Kilmore has a fair claim to be the oldest inland town in Victoria, and the stone buildings along its main street back it up. It sits in a gap in the Great Dividing Range, a natural passage that the early overlanders used on the road between Melbourne and the Murray, and the Hume Highway still slips through here today. This stop lies a little south of the town, in sheep and cattle country between Kilmore, Broadford and Lancefield, where the land rolls in broad folds of yellow-brown grass and dark clumps of gum trees.
The area has known hard times. In February 2009 the bushfires of Black Saturday started near Kilmore East and swept through the hills to the north and east, and the scars on the landscape and in the community are still part of the local story. The regrowth is lush now, but locals remember, and you will see memorials and signs of the recovery as you ride. In summer, the fire risk remains real, and on days of extreme fire danger, riding in the forest is a poor idea.
Lancefield, to the west, has a different claim to fame. A swamp near the town produced one of the richest deposits of ice age animal bones in Victoria, including those of giant kangaroos and wombat-like creatures, and the find gave scientists a window into the megafauna that once roamed here. Today the town is a quiet place with a handsome bluestone hotel and a few cafes, a pleasant stop on a Sunday ride.
For fuel and supplies, Kilmore, with nearly eight thousand people, has petrol stations, supermarkets, bakeries and a good selection of pubs. Broadford is smaller but has the basics, and Lancefield has a general store. The riding here is mostly easy, with long bends and gentle hills, and a good surface on the main roads. Early morning, when mist lies in the hollows and the paddocks glisten with dew, is the best time to be on the road. Expect kangaroos in the evening and be generous with your braking distance.