The Transmoto 8-Hour at Wangaratta is a unique, team-based dirt bike event that’s somewhere between a recreational trailbike rally and an enduro race. Just 250km northeast of Melbourne sits the picturesque township of Wangaratta, based in a region that’s best known as the home of the Ned Kelly, spectacular scenery, cycling, historic cathedrals and gold mines, classic old pubs and world-class gourmet food, wine and craft beer. But if you’re into dirt bikes, Wangaratta is also a riding heaven; a town at the confluence of the Ovens and King rivers, which drain the northwestern slopes of the Victorian Alps and create prime riding conditions for much of the year. And that’s exactly why this legendary slice of well-watered terra firma in the northeast of Victoria was added to Transmoto’s event calendar in 2019.

The Transmoto 8-Hour at Wangaratta is staged on 3000-acre private property that’s situated between Wangaratta and Bright; a property that boasts a mouthwatering combination of bush trails, technical hills and undulating grasstrack, with the Victorian High Country’s snow-capped Mount Beauty, Falls Creek and Mount Hotham serving as an eye-catching backdrop.
According to Trevor Jenvey, the course builder from the Alpine Motorcycle Club, “This incredible property allows us to build a great course for intermediate riders and up. It has a good mix of flowing enduro riding and a few technical sections, with ‘chicken lines’ to ensure no one gets stuck. After all, we want everyone to enjoy the track, have fun, and leave the Wangaratta event with big smiles on their faces.”
The Wangaratta region is rich in wine and hops and there’s a range of craft breweries, wineries and pubs all within a stone’s throw of the 8-Hour’s venue, so be sure to book a few days either side of the event to soak up the local flavours, sights and sounds.
Race it or ride it; run a motocross weapon or trail sled; fly in and fly out or make a weekend’s surf-and-moto roadtrip out of it with your mates … take your pick. But be sure to be part of what has already established as a must-do annual moto pilgrimage for racers and riders alike.