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Gladstone Region
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Gladstone Region

Showing rides matching “Gladstone Region” across Australia.

Curtis Island, just off the coast of Gladstone, offers a completely different kind of Queensland mountain bike adventure, with remote shared-use trails winding through coastal heath, dunes, casuarina forest and spotted gum woodland. The official network is built around two main loops: the 25.8km Oceanview Loop, graded easy and suitable for newer riders, and the 29.7km Ship Hill Loop, an intermediate ride with hard-packed trail, loose gravel, sandy sections and more challenging terrain. The two loops can also be connected for a roughly 50km island adventure, making Curtis Island a great option for riders chasing distance, scenery and exploration rather than a traditional gravity-focused MTB park. RTS Tip: Getting there is part of the adventure — Curtis Island is boat access only, with a regular passenger and vehicle ferry running from Gladstone Marina to the southern end of the island. Come self-sufficient with plenty of water, food, first aid and bike spares, as this is remote riding and help can be a long way away. The trails are shared-use and some tracks also allow vehicles, so keep your speed in check and stay alert.

MTB

Gladstone MTB Park, at the end of Koowin Drive in Kirkwood, is Gladstone’s dedicated mountain biking playground, with around 27km of riding across 36 trails and a great mix of hand-built and machine-built singletrack. The network caters for beginners through to advanced riders, with green trails such as Creek 1, Creek 2, LoFlo, Gambler and Archie’s, intermediate XC and gravity options including Rocky Road, Wild West, HyFlo, Joker, Roulette, Fine China and High Voltage, and black-rated challenges including Drop Bear and Devil’s Staircase. Expect everything from relaxed cross-country riding and twisting singletrack to rocks, berms, jumps, drops and fast gravity descents, all built and maintained with the support of Gladstone MTB Inc. RTS Tip: Gambler is a great way to work your way into the park, while the aptly named Stairway to Hell fire road gets you to the top of some of the best gravity trails if you’re happy to earn your descents. More experienced riders should check out Joker, Roulette and High Voltage, while Drop Bear steps things up with steep chutes and bigger drops. Bring plenty of water and check Gladstone MTB Inc. for current trail information before heading out.

MTB

The Lapstone Zig Zag is a short but fascinating heritage rail trail at Glenbrook and Lapstone in the Lower Blue Mountains, following sections of the original railway built to carry trains up the steep eastern escarpment of the Blue Mountains. At around 1.5km, the rail trail is more about history and exploration than big kilometres. The original Knapsack Zig Zag opened to railway traffic in 1867 and was an extraordinary piece of engineering for its time — the first complete zig zag constructed on a main railway line anywhere in the world. It was bypassed after only 27 years when the original Glenbrook Tunnel opened. One of the highlights is the spectacular Knapsack Viaduct, a huge sandstone railway bridge constructed across Knapsack Gully. When construction began in 1863, it was the largest stone viaduct in Australia. The lower section follows a gentle concrete path towards and across the viaduct, while other sections retain more of the original railway character with gravel, ballast and historic cuttings. At the upper end, a newer smooth asphalt shared trail from Knapsack Street follows the old railway formation through impressive rock cuttings, past the remains of Lucasville Station and down towards the upgraded Top Points Lookout. This section is particularly accessible and gives riders a great opportunity to experience the historic railway corridor by bike. The trail sits within Knapsack Reserve, so riders can also connect with the wider network of MTB trails, fire roads and lookouts around Glenbrook and Lapstone for a much bigger ride. For riders searching for Lapstone Zig Zag cycling, Blue Mountains rail trails, Glenbrook bike trails, Knapsack Reserve cycling or historic railway rides near Sydney, this is a brilliant little piece of Lower Blue Mountains cycling history. RTS Tip: Not every trail branching from the historic railway formation is rideable. In particular, the dirt paths descending beneath Knapsack Viaduct towards Elizabeth Lookout are walking-only. Stick to cycling-permitted sections and use current mapping to explore the wider Knapsack network.

