Hunter Mountain Bike Association

Hunter Mountain Bike Association (HMBA) is one of NSW’s longest-established mountain bike clubs, with roots stretching back to 1985. Serving riders across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Greater Hunter, the volunteer-powered club supports everything from recreational trail riding and juniors through to cross-country, downhill and gravity enduro racing. At the heart of HMBA is Awaba Mountain Bike Park, tucked into Olney State Forest near Cooranbong at the foothills of the Watagans. The club began negotiations with Forestry Corporation of NSW for the site in 2006, secured a formal agreement in 2007 and started volunteer trail construction in 2008. Today HMBA manages the park under a Forestry permit, with the trails remaining available for both club members and the wider riding community. Awaba packs plenty of variety into one destination, with dedicated cross-country, downhill, gravity and development trails catering for beginners through to experienced racers. The main XC options include the approximately 5 km Olney Loop, 8 km Watagans Loop and 12 km Awaba Loop, while dedicated gravity trails provide a very different way to get down the hill. HMBA has also invested in making the park more inclusive, establishing an accessible development trail for beginners, children and adaptive MTB riders. Racing is a big part of HMBA's history. The club runs regular XC, downhill and gravity events and has hosted racing from grassroots club rounds right through to state and national competition. Awaba hosted the 2024 Australian Mountain Bike National Championships, and in 2026 HMBA welcomed riders back for a round of the AusCycling MTB Downhill National Series. Behind all that riding is a huge volunteer effort. HMBA members regularly turn up for trail building and maintenance days, with club activities and rider contributions helping fund the ongoing development of Awaba. It's a great example of a local club creating something that benefits not only its members, but the entire riding community. RTS TIP: Awaba is definitely worth more than a quick lap! There's enough XC and gravity riding here to make a full day of it, and it's an easy addition to a Newcastle, Lake Macquarie or Watagans riding trip. Check the trail status before heading out and, if you love what you ride, HMBA's Trail Karma program is an easy way to put a few dollars back into the volunteer-built trails.

Rides within 100 km of Hunter Mountain Bike Association.

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