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The St Helens Mountain Bike Trails on Tasmania’s spectacular East Coast are one of Australia’s premier mountain biking destinations, combining more than 66 km of stacked-loop riding near St Helens with the epic 42 km Bay of Fires Trail. The network has everything from easy family-friendly green trails to flowing blue singletrack, technical black descents and genuine wilderness adventure riding, all set amongst granite boulders, eucalyptus forest, fern-filled gullies and coastal landscapes. The main Flagstaff Trail Network, around five minutes south of St Helens, is the best place to start. Eight stacked loops radiate from a purpose-built trailhead, allowing riders to progressively increase both distance and difficulty. Green trails including Trailhead, Over There, Swell Done, Humpback, Eagle Eye and Pearla provide approachable riding, while Rock Lobster, Wedged In, Seeya Later and Old Salty Dog step things up with longer, faster and more technical terrain. Experienced riders can head higher onto Loila Tier, where trails such as Send Helens, Icarus, Shucka and Mack 10 deliver the network’s very difficult black-rated riding. These gravity-focused trails make use of the elevation above St Helens for faster descending, technical features and more demanding terrain. For riders wanting a longer challenge, Dreaming Pools provides a substantial 23 km intermediate adventure deeper into the landscape. The headline experience is the Bay of Fires Trail, a roughly 42 km point-to-point adventure beginning high on the Blue Tier and finishing at Swimcart Beach. Riders travel from sub-alpine terrain through huge granite formations, rainforest and eucalyptus forest before a long ridgeline descent towards the coast, eventually emerging onto the famous white sands and turquoise water of the Bay of Fires. It’s one of those rare MTB rides where the destination is every bit as impressive as the trail itself. St Helens is also designed as a genuine MTB destination rather than simply a collection of trails. The Flagstaff trailhead has parking, toilets, a bike-wash/hygiene station and shuttle drop-off facilities, while the 3.8 km Townlink allows riders to pedal between St Helens township and the trailhead. Blue Derby is around an hour away, making it easy to combine the two networks into an incredible North East Tasmania riding trip. RTS Tip: If it’s your first visit, give yourself more than one day. Start at Flagstaff and use the stacked loops to find your level before progressing onto the Loila Tier descents. Save Bay of Fires or Dreaming Pools for a dedicated adventure day — both take you farther from the trailhead and require more preparation than a normal bike-park lap. Carry food, water, tools and extra clothing, download your maps offline and check current trail conditions before setting out; mobile reception can be limited on parts of the network.

The St. Helens Velodrome is an outdoor cycling track located within the St Helens Sports Complex on Tully Street, on Tasmania’s spectacular East Coast. The velodrome forms part of a large community sporting precinct that also includes an athletics ground, football and soccer fields, cricket facilities, netball courts and indoor sporting facilities. Break O’Day Council continues to identify the cycling velodrome as one of the facilities within the St Helens Sports Complex. The track is a traditional outdoor velodrome, providing a venue for track cycling and fast training laps rather than the purpose-built MTB riding for which St Helens is now best known. It is also listed amongst Australia’s established outdoor cycling tracks and velodromes. St Helens has a long association with Tasmania’s distinctive cycling carnival culture. The town continues to host a St Helens Carnival, bringing together cycling, running and woodchopping in a traditional Tasmanian sporting carnival atmosphere. For travelling cyclists, the velodrome is an easy addition to a much bigger St Helens riding trip. The town is now surrounded by some of Tasmania’s premier mountain biking, including the 66 km Flagstaff stacked-loop network and the 42 km Bay of Fires Trail, so riders can combine track riding with everything from easy MTB loops to full-day wilderness adventures. RTS Tip: St. Helens Velodrome is worth a look if you enjoy discovering Tasmania’s old-school outdoor cycling tracks, particularly alongside a visit to the St Helens MTB network. As access arrangements can change when the surrounding sports complex is being used for events or competitions, check locally before planning a dedicated track session. If you’re visiting during the St Helens Carnival, it’s an especially good opportunity to experience Tasmania’s long tradition of cycling carnival racing.

Recognised as one of only a handful of IMBA Epic rides in Australia, the Bay of Fires Epic is a true bucket-list mountain bike adventure. This spectacular 42km point-to-point trail begins high in the Blue Tier Forest Reserve and winds its way through ancient rainforest, towering tree ferns, granite boulder fields and open eucalypt forest before finishing on the brilliant white sands of Swimcart Beach at the world-famous Bay of Fires. The ride delivers an unforgettable mix of flowing singletrack, fast berms, technical features and rewarding climbs as the landscape continually transforms from cool mountain forest to coastal wilderness. Riders descend more than 600 metres in the opening section before tackling rolling backcountry terrain, with panoramic ocean views appearing as you approach the coast. Every kilometre offers something different, making it one of Australia's most scenic and rewarding mountain bike experiences. This is a remote backcountry trail with no services along the route, so riders should come well prepared with food, water and repair equipment. Most riders access the trail via a shuttle from St Helens or Derby, with transport available to the Blue Tier trailhead and collection at the finish. Ride Highlights 42km IMBA Epic point-to-point adventure. Ride from the mountains to the sea. Flowing singletrack, berms and technical features. Ancient rainforest, granite outcrops and coastal scenery. Finishes on the white sands of Swimcart Beach. Shuttle access available from St Helens and Derby. Suitability Mountain Bike Cross Country Trail Advanced Intermediate to Advanced Riders Good to Know Distance: 42km Difficulty: More Difficult Ride Time: Allow 4.5–6 hours. Facilities: No water or services on the trail. Carry supplies and let someone know your plans, as mobile reception is limited in places.