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In the past, before Gary Fisher, Joe Breeze and other off road cycling pioneers had begun to develop the best sport in the world, the Coffs Harbour region was better known as a great place to take a holiday on the beach and visit the Big Banana. In recent times though, some very dedicated locals have changed ‘the Coffs’ culture from waxhead to weekend mountain bike warrior. The outcome has been that a network of awesome trails has sprung up where the locals now practice their religion.
TRACK TALK
Words and photos by Evan Jeffery
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Initially the local mountain biking community started out as a small group of individuals who wanted to encourage the local kids to exercise and be involved in a healthy lifestyle. Now the kids continue to be involved, to improve and are beginning to embarrass some of the ‘more seasoned’ riders. But it’s not all about the kids – along with the many testosterone-filled males is a growing group of female riders enjoying the challenges of mountain biking. Mountain bikers have benefited from the decades of forestry operations and the previously unchecked use of motor bikes in the 70’s and 80’s. This sort of random trail
development created a pretty cool network of trails, but due to its ad hoc approach and the 1.6 meters of rain each year, problems were bound to occur. Decades later our sport has developed and so too have the underlying environmental principles encouraged by MTBA. The end result is great, legal mountain bike trails leading from the shores of the Pacific Ocean to the heights of the Great Dividing Range. And those that have ridden the trails of the region have discovered that the geographical conditions around the Mid North Coast of NSW lend themselves to some of the most challenging and enjoyable
trails in the country. Make up your own mind about whether Coffs is blessed or cursed based on its steep and challenging terrain. These changes in altitude and aspect create a unique experience that mountain bikers really benefit from. Trails lead from the dry coastal heaths, through wet forests well known for their exposed, slippery tree roots, enclosed rainforests, and dry open forests on the ridges. All of this is capped off with either a mountain river swim or a relaxing afternoon at the beach. Coffs has everything a mountain biker needs. Trail fairies have worked tirelessly to groom and improve the formerly unman-