THE LIST
th: Leng 45km o Up t
AUSTRALIA’S BEST MOUNTAIN BIKE TRACKS
KING OF THE MOUNTAIN Our broad continent is a gift for mountain bikers, with wide open spaces to explore along the length and breadth of Australia. Here’s our handy guide to the 11 best spots in the land.
WORDS MIKE BLEWITT
SMITHFIELD MTB PARK SMITHFIELD, TROPICAL NORTH QLD LOCATED RIGHT BEHIND James Cook University, Smithfield Mountain Bike Park is the spiritual home of mountain biking in the tropical north. The trails that weave through rainforest and tropical scrub were etched into the red dirt over decades, with huge investments made for numerous World Cup races and World Championship events, most recently in 2017. While we don’t recommend launching yourself down the World Championship Downhill course—or attacking the infamous Jacob’s Ladder, Croc Slide or Rodeo Drop—you can follow the trail guides in the carpark to match your ability to each route. The trails follow skiing’s usual green, blue and black trail ratings. If you need some more thrills, the trails are also next door to bungy jumping.
Full trail maps are online: www.parks.des.qld.gov.au
BLUE DERBY TRAILS DERBY, TASMANIA DERBY AND MOUNTAIN biking put life back into this area of Tasmania’s north-east. With a long history of mining and forestry, it’s now ribbons of singletrack through tall timber that keep the wheels of commerce turning in this tiny town. Thanks to a beautiful setting and smart design, any mountain biker will have a ball on this innovative, interesting network. Kids and big kids will love the pump track by the river and the lakeside trail suits an easy pedal or a scoot on a balance bike (and adults, yes, that is a floating sauna you can look into). For more adrenalin, book a shuttle to Black Stump, where you can take on iconic trails like Kumma Gutza, Flickity Sticks and many others. You can tackle Blue Derby’s trails at any pace you fancy, but there is no mistaking the fact that this is Australia’s best mountain bike town.
Catch all the trail details online: www.ridebluederby.com.au/trails/derby-trails 34
max*d
Len Appr gth: 100k ox. m
