Mountain Biking : A Fun Way to Immerse Yourself in Tassie’s Beauty

So, you want to see Tassie… but not with your nose smushed against a tour bus window.

You’re looking for a holiday that’s a little more active, a little more immersive, a little more memorable…

…something that combines fresh air, tall trees, belly laughs and a healthy dose of adrenalin.

Something the whole family will love!

We have two words for you: mountain biking.

Tas-biking-mania

Did you know that our wild island is threaded with world class biking trails?

North to south, east to west, you can flow from snowy subalpine forest all the way to the shimmering coast on two wheels.

In recent years, Tassie has become a mountain biking mecca – with places like Derby, Maydena, St Helens, Hollybank and Queenstown flaunting spectacular views, multi-million dollar trails and ‘hero dirt’; the ultimate grippy loam that makes you feel one with the universe. Or at least, your handlebars.

What’s more, the MTB movement in Tassie is breathing life into tiny mining towns and their magnificent surrounds that were, until recently, kinda dead. More on win-win tourism below.

You don’t need to be a pro or even have your own gear to take an MTB holiday in Tasmania. There are trails to suit every ability, and all the equipment you need is available for hire.

We love mountain biking! And if you’re keen to avoid a they-came-they-saw-they-took-a-selfie kind of trip, we suspect you will too.

Seven reasons to mountain bike in the apple isle

1. Be immersed in wild nature

Sure, you can gaze at the forest from a viewing platform… but why not transform into a semi-wild creature on two wheels, breathing with the trees, the rocks, the sky as you fly (or merrily tootle) downhill? Spending time within the sacred and pristine spaces that make Tasmania so special – while respectfully sticking to the trails – is a totally different experience from regular sightseeing. For those who crave a visceral connection to place, mountain biking will deliver.

2. Add structure to adventure

Having a focal point for your travels is excellent. Rather than looking at a map of Tasmania and short circuiting with overwhelm (so many epic places, so little time!), you can plot your adventure around and between the amazing MTB parks that just so happen to be smack-bang in the middle of Tassie’s finest scenery. Fly into Launceston then bunny hop your way around the compass from family-friendly Hollybank just to the north, to gold-class Blue Derby in the northeast; from the golden shores of St Helens on the east coast, to windswept Maria Island in the southeast; from the dramatic dolerite cliffs of Kunanyi/Mt Wellington high above Hobart in the south, to lush Maydena in the Derwent Valley in the southwest – and all the way into the deep green mysteries of the west where Mount Owen and Silver City beckon. Sound like a plan? We should have been travel agents!

3. Good old fashioned togetherness

Mountain biking has a strong social undercurrent. It’s about getting together with people you love in search of the next greatest trail. Whether you bring friends with you or make them along the way, MTB magnetises like-minded naturephiles who want to live it up outside… then cosy up by the fire at the end of the day with a pint, sharing stories. What a glorious way to connect.

4. Support the revival of small towns

There are many tiny towns in Tasmania that once thronged with thousands of people mining metals like copper and tin. But as the industry withered so too these communities, with jobs, services and opportunities drying up – especially for young folks. Mountain biking – and the millions of dollars in tourism it attracts – has been a renaissance for old mining and forestry towns. Nothing much was happening in Derby in the northeast, for example, until a couple of mountain-bike-mad locals petitioned council to create a MTB park. “Build it and they will come”, they said. And boy did they come! Derby is now the jewel in Tassie’s MTB crown, flourishing with accommodation, eateries and new residents who want to be close to the action. As far as tourism goes, you could do worse than supporting the revival of these stunning rural towns.

5. The perfect mix of fitness and food

Have you noticed that exercise is the best sauce? There’s nothing like working up an appetite by moving your body; it makes the seafood basket and glass of chilled riesling taste all the sweeter. An MTB adventure is a foodie’s dream because when you’re not hitting the trail you can be hitting up local vineyards, cafes, breweries and the many hidden gems that only locals know about.

6. Access states of flow

Mountain bikers are big on flow. Flow is a key term in the MTB lexicon that describes an electrifying state of presence; just you and the twists and turns and quirks of the trail. So many of us crave this mind/body/nature connection – the dominion of surfers and skiers and yogis – and mountain biking, with its embodied concentration, will give you a perfectly legal high.

7. Expand your vocabulary

From MAMILs (Middle Aged Men In Lycra*) to groms (young, skilled mountain bikers), biking lingo is a whole other thing. You don’t have to use the right words to be part of the MTB club, but if you do want to throw in a well-timed gnarly, stoked, shredding, brown pow, bombing it, klunker or huck you’ll probably gain some cred. This list of MTB slang is comprehensive – and we’re now looking for ways to use danger noodle in everyday conversation. (Danger noodle = snake.)

* MAMILs are a rare breed in the mountain biking world where baggy shorts gazump skin-tight apparel, thank heavens.

Last minute pep talk

Now, if you’re thinking, I don’t have the skills to mountain bike! we’ve got good news for you. Most MTB parks have options to suit everybody, from kids and families on easy blue runs to elite-level shredders who eat black diamond runs for breakfast. If we can do it, so can you!

And the last thing we’ll say about getting your butt to Tassie and onto a bike seat is that you’ll need protection. For your skin, of course.

It’s cold and dry out there, so keep a tin of our multi purpose and hard working Honey Lotion Bar in your pocket for your face, hands, lips and body, and our Tasmanian Tiger Massage Balm on hand for massaging into your tired, happy legs each evening. After all, you don’t have to be gnarled to be gnarly 😉