The VIC Divide

The Vic Divide, or Vic Divide 550, has been running for a few years and is back for another edition in 2022. There’s a few ‘big’ bikepacking routes in Australia, and this is one of them.

Vic Divide 550 2022 Map Progress live tracking link: https://victoriadivide550-2022.maprogress.com

Organised by Lewis Cidor, the following information has been reproduced (with permission) from the Facebook event page: 

The VIC Divide 2022

Back again for 2022! It was hoped the 2021 route would be close to a final version but alas, due to circumstances out of my control we will again see some small changes. The treacherous Rouch Rd will see a return, as well as some changes south of Myrtleford and north of Stanley. 

The Grand Depart will be capped at 100 riders, however it continues to be free to ride and the GPX will be available to all who would like to ride the route at any time. 

We live and ride on stolen land. The Victoria Divide route travels through Woiworung (Wurundjeri), Taungurung, Waveroo and Wiradjuri country. It’s especially important to acknowledge them as the traditional owners as we travel through and interact with their land.

As the name suggests, the Victoria Divide is a 550km bikepacking route that starts in Melbourne and follows the Great Dividing Range, north-east through the mountains on dirt roads, 4WD tracks and even a little singletrack, finishing in Wodonga. This is not an organised event, there is no support, no feed stations, no sag wagon. You must carry everything you will need to complete the route in a self-sufficient manner. 

That said, it is suggested that 6:00am on Saturday, February 26th, would be a good time to start. Ride the route however fast or slow you wish. Different strokes for different folks and all that. Some will race it without sleep, some will tour it over a week, but we all roll out from the Grand Depart; together. There is no right or wrong way to bikepack; the beauty is it’s whatever you want it to be. We all enjoy it in different ways, but we are getting out there and that’s what counts! It will be a hard, but fun and rewarding adventure regardless of how you slice it. 

Because this is not an organised event there is no entry fee. Bikepacking is cool like that! It should always be inclusive, and keeping the barrier of entry low will encourage participation by all. You should never have to pay to play. It is strongly suggested for your safety and the entertainment of your friends and family that you carry a Spot Tracker. Should you wish, you will be able to register the Spot for GPS route tracking, which does cost a small administrative fee.

Vic Divide Journal Entries

For a taste of what’s in store, check out Ty’s race report from the inaugural VIC Divide, or Emma’s report from the 2021 Vic Divide.

Feature image by Michael O’Brien

Go to event website

Organised by: Lewis Ciddor