Heard about French Island? Always seen it on the map and said you should, but haven’t?!
Well… HERE’S HOW!
3 Day, 2 two-night bikepacking adventure to French Island was on the cards. While you can do French Island as a day trip or multi-night trip, from biking to walking. I would recommend either a cycling 1 day trip or a cycling/walking 2 day, 1 night trip.
French Island is an untouched paradise, where there isn’t that much to do on French Island, that’s the beauty. Most sites to visit/see are about 10km+ between them and it’s all about relaxing, and slowing down at each location. The adventure begins with the roads, as they are mostly gravel. There are quite a few sandy trails for cyclists so I highly recommend an MTB or at least, decent fat tyres, even gravel tyres will have a hard time on trails unless you just stick to the gravel roads.
the allure lies in the leisurely pace and the sheer tranquillity. Discover the charm of distance – most of the enchanting sites are spaced over 10 kilometres apart, inviting you to immerse yourself in the serenity of each location. Bask in the rustic glory of gravel roads that meander through the landscape or venture onto the sandy trails that beckon the adventurous spirit of cyclists. I can’t recommend this enough, the thrill of tackling these paths with a mountain bike; letting robust fat tyres carry you across this rugged terrain. Even if you opt for gravel tyres, be prepared for a challenge unless you stick to the gravel pathways. French Island isn’t just a place to visit – it’s an experience to savour, slowly and passionately.
Key Spots:
Tankerton Pier
Fairhaven Campground
The Pinnacles Lookout
The Old Prison
French Island Winery
General Store
Day 1: Melbourne to Fairhaven Campground
Grab your bag, grab your bike and hop on the Frankston line. Catch this to Frankston station. As you head to the exit gates of Frankston Station, to the left is the Stony Point V/Line train. This is the last diesel-operated train on the line, enjoy the engine’s roar as you catch it to the last stop, Stony Point.
Wheel on towards the water, along the pier to the very when. The Western Port Ferry pulls up regularly with their timetable and you can pay upon boarding. They have a ramp for your bike, making it super easy to load on and offload. Onboard they offer snacks, drinks and alcohol so settle in for your 15-minute ferry to Tankerton Pier.
From Tankerton Pier, head left through the car park for ~2 Minutes / 800m before taking your first left and riding for an additional 10 Minutes/13 km. This campsite is gorgeous with PLENTY of space. Bookings are available via the Parks website. They say a maximum of 20 people but it can fit more. Outdoor tables, undercover tables with lighting, BBQ and drop toilets are the perfect set of facilities.
Watch the sunset and enjoy dinner on the calm beach in front of the campgrounds.
Day 2: Fairhaven Campground, The Pinnacles Lookout, The Old Prison & French Island Winery
Have a sleep-in, the sun rises on the other side. Unlock your bike, pack up and start navigating your way to The Pinnacles Lookout. This lookout is small and getting overgrown now. The tower is seeing it’s days but it’s on the way to the next stop.
Start the long haul to The Old Prison on the right-hand side of the island. This is now private property and you cannot enter. There is a road that leads around it where you can get some sneak insights as to the layout of the building and how it may have operated. There’s also some fantastic graffiti around the back which I wish was available to get closer too!
I then headed to Point Leschenault, which was a little underwhelming of just a basic barge jetty. The highlight was watching tourists in Audi’s trying to get off the barge and the rear tyres slipping on some rocks. I met a local here who happened to be one of the owners of the local store. We had a great chat about life on the island, how they operate and the peace within. By this time, I was hungry so I ate some lunch aswell.
Next stop, the most important stop, French Island Winery!! I got here just after close but the owners kindly snuck me in for a little tasting of the finest local wines. All made on French Island, they had a unique flavour compared to other wines. The place has a great outdoor area where I wish I could have stopped with a bottle and enjoyed the sunset.
Of course, I’d be in trouble if I didn’t leave with a bottle or two for those waiting at home..!
The extra weight of the wine bottles kicked in as I put my hiking pack back on and headed off to camp overnight. I discovered another possible campsite for a small fee @ French Island on Chateau Baudin Farm that would be worth checking out!
In the morning, I headed to FIGS (French Island General Store), ordered a cappuccino and met the other owner! As I’m sitting there enjoying the surroundings, watching people come and go, would you behold the fella from the pier tapped on me on the shoulder. We got chatting, he showed me the generator, solar panels and battery setup to run the shop. This is a huge project and would easily cost over $100k in batteries and is required to run the shop + their accommodation there. A sneak peek into the accommodation on offer, I would definitely go back and stay here and a few of his side projects.
After a yarn, a short walk up each side of the road and I got to see a few local Koalas in the gum trees.
Just have a wander, looking high and low and you should discover some of your own. I then bumped into two other cyclists where we realised that the next ferry was soon. We jetted down the road trying to make the ferry on time. My slow legs weren’t keeping up with the other two and they were even carrying hot coffees while cycling down the dirt road?!?! Crazy.
Anyway, I highly recommend visiting French Island, support local accommodation, wineries and the General Store. It’s a beautiful weekend away and easily made romantic.