Best Place to live and Ride in Australia

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guern

Squid
Hey guys, I don't post on here very often but was looking for some advice from some like minded people.

I was curious as to other peoples opinions on where is the best place to live in Australia whilst still having access to awesome xc trails and races??

I live in Melbourne and love the amount of racing available down here. However job possibilities for the end of year include Airlie Beach, Brisbane, Perth....to name a few.

cheers and here's hoping for some dry trails soon.
 
Red.

Red.

Likes Dirt
Wollongong.
so many places to ride we have a XC club and theres SCUM that also was lots of races and i mean we have so many track. And if its to hot to ride you can always hit the beach up.
 
harmonix1234

harmonix1234

Eats Squid
Tassie / Hobart

Four LBS's in the CBD (more in the outer suburbs only ten mins from CBD), Lots of LEGAL trails, mountain bike park within 10 minutes of CBD, DH, XC, and AM trails all over Mt. Wellington 10 mins from CBD, Clarence MTB park 20 mins from CBD, lots of cycle advocay, strong cycling / commuter / road community, Kellevie trail/track 30 mins from CBD, great roads for road riding, cheap rent, lots of well remunerated Gov jobs, stacks of trails up north, great Skate / BMX park near CBD, low crime, lots of regular well organised events especially DH, and clean clean air.

Riding in winter in the mornings is a bitch though. Runny nose and numb knuckles, frozen toes. Just crack a can of man up though and get amongst it.

*edit* Also currently a 'plan' to build Australias biggest cycleway approx 300kms from South to North along the railway track, and Council are also really getting on board and starting to pay trail builders a fulltime wage to build tracks.
 
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RangaRMX

Likes Dirt
In response the Harmonix above, Tasmania is even MORE appealing now! I've only been twice and both times I wasn't at an age that I could go off and ride; my love for the place stems purely from the natural wonders it has to offer. Seems like those + the riding could very well make it one of the best places in..oh, well...off Australia...definitely saving for a holiday in the summer time!

My mate lives in Canberra. Didn't really see him for a few years as he was caught up in work and I was caught up in riding; he comes up and tells me how awesome his bike and Canberra is and I'm all WTF man, why didn't you say something sooner?!


...yeah, I really need to leave Qld already....
 
jasevr4

jasevr4

Likes Dirt
Never even thought about Tassie!

I've been trying to figure out where to live for a while now. Somewhere near some snowfields. Plenty of mountain biking. Nice people and the ability to commute by bike all a must.

Tassie could be a top option!
 
S

scottlikesbeer

Likes Dirt
Mount Beauty, VIC...

At the base of Falls Creek for the winter, right next to Mount Beauty/Big Hill for the summer!

Winner all round!

:)
 
theMerryPrankster

theMerryPrankster

Likes Dirt
guern said:
I live in Melbourne and love the amount of racing available down here. However job possibilities for the end of year include Airlie Beach, Brisbane, Perth....to name a few.
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Brissie has some good spots, but depending on the style of riding you're after you'll probably find yourself having to drive a little further afield.
 
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Dagget

Squid
+ 1 for Canberra ....

Stromlo, Majura, Sparrow Hill etc etc ...
Lots of good LBS's
( though I'm led to believe the local Specialized outlet wont be stocking them for too much longer :( )

Couple of hours from Thredbo for Summer riding or winter snow.
Couple of hours from the coast and Mogo etc

and there is even a really good local bike path infrastructure if commuting is your thing .
 
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smeck

Likes Dirt
guern said:
.......I live in Melbourne and love the amount of racing available down here. However job possibilities for the end of year include Airlie Beach, Brisbane, Perth....to name a few........
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Not much in the way of trails around Airlie Beach. Mackay would be okay but it's an hour south. Townsville has great trails but it's 3 hours north.
 
tnankie

tnankie

Likes Dirt
mimps said:
Interesting how no one had mentioned Sydney :(

Im jealous of other areas in Aus
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'cause its a shitty hike to anywhere with off-road riding.

I just got back from England where I could be on trails in 5 mins riding, and decent ones in 10. Sydney has been a bit of a shock really doesn't seem to be any options for out the door mountain biking unless you happen to live next to some of the few areas for riding.

But from Surry Hills I am looking at putting the bike in the car or riding down to the train station...and everyone seems to love having other people put bikes on a train.
 
Newton

Newton

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yakuza857 said:
canberra
stromlo, majura, issacs, kowen, tuggers:)
good corc races & LOTS of bike shops
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Red. said:
Wollongong.
so many places to ride we have a XC club and theres SCUM that also was lots of races and i mean we have so many track. And if its to hot to ride you can always hit the beach up.
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+1 for Wollongong, close to most places, 2 hr drive to Canberra, 1hr drive to Nowra, 1 hr drive to Southern Highlands ... and 1 hr drive to Sydney :D
 
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Purt

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Canberra might the best place to ride in Aus. But that's only half of it. I could not live in Canberra for more than 2 weeks. It's a mountain bikers holiday destination not somewhere to live. No offense (probably will) but Canberra has to be the most boring city in Aus to live in.

Personally I'd say either Adelaide or Hobart. Not sure how I'd deal with the cold though :(
 
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mella060

Likes Dirt
Beechworth would be an awesome place to live. Has its own mtb park plus a whole heap of other local trails... and not far from places like Albury, bright, mt beauty, harrietville to name a few...supposed to be good riding at harrietville
 
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niki125

Likes Dirt
^^Its got a bloody good bakery:D (Beachworth that is)

I'd say SE Queensland. Yes I'm biased. It's all about the weather. Oh and we've got Australia's best DH track.
 
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harmonix1234

harmonix1234

Eats Squid
RangaRMX said:
In response the Harmonix above, Tasmania is even MORE appealing now! I've only been twice and both times I wasn't at an age that I could go off and ride; my love for the place stems purely from the natural wonders it has to offer. Seems like those + the riding could very well make it one of the best places in..oh, well...off Australia...definitely saving for a holiday in the summer time!

My mate lives in Canberra. Didn't really see him for a few years as he was caught up in work and I was caught up in riding; he comes up and tells me how awesome his bike and Canberra is and I'm all WTF man, why didn't you say something sooner?!


...yeah, I really need to leave Qld already....
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We also just got a huge injection of funds into the development od the Kate Reid and Trevellyn reserves for building trails, and just yesterday in the local paper they announced a new government strategy for a statewide linked up dedicated MTB trail network that should span most of the state.
Mt' Wellington also has the potential to be developed into one of the best DH destinations in Australia and there is a lot of momentum and support from the general public, riders and government already
In fact you can ride from the Southern tip of Tassie right up to the Northern tip without touching the tarmac as it is. If you have the legs for it... And a good GPS... and about a million energy gels haha. And if you are up for multi stage style enduro/XC racing don't forget wildside.
 
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Purt

Likes Bikes and Dirt
scbullit said:
No eye deer...
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I've been to Canberra several times.

I know people who live there and they agree, as a teenager it is dead set the most boring state capital city.

It's almost as bad as Maryborough on a Saturday night...
 
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