The Best Gran Fondos in Australia 2023

Looking to participate in a Gran Fondo down under in Australia?

Australia is a large country with a diverse landscape, ranging from the rugged coastlines of the east to the harsh deserts of the west. As a result, Gran Fondos in Australia often features a mix of challenging climbs and scenic routes. 

Almost 90% of all the Australian Gran Fondo takes place on the east coast in New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria. 

Best Gran Fondos in Australia

• Santos Festival of Cycling coincides with the week-long Tour Down Under during the Australian summer. The Challenge Tour covers a distance of 120+km over the same routes used by the men’s race.
• Audax Alpine Classic is organized by Audax Australia. It takes place in Bright in Victoria’s alpine region. Various routes from 60 to 250km crest Tawonga Gap, Mount Hotham, Buffalo, and Falls Creek.
• Peaks Challenge Falls Creek is a 235km route with over 4,000m of climbing. Participants have 13 hours to complete this challenging route. The majority of participants finish between 10 to 12 hours.
• Giro della Donna is organized by Cycling Tips. It’s a two-day road (Sunday) and gravel (Saturday) Gran Fondo based in Warburton, a town in the Yarra Valley in Victoria.
• Amy’s Gran Fondo is held in memory of Amy Gillett, a track cyclist killed in 2005 while training in Germany. The 145km Gran Fondo occurs along a fully closed Great Ocean Road.
• Around the Bay has six routes to choose from; 6 ride options from 20km to 300km. The route goes around Port Philip Bay, and participants ride along Beach Road, arguably the most-ridden road in Victoria.

