Mount Major MTB Park

Mount Major MTB Park at Dookie, around 30 km east of Shepparton in Victoria’s Goulburn Valley, is a purpose-built mountain biking area offering both cross-country and downhill riding across the rocky slopes of Mount Major. The network ranges from easier XC riding through to very difficult gravity trails, with natural singletrack, rock gardens, log crossings, steep climbs, fast descents and technical rocky outcrops. The main Cross Country course is around 10 km, while the mountain also features several shorter downhill runs dropping from near the summit. The easier Melon Track runs for around 1.5 km with flowing open corners and a gully crossing, while the much harder East and Skyline tracks descend for approximately 1.3 km across rocky terrain, off-camber sections and technical outcrops. Mount Major has also hosted high-level competition, including the 2011 Australian Mountain Bike Championships, giving this relatively compact regional Victorian MTB park a strong racing history. The climb to Mount Major’s summit is part of the experience, with the peak reaching around 381 metres above sea level and providing sweeping views over Dookie, surrounding farmland and the Goulburn Valley. The MTB park is located on land associated with the University of Melbourne’s Dookie agricultural campus and remains part of a working farm, so riders may encounter livestock as well as vehicles using Mount Major TV Road to access communications infrastructure. RTS Tip: Mount Major has everything from approachable XC to genuinely difficult rocky descending, so check the trail grading before dropping into an unfamiliar line. Access is via Mount Major TV Road, and cyclists may need to lift their bike over the access gate. Remember you’re riding through a working agricultural property — watch for livestock, road crossings, snakes during warmer months and seasonal magpies, and dogs, camping and fires are not permitted.