Places that Rock: Delatite River Trail

Words: Dom Geoghegan | Photos: Matt Rousu

Back in the early 2010s Mount Buller was the undisputed queen of mountain biking destinations in Victoria's high country with the Delatite River Trail as one of her crown jewels. The long, sweeping descents and high speeds made it a favourite for riders who wanted to chase Mach 10 thrills as they skittled down the rock strewn fire road at the top. As the decade went on though, the game started to change and riders chased more modern singletrack options that other high country destinations began to offer.

However, Mount Buller is back to stake their claim for the crown. Last summer the resort commissioned the renowned skills of Contour Works and Trailscapes to update the trail network to what we expect from a top class mountain bike park. One of the trails to receive the Contour Works magic was The Delatite River Trail.

On arrival at Mt Buller we headed to All Terrain Cycles where we met owner Shannon Rademaker who quickly informed us that we were in for a treat. The work done to the trail had turned it from a pretty sketchy fire road into a 12 km long flow trail! On that note we booked one of the guided tours of the Delatite River Trail that ATC offers and Shannon gladly took us on our way down the hill. The tour runs for about 3 hours, includes the shuttle, and costs $170. It's just one of many tours that All Terrain Cycles offers in the greater high country region.

Linking the Gang Gangs and Picnic trails is the best way to get from the village to the start of Delatite River Trail, from here you get to tip it straight down the hill, fast. The top section is definitely the steepest, and thanks to the epic work of the legendary trail builders, the sketchy, loose rocks that previous visitors to the park might remember are a thing of the past. For those willing to let off the brakes, warp speed is definitely now achievable. A few corners in and the trail really comes to life with beautifully crafted berms and jumps ready to send you as far as you dare.

We soon hit the intersection where the Box Corner Link joins the main trail. Shannon informed us that this is a great option for less experienced riders who want to skip the steepest parts of the trail. The link track comes off the main road and allows riders to either come down the road or even the gravity trails before hitting the lower sections of trail.

The next section is probably the best, with so many little bonus side hits to pop off that you might not see until your second or third run, Luckily I had Shannon to guide me straight to them at perfect speed. The main line itself is still the real treat though, with floaty jumps and loamy rollers that give you the confidence to go faster and faster the deeper you get into the trail you get!

As the track opens up and the gradients lessen the iconic river crossings start. The trail crosses the river 14 times on impressive log bridges, which are wide enough for comfort but high enough to keep you concentrating! From here, one last hip jump, and maybe the best, signifies you’re heading onto the last bridge and into the Mirimbah Park where the river tantalisingly waits for a post ride swim on a hot day.

A quick refuel at the Mirimbah Store was in order. Recently beautifully revamped, the menu now resembles an inner suburban cafe in Melbourne, not a general store in the middle of nowhere. Before we knew it, the Blue Dirt shuttle arrived to drop us at the top of the mountain ready to drop in for another lap!

Something good is definitely cooking at Mount Buller, the vibe in the village is exciting. With evening events like Summer Sunset Sessions at the Spurs bar dotted through the summer calendar, there's plenty of things to do off the bike too. The old Queen of the high country is definitely back and worth a visit this summer.

GETTING THERE

Mt Buller is a 3.5 hour drive from Melbourne, take caution on the last leg from Mansfield to Mt Buller especially at night, wildlife is abundant!

TECHNICAL NATURE

The Delatite trail itself is rated as a blue trail and the top section is quite steep, however beginner riders can cut in from the main road at box corner to avoid the steepest parts. We saw people enjoying the trail on all sorts of bikes from hardtails to downhill rigs but a 140-160mm bike would be the ideal to comfortably hit all the jumps and still be a breeze to pedal the few short climbs.

YOU’LL NEED 

A tube and pump! The high speed nature and rocks are well known for causing flats here and it's a long walkout. Hitting warp speed on some of the sections made me wish I’d grabbed my full face helmet, knee/elbow pads and back protection are also highly advisable. You’re also probably going to rack up more descending metres in a weekend at Mount Buller than you normally do in a month, so make sure you have freshly serviced brakes up to the task!

DISTANCES

The actual Delatite River trail is bang on 12 km but when ridden from the village it is 17 km with a whopping 1300m descent with only 100 m of climbing.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

Check with the All Terrain Cycles gang to see whether the creek crossings are rideable, especially after a lot of rain. Check whether all the trails are open on the Mt Buller page.

BEST TIME OF YEAR

Mt Buller is open from early December to the end of April, depending on snow conditions. The weather is often a lot cooler on the mountain in peak summer and a swim in the river makes this a great destination to escape on hot summer days.

WHILE IN THE AREA

Check out the other trails in the park such as stonefly or the gravity trails. Sunsets from the summit are also not to be missed!

LOCAL BIKE SHOPS

All Terrain Cycles are located in the village square, they provide bike hire, skills lessons and guided tours. The guided tour we took costs $170 and includes bike hire and the shuttle back to the top.