49KM Gravel – a great gravel intro
Saturday 28th February, 2026
Welcome to the 49km Great Otway Gravel Grind (‘the GOGG’) – this is a beautiful circuit ride through the Otway’s towering forests and lush green undergrowth on smooth gravel roads.
The course is achievable for riders with variable fitness levels and anyone who enjoys riding their bike through natural wilderness with others.

Course Summary
Start / finish: Forrest Football Ground
Date: Saturday 28th February
Ride Start: 8:15am
Length and elevation: 49km with 1,180m ascent
The 49km GOGG course is unchanged from previous years – and starts with a roll to Barwon Downs before turning onto Delaney Road for a long, gradual climb to the top of the Otway Ranges and the water point and timeout zone at the 33km pt. Refuel and then resume with a long and very enjoyable descent down Kaanglang Rd to the finish back at the Football Ground. The course can easily be divided into 2 racing segments as follows:
Racing Segments
- 33km Leg 1: uphill through the rainforest
The course commences with a flat / undulating 12km roll to Barwon Downs before a long and consistent climb through the rainforest on Delany Road. Turn right and continue along Mt Sabine Road for some sublime riding through Otways to the water point and timeout zone.
- 16km leg 2: freewheeling fun
From the water point to the finish is basically all downhill on a fast, wide and smooth gravel road through the forest – it’s a magnificent descent where hardly a pedal stroke is needed before returning to the finish line at the Football Ground.
Water Points and Time Out Zones
- WP1: 33km pt at the junction of Kaanglang Rd and Mt Sabien Road. Timeout zone starts / finishes 500m either side of the water point.
- Finish: 49km pt.
Course Map
The Rally Format and Time Out Zones
Both GOGG races are conducted in a ‘rally format’ where the course includes a mix of timed racing segments and cruise segments where your race time is paused and you can chill or wait for friends without impacting your race time! WHY: We believe the spirit of gravel is equally about: racing your bike and riding gravel roads through the wilderness and sharing the journey with other riders. The rally format achieves all this my making mixing race time with social time. Everyone wins!
The 49km ride includes one time out zone at the top of the hill at the 33km pt. Stop and wait for a friend, consume some calories or purchase a coffee from the coffee van without impacting your race time! Then get back on your bike and descend to the finish!
POINTS TO NOTE:
Riders crossing any time point with less than 1 second apart will be given the time of the first rider to cross the point (as per the Tour de France). This is to help ensure that riders know they are on the same race time if they entered / exited all timing points together.
Limit of 1hr maximum in the time out. Note, it is not compulsory to stop, just an option as it’s an ‘untimed’ section of the course.

GOGG COURSE NOTES (49km)
- Courses are conducted exclusively on 2WD dirt roads – no single track
- Roads will be dirt roads – predominantly smooth hard-packed earth with some very short sections of looser gravel or slightly rougher terrain
- Require minimal ‘technical bike skills’ to complete and are achievable by all recreational riders
- GOGG courses are designed to be completed on either a gravel bike, CX / adventure bike, MTB or a road bike (with min 32mm wide tyres designed for gravel), or flat handle-bar hybrid bike. Many options!
- All roads remain open to the public. Whilst there are not many cars – everyone must remain aware, stick to your side of the road and always riding in control.
“The course takes you through some of the most spectacular scenery you will ever see and will challenge you physically and mentally, but the camaraderie and support from your fellow riders makes it all worth it.” – Ben McDonald, 2021 GOGG participant.