List of Australia Gran Fondos

Date	Gran Fondo	Location	State	Distances	Type
8 Jan 2023	Tumut Cycle Classic	Tumut	NSW	32, 64, 120, 160km	Granfondo
14 Jan 2023	Gran Fondo Australia	Ballarat	VIC	58km	Granfondo
20 Jan 2023	2023 Santos Festival of Cycling	Adelaide	SA	6 stages	Roadrace
27 Jan 2023	Audax Alpine Classic	Bright	VIC	70, 140, 200, 250, 320km	Ultra
23 Feb 2023	Red Sky Ride	Perth	WA	1000km	Tour
26 Feb 2023	Great Otway Gravel Grind	Otway Park	VIC	49, 97km	Gravel
28 Feb 2023	Cadel Evans Swisse People’s Ride	Geelong	VIC	35, 50, 125km	Granfondo
3 Mar 2023	Bathurst Cycling Classic	Bathurst	NSW	50, 100km	Granfondo
10 Mar 2023	zoo2zoo Canberra to Dubbo Ride	Canberra	NSW	437km	Tour
12 Mar 2023	Peaks Challenge Falls Creek	Victoria	VIC	234km	Granfondo
12 Mar 2023	Lake Hume Cycle Challenge	Wodonga	VIC	15, 40, 65, 80km	Festival
17 Mar 2023	L’Etape Australia	TBD	NSW	130km, 160km	Granfondo
21 Mar 2023	Ride for Youth	Albany-Perth	WA	700km	Tour
26 Mar 2023	Bobbin Head Cycle Classic	Turramurra	NSW	27, 57, 80, 104km	Century
26 Mar 2023	Ipswich 100 Bike Ride	Ipswich	QLD	5, 25, 50, 100, 160km	Leisure
1 Apr 2023	Giro della Donna	Warburton	VIC	125km	Gravel
1 Apr 2023	Snowy Classic	Banjo Paterson Park	NSW	110, 170km	Granfondo
2 Apr 2023	Dams Challenge	Bentley	WA	54, 134, 205km	Granfondo
7 Apr 2023	Girls Go Gravel 2	Pomona	QLD	TBC	Gravel
15 Apr 2023	Glen Innes Gravel Fondo	Glen Innes	NSW	35, 75, 135km	Gravel
16 Apr 2023	The Mailrun	Singleton	NSW	20,40, 65, 100km	Century
23 Apr 2023	Ride the Ranges-Euroa	Euroa	VIC	30, 85, 130km	Leisure
23 Apr 2023	Five Peaks Challenge	Canberra	ACT	88, 120km	Sportive
29 Apr 2023	Great Ocean and Otway Classic	Torquay	VIC	60, 145, 204km	Century
29 Apr 2023	Ravenswood Gran Fondo	Ravenswood	QLD	50, 100, 163km	Granfondo
30 Apr 2023	Mudgee Classic	Mudgee	NSW	35, 120, 170km	Granfondo
6 May 2023	Grafton to Inverell Cycle Classic	Grafton	NSW	228km	Sportive
13 May 2023	SEVEN – UCI Gravel World Series	Nannup	WA	50, 85, 125km	Gravel
20 May 2023	Fraser Coast Gran Fondo	Hervey Bay	QLD	87, 130km	Granfondo
20 May 2023	Dirty Pig & Whistle	Creswick	VIC	8, 38, 78km	Gravel
20 May 2023	Banish the Black Dog Bike Ride	Townsville	QLD	260km	Tour
21 May 2023	Century Challenge	Kariong	NSW	18, 50, 100km	Century
11 Jun 2023	City to Coast Community Ride	Bundaberg	QLD	20km	Tour
11 Jun 2023	MS Brissie to the Bay Bike Ride	South Brisbane	QLD	10, 25, 50, 100, 130km	Festival
17 Jun 2023	Mogo Gravel Fondo	Mogo	NSW	75, 130km	Gravel
7 Jul 2023	Tour of the Tropics	Millaa Millaa	QLD	3 days	Granfondo
23 Jul 2023	Sunbuild Top End Gran Fondo	Darwin	NT	3, 10, 25, 60, 109km	Granfondo
27 Jul 2023	Townsville to Cairns Bike Ride	Townsville	QLD	358km	Tour
5 Aug 2023	Mount Isa Border Ride	Mt Isa	QLD	202km	Ultra
20 Aug 2023	Noosa Classic	Noosa	QLD	65, 120, 160km	Granfondo
8 Sep 2023	Port Douglas Gran Fondo Festival	Port Douglas	QLD	48, 60, 100, 136km	Granfondo
9 Sep 2023	Amys Gravel Fondo	Lorne	VIC	45km	Gravel
10 Sep 2023	Newcrest Orange Challenge	Orange	NSW	70, 100, 170km	Granfondo
10 Sep 2023	Amys Gran Fondo	Lorne	VIC	14, 45, 130km	Granfondo
16 Sep 2023	Robbie McEwen Gran Fondo	Gold Coast	QLD	65, 100, 130km	Granfondo
16 Sep 2023	Cardiac Challenge	Cairns	QLD	333km	Tour
19 Sep 2023	Outback Century Cycle	Winton	QLD	100, 160km	Century
29 Sep 2023	Dungog Pedalfest	Dungog	NSW	40, 70km	Tour
30 Sep 2023	Gears and Beers Festival	Wagga Wagga	NSW	9, 30, 50, 105, 130km	Festival
30 Sep 2023	Arapiles Cycling Event	Natimuk	VIC	20, 50, 100km	Leisure
4 Oct 2023	Tour of Western Australia	Nannup	WA	660km	Granfondo
8 Oct 2023	Around the Bay	Melbourne	VIC	20, 50, 100, 135, 160, 210, 250km	Tour
8 Oct 2023	Noosa Strade Bianche	Noosa	QLD	33, 89, 133km	Gravel
8 Oct 2023	Ride the Range	Toowoomba	QLD	50, 85, 112km	Tour
15 Oct 2023	Spring Cycle	Sydney	NSW	12, 50, 105km	Leisure
15 Oct 2023	Spring Cycle	Sydney	NSW	15km, 50km, 100km	Festival
21 Oct 2023	Bowral Classic	Bowral	NSW	35, 90, 120, 175km	Granfondo
22 Oct 2023	Tour de Valley	Currumbin	QLD	36, 72km	Century
24 Oct 2023	7 Peaks Alpine Ascent Challenge	High Country	VIC	446km	Ultra
28 Oct 2023	Gravelista	Beechworth	VIC	75, 115km	Gravel
29 Oct 2023	Fitzs Challenge	Canberra	ACT	50, 105, 130, 165, 185, 210, 255km	Festival
4 Nov 2023	Bass Coast Cycle Challenge	Inverloch	VIC	40, 53, 85, 121km	Granfondo
18 Nov 2023	Jervis Bay Gran Fondo	Callala Beach	NSW	30, 60, 90km	Granfondo
2 Dec 2023	Grinduro Australia	Falls Creek	VIC	80km	Gravel
3 Dec 2023	Gundy Gravel Fondo	Gundy	NSW	75, 135km	Gravel
18 Dec 2022	Buderim 9 Challenge	Buderim	QLD	75km	Tour