1.5 kmGravel

Just 3.5 km west of Cooma, Mt Gladstone Bike Park offers more than 10 km of singletrack within 125 hectares of native bushland overlooking the Monaro Plains and Snowy Mountains. The compact network caters for a wide range of riders, with easy, intermediate and advanced trails featuring flowing singletrack, rocky and loose terrain, climbs and more challenging features including drops and gap jumps. With parking, toilets, picnic facilities and Cooma only minutes away, it’s a great spot for a quick ride, a few hours of exploring or an MTB stop on the way to other Snowy Mountains destinations. The dedicated MTB trails are one-way, so follow signage and the mapped direction of travel. RTS Tip: Don’t skip the lookout! Mt Gladstone’s views across the Monaro Plains, The Brothers and towards the Snowy Mountains are well worth adding to your ride. If you’re new to the park, start on the easier trails to get a feel for the rocky terrain before progressing to the advanced lines and larger features.

10 kmMTB

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Dungog MTB Park, set within the 650-acre Dungog Common on the western edge of Dungog, has become one of the Hunter region’s standout mountain biking destinations. The Common offers over 30km of singletrack, with trails ranging from easy beginner riding through to difficult technical terrain, plus two purpose-built flow tracks and a fun track. The network rolls through open countryside and forested hills, combining cross-country singletrack, climbs, fast descents and plenty of opportunities to build skills. The trails are managed and maintained by the volunteer-run Ride Dungog, making this a genuine community-built riding destination within easy reach of Newcastle and the Central Coast. RTS Tip: Give yourself plenty of time here — between the XC network, flow tracks and pump/fun track, it’s easy to spend a full day riding. Check the current trail status with Ride Dungog before heading out, particularly after rain. Shuttle services also operate on many weekends and selected holiday periods if you’d rather save your legs and maximise your descending laps.

30 km420 mMTB

Tathra MTB Park’s Bundadung Trail Network is the heart of mountain biking in Tathra on the NSW Sapphire Coast, delivering classic hand-built cross-country singletrack through coastal eucalypt forest just minutes from the beach. Tathra has established itself as one of NSW’s premier MTB towns, with the wider network offering around 50–55km of singletrack and more than 40 trails. Bundadung is the main northern trail network and the birthplace of Tathra’s XC riding scene. Expect plenty of climbing followed by rewarding descents, with tight hand-built singletrack, rocks, log rollovers, gully crossings and natural technical features rather than heavily manicured bike-park terrain. The elevated sections also deliver glimpses out towards the coast and Tathra Beach. The broader Tathra network caters for children and beginners through to experienced riders, so there’s plenty of opportunity to build confidence before tackling the more demanding sections. Bundadung can also be linked with Tathra’s other riding areas, including the Fire Shed trails, creating much longer XC adventures. One of Tathra’s biggest strengths is just how easy it is to ride from town. The main trailhead is near Tathra Beach Country Club, roughly 1km north of the township, while the Mogareeka Cycle and Walkway provides another connection into the MTB network via Katung Road. The trails are very much a community-built network, and that hand-built character is part of the appeal. Rather than huge jumps and gravity lines, Tathra is about linking kilometres of natural singletrack together, exploring the forest and enjoying a proper old-school XC ride in a spectacular coastal setting. There’s also a Mountain Bike Skills Park at Tathra Country Club, giving kids and developing riders somewhere to practise skills in a controlled environment before heading deeper into Bundadung. For riders searching for Tathra MTB, Bundadung MTB Trails, Sapphire Coast mountain biking, South Coast NSW MTB or cross-country mountain biking near Bega, this is one of the region’s must-ride networks. RTS Tip: Tathra is a great contrast to the newer gravity-focused destinations farther down the Sapphire Coast. Think hand-built XC, natural features and lots of linking singletrack rather than a modern shuttle park. With Gravity Eden to the south and Narooma to the north, Tathra also fits brilliantly into a multi-day South Coast MTB road trip.

50 km780 mMTB

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Dungog MTB Park, set within the 650-acre Dungog Common on the western edge of Dungog, has become one of the Hunter region’s standout mountain biking destinations. The Common offers over 30km of singletrack, with trails ranging from easy beginner riding through to difficult technical terrain, plus two purpose-built flow tracks and a fun track. The network rolls through open countryside and forested hills, combining cross-country singletrack, climbs, fast descents and plenty of opportunities to build skills. The trails are managed and maintained by the volunteer-run Ride Dungog, making this a genuine community-built riding destination within easy reach of Newcastle and the Central Coast. RTS Tip: Give yourself plenty of time here — between the XC network, flow tracks and pump/fun track, it’s easy to spend a full day riding. Check the current trail status with Ride Dungog before heading out, particularly after rain. Shuttle services also operate on many weekends and selected holiday periods if you’d rather save your legs and maximise your descending laps.

