Three Trails in Ballarat That Make Adventure Accessible for Everyone

Ballarat’s trails are excellent for exploring and cater for people living with a disability too, so We Are Explorers sent Gerard and Moey there for a weekend to check them out.

Ballarat’s a historic gold rush era city 90 minutes west of Melbourne that’s brimming with heritage buildings and historic streets, many of which date back to the 19th century. It’s a charming place, and many of its buildings were built during the height of its wealth and influence.

However, this was also a time where accessibility needs weren’t considered, and many regional towns and their surrounding trails are often quite challenging to explore, or use as a base for outdoor adventures, for disabled people and people living with a disability.

Which is why I was so excited when Gerard and I were asked to find out how Ballarat was different. We’d heard that the trails in the region had been designed with accessibility at the forefront, with everything from a dementia-friendly forest to adaptive mountain bike trails, and we needed a whole weekend to check it all out.

A Life-Changing Illness

I’m able-bodied, and Gerard was too until nine years ago when he developed a rare medical condition that choked his spinal cord. He lost the use of his lower body and had to quickly come to terms with a world that wasn’t designed with his needs in mind.

‘Imagine waking up and finding yourself in a world that’s immediately limiting’, says Gerard. He values independence like anyone else and is focused on enjoying life without the stigma of his wheelchair.

With a list of accessible places to eat, drink, sleep, and explore (of course!), that’s exactly what we did. Here’s how you can too.

Friday – Check In At Quest Ballarat Station & Pancho

The 90-minute drive flew by and before we knew it, we were out of Melbourne. There’s nothing like leaving on Friday afternoon to really get the weekend started.

Our first stop was Quest Ballarat Station, an apartment hotel in the heart of town that’s right next to the V/Line train station. With co-designed and accredited accessible rooms, it was the perfect choice for us.

‘The best part of the room was no steps’, said Gerard, but it sounds like the generous rooms, well-designed accessible bathroom, and lifts from the car park didn’t hurt either. The staff were also lovely and helped us securely store our bikes, including the adaptive mountain bike, inside.

Hot tip: If time riding the Djuwang Baring trails is your priority, RACV Goldfields Resort, a 15-minute drive from Ballarat, also offers both convenience and accessibility, making it an excellent base for escapades to the trail network.

We were set up and starving, so we headed out to Pancho for some Latin American cuisine. Having visited Colombia before, I was excited to show Gerard what all the hype was about, and we weren’t disappointed. 

It was only about 500m from the hotel, with accessible pathways over the railway line, so we were able to leave the car. Pancho is just one of many restaurants on this strip and Gerard reckoned it was an easy journey and super convenient. Inside, it was buzzing, and I devoured the pabellon criollo bowl while Gerard got stuck into pulled pork tacos. The weekend was off to a good start.

Saturday Morning – Woowookarung Dementia-friendly Forest and Sensory Trail

Start your day with breakfast at Johnny Alloo, a four-minute drive from Quest Ballarat Station. The crew here pour specialty coffee by St Ali and Proud Mary, and offer all-day breakfast for sleepyheads. Exposed brick and pendant lighting kept the space feeling cosy, whilst still easily accommodating Gerard’s wheelchair.

Next stop, the Dementia-friendly Forest and Sensory Trail in Woowookarung Regional Park. The forest is only a 10-minute drive from the CBD, so it’s easy to arrive at the trailhead early in the day if you need to. It’s a peaceful place, designed to help people living with dementia connect with their senses and tap into positive memories.

‘The atmosphere is a credit to the designers and builders,’ Gerard says to me, and I couldn’t agree more. We ambled along the 1km-long wheelchair-friendly trail, stopping to forest bathe and take in the sounds and smells of nature. 

There are multiple resting points and artwork installations where you can immerse yourself in the native bushland. Woowookarung means ‘place of plenty’ in Wadawurrung language, which feels fitting. Extensive wildflowers mean the trail will be even more gorgeous in late spring.

Before heading back to our next stop, we drove up the hill along Bakers Road to The Lookout at Woowookarung, for impressive views out towards Mt Warrenheip, Brown Hill, and Gong Gong.

Note: Currently, there are no toilets at the Sensory Trail, but it’s quite close to Ballarat CBD, where there are many accessible facilities.

Saturday Afternoon – Lake Wendouree

It was time for a feed, and we’d had a tip-off that the Ballarat Yacht Club was the spot for a bit of seafood. Gerard and I were impressed by how accessible this spot was – both the indoor and outdoor deck (with lakeside view) were accessible to his wheelchair, as were the bathrooms, and there was even an auto door for entry.

Gerard was impressed that the club had a crane to allow people in a wheelchair to board specially-modified yachts and go sailing. The staff let us know that they were working with Sailability NSW to get this right. We’ll have to come back for a sail!

