Mountain biking in Canberra: stay and play with Mercure and Dynamic Motivation

Words: Gracie Elvin | Photos: Nick Waygood

Pulling up on a Friday afternoon we were warmly greeted by the staff at the Mercure Canberra, a heritage listed building and one of the city’s oldest hotels on the leafy streets of Braddon, only a short walk into the city centre. After an easy check-in we parked the car in the secure carpark at the far side of the hotel and wheeled our bikes into a locked bike storage unit equipped with Steadyracks. With an easy-to-use bike wash station outside it is clear that the hotel was serious about welcoming riders of all types into their property and providing the right facilities.

Our comfortable room was perfect to unwind in before our hungry tummies guided us downstairs to Olims Bar and Bistro where we could fuel up for a big weekend ahead. The menu had something for every taste and appetite, and we also learned that in the outside beer garden was Canberra’s largest meat smoker.

After a restful night the buffet breakfast earned itself plenty of points with a good range of options, and in my personal preference it passed the test of decent scrambled eggs with the bonus points added for hash browns, all washed down with a barista made coffee.

Only a 15-minute drive from the Mercure is the well-known gem for cycling enthusiasts: Stromlo Forest Park. For a long time, the park was split between several cross-country trails and a couple of downhill runs, but over the last few years there has been a lot more work done to include that sweet middle ground of enduro trails. With more of these trails comes the demand for shuttle runs and the local company Dynamic Motivation saw the opportunity and ran with it.

Mic and Chelle Longhurst run the popular shuttle service from the base of the trail park, conveniently neighbouring the The Handlebar café, the undercover pavilion with public restrooms, and the large carpark. The Longhursts live and breathe mountain biking and are as passionate about Canberra as they are about their business. They also offer skills courses under the internationally recognised PMBI system, so you can come and learn new skills to optimise your shuttle days all the way up to becoming a certified instructor yourself. Dynamic Motivation also run a program called Ride Like a Girl where young females can meet for weekly sessions and work their way through the skills development course which gets a big thumbs up from me.

We jump on the first shuttle of the day, loading the bikes is easily done with their custom trailer fitted out with racks that hold up to 24 bikes at a time safely and damage free. At the top we had to decide what way to fly down which is harder than many other destinations – there are over 15 unique ways to the bottom and back to the waiting bus and runs to cater for all skill levels.

On the weekend there are two buses running and there is a lift to the top every 20 minutes, so there is minimal waiting around if you want to make the most of your pass. When you need a rest and refuel your body, The Handlebar café has a good range of food, snacks, and drinks to satisfy your needs. If you’ve pushed your bike a little too far there is also a servicing workshop under the same roof called Cycle City that can help fix most mechanical issues to make sure you can get back out there. They even do bike hire if you’re ever coming through town without your bike or have a mate you’re trying to coax into the sport. There is even a bike washstand around the corner of these businesses too if you want to do a quick hose down before using the Mercure wash station later.

Staying and playing in Canberra

You can book a weekend at the Mercure Canberra and make the most of one of Australia’s premier mountain bike destinations of Stromlo Forest Park. The hotel even has pet friendly rooms if you wanted to bring your furry companion. Stromlo Forest Park offers an incredible array of mountain biking trails suitable for riders of all levels and The Dynamic Motivation shuttle service makes it easy to access the park.

dynamicmotivation.com.au
mercurecanberra.com.au