.9km): A 130m descent through semi-urban bushland, including an owl reserve and a tunnel under Birmingham Road. The trail finishes at Lilydale station.
Bike Hire
You don’t need to own a bike to ride the trail. There are two main operators with hire options at either end, and both know the trail inside out.
Cog Bikes & Brew — Warburton
Location: 42 Station Road, Warburton (right on the trail, behind the Warburton Police Station)
Cog is the obvious choice if you’re staying in Warburton. They have a wide range of bikes for hire — standard bikes, e-bikes, kids’ bikes, children’s trailers, and baby seats — all with helmets included. The cafe on-site is handy for a coffee before you roll out or a meal when you get back.
Walk-ins are welcome, though booking ahead is a good idea on weekends, public holidays, or during school holidays.
Website: cogbikesaustralia.com.au
Yarra Valley Cycles — Lilydale
Location: 108 Main Street, Lilydale
If you’re starting at the Lilydale end, Yarra Valley Cycles offers bike hire, repairs, and expert advice. They’ve been servicing the Yarra Valley cycling community for years and have a solid range of hire options across MTB, hybrid, and road bikes.
Ride Time Yarra Valley (Yarra Junction location) offers something genuinely useful for riders staying in Warburton: bike hire with drop-off at Yarra Valley Wine Co. That means you can pick up your bike in Yarra Junction, ride a leisurely 8km section of the trail back towards Warburton, and finish your afternoon at the wine bar — leaving the bikes there to be collected. They also offer pick-up and drop-off at the wine bar itself, if you want a flat ride bookended by tasting flights and grazing plates. It’s the kind of detail that turns a bike ride into a proper afternoon out.
Planning a One-Way Ride
The beauty of the rail trail is that you don’t have to commit to a return trip. A few ways to manage it:
- Bike hire with one-way drop-off. Operators like Ride Time have both ends of the trail covered — hire at Lilydale, drop off at Yarra Junction (or vice versa).
- 683 bus. Runs regularly between Lilydale and Warburton with bike racks on the front. There are usually only two racks though, so on a busy day it’s worth having a plan B.
- Lilydale train. If you finish at Lilydale, the Lilydale line runs to Melbourne, and you can take your bike on board off-peak.
- Make it a loop via the O’Shannassy Aqueduct Trail. Serious riders sometimes combine the rail trail with the Aqueduct Trail to make a roughly 90km loop back to Warburton. Not for beginners, but a genuinely memorable full-day ride.
What to Bring
- A bike that suits the surface. A gravel bike, hybrid, mountain bike, or e-bike is ideal. A standard road bike with narrow tyres is not recommended — the gravel sections will slow you down.
- Water — at least 1–2 litres per person, especially in warmer months
- Snacks, even though there are cafes along the way
- Sunscreen and a hat — several sections are exposed
- A rain jacket — the weather in the valley can change fast
- A bike lock if you plan to stop and walk around any of the townships
When to Ride
The trail is open year-round with no seasonal closures. That said:
- Spring (Sep–Nov): Wildflowers, birdsong, and mild temperatures — arguably the best time
- Summer (Dec–Feb): Warm and dry, but sections can be exposed and hot. Start early.
- Autumn (Mar–May): Cool, atmospheric, with golden light through the bushland sections
- Winter (Jun–Aug): Quieter trail, but cold and often wet. Pack properly and expect muddy patches.
Weekends and public holidays are noticeably busier — if you want the trail mostly to yourself, ride midweek.
Stay in Warburton, Ride the Trail
The rail trail is best done slowly, with stops. That’s a lot easier when you’re not trying to fit it into a single day-trip from Melbourne.
At Warburton Escapes, we offer a collection of short-term accommodation options across Warburton — many within walking or short riding distance of the trail head and Cog Bikes & Brew. Stay a night or two, ride out to Lilydale one day, explore the Aqueduct Trail or the Redwood Forest the next, and have dinner at one of Warby’s local spots (like the new Yarra Valley Wine Co.) before doing it all again.
Browse our Warburton accommodation and start planning your ride.
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