Full to the brim, we headed out onto the Steve Moneghetti Track, a 6km accessible track that completes a full lap of Lake Wendouree. Gerard loved the well-packed gravel paths, which made it easy for him to self-propel (which he prefers over being pushed). He was even able to go ‘off-road’ a bunch of times to check out flowers and sculptures.

With five different accessible toilets available on a loop of the lake (including a Changing Places facility near the North Pavilion with MLAK access), drinking fountains, and seating, you can really choose your own adventure. 

If you’ve got all afternoon, we recommend going clockwise from the Ballarat Yacht Club, which brings you to the Ballarat Botanical Gardens just before halfway. Established in 1858, the heritage gardens span 40 hectares along the western shore of Lake Wendouree and have been made fully accessible for wheelchairs and mobility aids. You can easily lose hours exploring the diverse flowers and marble statues.

We kept moving, keen for an afternoon drink to celebrate our lap at the stunning Lake View Hotel. The renovated hotel is the last of 13 that once lined the banks of Lake Wendouree, but despite its heritage status, the pub features ramp entry on the north side and an accessible toilet. Now we were sufficiently rehydrated, it was only another 600m to the car.

Saturday Night – Nolans & Itinerant Spirits

After a quick rest (read: snooze), we got ready for dinner. After a huge day, we weren’t keen on much fuss, and luckily The Goods Shed is right next door to Quest Ballarat Station. The heritage-listed building from 1863 has been significantly renovated and is now a trendy lifestyle precinct complete with industrial exposed beams.

Our destination was Nolans, an all-day restaurant putting out modern Australian fare, and known for its focus on local produce and native ingredients. It’s also accessed by ‘the best small single lift’ Gerard had ever used, which kept the vibes high indeed.

As it turns out, our next destination, Itinerant Spirits just so happened to be next door, so we moved effortlessly from dinner to some delicious cocktails. The atmosphere inside was particularly warm, with barrels and distilling equipment on display, so we made tracks before we nodded off. Tomorrow was going to be action-packed.

Sunday Morning – Djuwang Baring Trails

We’d been containing our excitement to ride the Djuwang Baring trails in Creswick all weekend, and the time was finally here!

We caffeinated at Lola at The Provincial Hotel (opens 7:30am) across the road from Quest Ballarat Station. They have an accessible dining room on the ground floor if you’re keen to eat in. Then we hit the road for a chill 20-minute drive to the trailhead.

I’ve visited the Djuwang Baring trails before and was excited to return to learn more about the adaptive trails. 30% of the trails here are adaptive, designed to be ridden on adaptive mountain bikes, known as aMTBs. These low-slung, three-wheeled weapons tear up the beautiful, wide flow trails through the pines and scattered gum trees, but they’re not all easy! There are some proper gnarly and challenging gravity trails in the mix.

‘My usual trails are narrow single tracks filled with rocks and hidden logs’ Gerard tells me. Riding on the wide trails at Creswick, which include machine-made berms, allows for a smooth flow and hit speeds that let me focus on the ride in a whole new way.’

All of the adaptive trails are signposted in the G, W, and T sections, and they’re marked on the Djuwang Baring trail map. Head to the G section if you’re after the more challenging blue-intermediate trails.

The Djuwang Baring trailhead is at Hammon Park, which is complete with pump tracks, accessible toilets (including a Changing Places facility), BBQs, a bike washing station, and e-bike chargers.

Gerard was stoked with the MLAK-key accessible Changing Places room. They’re a game-changer for people with high accessibility needs and make it far easier for riders and their support riders to prepare to ride the trails. It’s also a clear indication of the depth of care that’s gone into creating these adaptive trails and ensuring they’re welcoming for all riders.

Sunday Afternoon – Lunch and Head Home

We could’ve ridden until sunset, but hunger had other plans. The Farmers Arms in Creswick is the shout for a post (or mid) ride feed. It’s open from midday both days on the weekend, has accessible toilets inside and to Gerard’s delight, NO steps. The entirety of the award-winning little pub is at ground level.

They’re big on paddock to plate philosophy, so I’d have to recommend a steak if you’re done with riding for the day. We stuck around to ride a little longer, enjoying the fading light and cool air of the afternoon before hitting the road.

We’ll Be Back

The mark of a good adventure is wondering when you’ll be back, and Gerard and I agreed that a return trip was on the cards. ‘I’m encouraged by what I saw’, he told me. ‘The region has put in the effort to become more inclusive and accessible.’

‘Most designers seem to have no understanding of what it’s like to live with a disability; they’re able-bodied and often don’t consider our needs. Visiting Ballarat and experiencing the efforts made to be inclusive truly made me feel accepted and appreciated.’

With trails that cater to all levels of ability, facilities that help make it easier to focus on enjoying the outdoors, and a range of venues putting in the work required to truly cater to diverse needs, Ballarat is making adventure more accessible than ever.