30 km420 mMTB

Knapsack MTB Trails – Glenbrook Knapsack Reserve is one of the Lower Blue Mountains’ key sanctioned mountain bike areas, sitting at Glenbrook/Lapstone on the eastern escarpment. The reserve combines purpose-built MTB singletrack and a dedicated downhill trail (Stringline Knapsack DH) with historic fire trails and old railway infrastructure, all within easy reach of Western Sydney. Ride Blue Mountains describes Knapsack as having the longest sanctioned MTB trail and the only sanctioned downhill trail in the Blue Mountains. The riding has a distinctly old-school Blue Mountains character. Expect sandstone, rocks, roots, tight natural singletrack, technical sections and plenty of elevation change as trails work their way down the escarpment. The downhill trail provides the more gravity-focused option, while the surrounding trails allow riders to put together shorter XC and trail-style sessions. One of the great things about Knapsack is the setting. The reserve contains remnants of the historic Lapstone Zig Zag railway, including cuttings and the spectacular sandstone Knapsack Viaduct, built in 1867 as part of the original railway crossing of the Blue Mountains. This gives the area a mix of MTB, bushland and railway history that’s pretty unique. Knapsack is also brilliantly positioned for a bigger day on the bike. Nearby Glenbrook provides access to the famous Woodford–Oaks Trail, including its purpose-built technical singletrack section, while Bennetts Ridge and other authorised riding in the Glenbrook area provide plenty of opportunities to extend the adventure. The main reserve access is from Barnet Street, Glenbrook, and the location is relatively easy to reach from Glenbrook and Lapstone stations. For riders searching for Knapsack MTB, Glenbrook mountain bike trails, Blue Mountains MTB, downhill mountain biking near Sydney or mountain biking in the Lower Blue Mountains, Knapsack is an important local network to have on the ride list. RTS Tip: Knapsack is one where current mapping is worth having with you. Ride Blue Mountains notes that signage can be poor and the return route from the downhill trail isn’t particularly obvious until you know the network. There are also many unsanctioned trails elsewhere in the Blue Mountains, so stick to the recognised Knapsack trails rather than assuming every piece of visible singletrack is legitimate.

Verified by 4 ridersRecommended by 2 riders
12 km260 mMTB, XC

Tathra MTB Park’s Bundadung Trail Network is the heart of mountain biking in Tathra on the NSW Sapphire Coast, delivering classic hand-built cross-country singletrack through coastal eucalypt forest just minutes from the beach. Tathra has established itself as one of NSW’s premier MTB towns, with the wider network offering around 50–55km of singletrack and more than 40 trails. Bundadung is the main northern trail network and the birthplace of Tathra’s XC riding scene. Expect plenty of climbing followed by rewarding descents, with tight hand-built singletrack, rocks, log rollovers, gully crossings and natural technical features rather than heavily manicured bike-park terrain. The elevated sections also deliver glimpses out towards the coast and Tathra Beach. The broader Tathra network caters for children and beginners through to experienced riders, so there’s plenty of opportunity to build confidence before tackling the more demanding sections. Bundadung can also be linked with Tathra’s other riding areas, including the Fire Shed trails, creating much longer XC adventures. One of Tathra’s biggest strengths is just how easy it is to ride from town. The main trailhead is near Tathra Beach Country Club, roughly 1km north of the township, while the Mogareeka Cycle and Walkway provides another connection into the MTB network via Katung Road. The trails are very much a community-built network, and that hand-built character is part of the appeal. Rather than huge jumps and gravity lines, Tathra is about linking kilometres of natural singletrack together, exploring the forest and enjoying a proper old-school XC ride in a spectacular coastal setting. There’s also a Mountain Bike Skills Park at Tathra Country Club, giving kids and developing riders somewhere to practise skills in a controlled environment before heading deeper into Bundadung. For riders searching for Tathra MTB, Bundadung MTB Trails, Sapphire Coast mountain biking, South Coast NSW MTB or cross-country mountain biking near Bega, this is one of the region’s must-ride networks. RTS Tip: Tathra is a great contrast to the newer gravity-focused destinations farther down the Sapphire Coast. Think hand-built XC, natural features and lots of linking singletrack rather than a modern shuttle park. With Gravity Eden to the south and Narooma to the north, Tathra also fits brilliantly into a multi-day South Coast MTB road trip.

50 km780 mMTB