Mt Owen trail network official opening on December 10
The 35km trail network at Mt Owen on Tasmania's West Coast is ready to go! They're firing up the BBQ for December 10. Here's what you need to know.
You've been teased on social media long enough, and Dirt Art and the West Coast Council have the official launch of the Queenstown Mountain Bike Trails on December 10. The trail networks has 35km of trails, all set in the rugged scenery that Tasmania's West Coast is known for.
With so much rock and exposure, the building of the trails was no easy job. And it was made possible via joint financing via the federal governemt and Tasmania Parks and Wildlife service.
For the opening day, there will be guided trail rides and shuttles to the descending trails, along with a community BBQ.
Shane Pitt, Mayor West Coast has said, “These final set of trails on Mt Owen being finished marks a significant milestone in achieving Council’s vision for a suite of unique and world class mountain bike trails on the West Coast. We’ve seen plenty of interest from riders already and are seeing a lot of new businesses and opportunities opening up right across the board. It’s a very exciting time to be on the West Coast.”
The trail mix is made of up enduro and trail descending trails, and the 35km is made up of 5 main descending trails with shuttle service access. Two of the trails finish in Linda, and two descending trails finishing in Queenstown. There are also four loop trails that have been developed, which begin and end on Tramway Street, just out of the Queenstown CBD.
The slopes of Mount Owen are barren and raw, with views across the West Coast region. There is over 800m vertical elevation loss on some trails, which is some of the largest purpose-built descending opportunities in Australia.
Download the trail map via this link.
Simon French, Managing Director of Dirt Art said “the Mt Owen project is one of our most challenging and rewarding builds to date. This trail network is the first of it’s kind in Australia, offering big mountain riding experiences currently only found in the northern hemisphere or New Zealand.”
What's on?
The BBQ kicks off at midday on December 10 at Headley Faull Park in Queenstown. Speeches will run from 1pm.
The Ribbon cutting will take place at the summit for Council Members and media at 1:50pm, and public uplifts kick off at 3pm, with guided rides leaving Headley Faull Park at 4pm. If the weather is bad, the ribbon cutting will also take place in the park. But pack a jacket regardless!
Need more details? Head to the mountain bike site for Mt Owen on the West Coast.
So do I go to Mt Owen, Blue Derby, St Helens or Maydena?
All of them. But maybe not on the one trip. Mt Owen and the West Coast is best accessed from Hobart, so you could certainly do an epic trip with a day or two in Hobart, which has got great riding now and more to come. Then a few days in Maydena, and two more or so on the West Coast.
With the amount on offer in the north-east, from Georgetown, Hollybank, Blue Derby and beyond to St Helens – that's likely a different trip in it's own right. The south-west corner of Tasmania is wild and rugged, and mixing a visit to Hobart, Maydena and Mt Owen sounds like a great trip for raw and technical riding.
