The Riesling Trail

The Clare Valley Riesling Trail is one of Australia's most popular and accessible walking and cycling trails www.southaustraliantrails.com. Also suitable for pushers and wheelchairs.  It has a compacted surface. The trail starts at the former Auburn Railway Station, now restored and home to Mount Horrocks Wines and the Station Cafe. The trail heads north from Auburn and a little to the east, there is a detour to Taylors Wines.

The Clare Valley's reputation for Riesling inspired the naming of the Riesling Trail, which presently utilises 25 kilometers of a disused section of a former railway line connecting the townships of Auburn, Leasinghan, Watervale, Penwortham, Sevenhill and Clare. The trail is now an integral segment of the 800 kilometre Mawson Trail and provides a wonderful opportunity to discover and experience the townships, soak up the history of the Clare Valley and enjoy the grandeur of its unique, unspoilt rurual landscape. You'll find signs in place along the Riesling Trail indicating directions and distances, points of special interest and 'Loop Trails'. Suitable for year round visits - use caution in summer months during days of extreme temperatures.

You need not travel the full length of the Riesling Trail in one attempt. Three 'Loop Trails' exist which allow you to return to your starting point without back-tracking.  Loop trails are sign posted and maps are available from local outlets.

Of special note is the first new sculpture installation (early 08)about 5 kilometres north of Auburn. Local artist Vivian Ziersch created an interesting intepretation of a railway line reminiscent of the old days when the trail was a rail line. There is a shelter and seats so that visitors may take a well earned break and enjoy the surrounding views. Well worth a visit.

Distance between towns:
Auburn to Watervale     -   9 kilometres
Watervale to Sevenhill   -   9 kilometres
Sevenhill to Clare          -   7 kilometres

Car Parking
Riesling Trail car parking is available at Clare, Sevenhill, Watervale and Auburn.

Rattler Rail Trail

Officially opened in August 2007, this new trail is old in its origins.  It has been developed from the railway line that ran between Riverton and Auburn www.railtrails.org.au. The surface is gravel making it suitable for use by cyclists and walkers.  Its name is taken from trains that used to run on the line and were affectionately called 'Rattlers'.

The trail is approximately 19 kilometres in length.  From the Auburn end, the trail starts at the former Auburn train station, now Mount Horrocks Station Cafe. Its beginnings are through a pine corridor giving a wonderful scent as you go through.  At the end of the 'corridor' keep your eyes peeled for a family of kangaroos that reside in this area.  The trail follows closely along the Main North Road giving it several access or departure points.  This also means users should be aware of traffic at points where these roads cross the trail.  It traverses dairy and cropping farmland and open vistas, the scenery, flora and fauna changing with the seasons.

There are minor gradients on the trail at the points where the old railway bridges have been removed and the trail has been taken around them.  The Rattler forms a loop trail within the Mawson Trail network enabling users to go between Riverton and Auburn without going back over the same ground.  The Rattler Rail Trail links with the Rhynie Trail and on to the other Riverton trails www.rivertontrails.com and with the Riesling Trail at Auburn. This has opened a vast choice of cycle/walkways to explore the Clare and Gilbert Valleys by, all with different attributes offering trail users a wonderful choice.

COGWEBS bicycle hire offers a pick up and drop off service (with hire bikes) to enable cyclists to choose how much of the trails they want to ride www.cogwebs.com.au.