Lithgow has the potential to become “one of the best” mountain biking tourism destinations in Australia according to Craig Flynn, the president of the Central Tablelands Mountain Bike Club.
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“There’s huge tourism potential there, we’re right on the end of the train line so people can just jump on the train, bring their bikes up, it’s a free ticket for your bike on the city rail,” Mr Flynn said.
It’s not just downhill, it’s not just cross country, it’s not just adventure. We’ve got all of it right here.
- President of the Central Tablelands Mountain Bike Club, Craig Flynn
Mountain bike tourism has been on the rise in recent years with several small regional areas getting on board.
Derby in northeast Tasmania is a classic example of a town that has turned its economic fortunes around by building 80 kilometres of new mountain bike tracks.
The Blue Derby trails were funded by a federal government grant and have successfully attracted a large amount of visitors and tourism dollars.
Lithgow has the advantage of already being home to a large number of established mountain bike trails.
“There’s so much diversity here, it’s probably one of the unique things to our area, that it’s not just downhill, it’s not just cross country, it’s not just adventure. We’ve got all of it right here,” said Mr Flynn.
“All the data we’ve got says the average mountain biker is about forty years old and they’re looking for places to go and ride their bikes and spend a night if they can.
“If you can give them a network of trails where they can just spend a couple of days, they’ll lap it up.”
There are concerns extra promotion of Lithgow’s natural attractions may cause damage to the environment with the extra visitors to the area.
“It’s a balancing act of promoting the area and these sports and still protecting the natural heritage of it as well because that’s the big appeal to get out here and you don’t want people to get out here and wreck it.”
Lithgow may see an increase in mountain bike tourism in the future with the council currently exploring a broader range of recreational opportunities through the Hassans Walls Plan of Management.
“We’ve got a pretty good relationship with council so we consult with them fairly regularly. They’re a little bit hamstrung on what they can, or at least want to, promote,” said Mr Flynn.
“It needs a little bit of commitment right through council to give it a bit of a push. With the plan of management for Hassans Walls coming through that may give us an opportunity to promote it a little bit better but it all comes down to time and money and someone wanting to do it.”
