Gravity Eden: A new mountain biking paradise opens in Eden, NSW
The NSW Sapphire Coast town of Eden is home to the latest mountain bike trail network in Australia, with today’s opening of Gravity Eden Mountain Bike Park. This all-new 58km trail network, in Nullica State Forest, abutting town, promises a totally unique experience for riders, thanks to its incredible 300 metres of elevation.
Stan Soroka, Eden Mountain Bike Club President, is understandably excited to see the trails open, after lots of work and collaboration between the Eden MBC, Forestry Corporation of NSW and the Eden Community Access Centre. There are 20 trails in the new network, with 16 of these open now (the other four need some more rain to bed-in properly).
The trails at Gravity Eden MTB Park were built by the experienced team at Contour Works (Nature Trails and Blue Sky Trails were the Project Managers) and are of the expected high standard from this renowned team. The trails offer an amazing riding experience for all skill levels, taking riders through terrain ranging from exposed ridges and rock shelves, to lush, fern-covered valleys and creek crossings, with a mix of Easy, Intermediate and Expert grade trails. There are also smooth scenic trails, and a fantastic Skills Park, with a dirt jump park and premium asphalt pump track, all located at the trailhead.
The trails actually had a big pre-opening test in September, with the running of a round of the Quad Crown MTB Series, according to Soroka.
“The club seized the opportunity to host the Quad Crown MTB series in September as a chance to assess the trail conditions,” he says. “Not only did the trails pass the test, riders from all over Australia praised the quality of our trails, filling us with joy. The local community has wholeheartedly supported the project from the beginning and is now reaping the social benefits that have exceeded our expectations.”
Build it, and they will come
Mountain bike based tourism is booming in Australia, and Soroka and the team at Eden MTB Club, along with the Eden Community Access Centre, saw huge tourism potential in creating this trail network; the local terrain suits mountain biking perfectly. It all came down to costs, which were, perhaps ironically, covered thanks to the government response to the devastating 2019-2020 bushfires in the region, in the form of a grant from the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery (BLEF) Fund Package (part of the $4.5 billion bushfire support program, co-funded by the Australian and NSW governments for bushfire recovery, response, and preparedness in NSW.
The funding was designed to support social and economic recovery in bushfire-affected communities such as Eden and surrounds. This funding was warmly welcomed by the team behind the trails’ development, as Julian Webb, from Eden Community Access Centre, explains.
“ECAC and the Eden Trails Group, comprising members of the Eden Mountain Bike Club, were excited about having reached such a significant milestone in the project. We are extremely grateful to have received the funding.”
Juilan further elaborates on how Gravity Eden MTB Park will be a welcome boost to all-year tourism in the town and surrounding region.
“This multi-million dollar project is now ready to deliver a critical contribution to the area’s social and economic development and resilience. Eden is a true mountain biking destination, providing opportunities to attract tourists and investment to the region. The hub will also be an important community asset, contributing to employment opportunities and positive health and wellbeing outcomes,” said Julian.
It’s time to ride Gravity Eden
The local community in Eden is pumped for the trail network’s opening. Local businesses and cafes (Editor’s note: the coffee and breakfasts you will find are brilliant. Just sayin’…) are gearing up to cater to the influx of riders, and additional developments, such as revamped hotels and new bike shops (you can hire bikes from Creative Lines), are adding to the excitement.
The Sapphire Coast’s catchcry to visitors is “Wonderfully Wild” and it is already a favourite outdoor and adventure destination, with its abundant paddling, hiking and camping opportunities. The opening of Gravity Eden MTB Park further adds to the attraction for adventurous travellers. Indeed, the team at Aus Geo ADVENTURE cannot wait to get down there and experience what looks like being one of Australia’s premier mountain bike riding experiences, in one of the most naturally spectacular regions of NSW.
See Gravity Eden for more info on the trails, a full trail network map, and links to all info (accommodation, travel, etc.) on how to make your visit as awesome as possible. See Sapphire Coast Tourism for info on Eden and the rest of this beautiful part of the NSW far south coast.
