Where should I live? I.E. What is the best place for Mtn Biking?

[IluvmyBike]

Here's a thread that should get some interest! I'm applying for an intern position next year somewhere in Australia. Only thing I know is that it won't be in Brisbane as there's no spots for Canadians there... plus it's not exactly the mtnbiking capital of Australia so not high on my list anyway.

So, what are the best areas for biking? I have heard that around Melbourne is supposed to be excellent, adn I would imagine that Tasmania has some great terrain (just not sure about the infrastructure/trails around) and I woudl guess blue mtns and Ourimbah is pretty sweet, but that's where my knowledge (if you can call it that) ends.

Right now all I know is I've been and done Qld and want to go elsewhere. I'm mostly likely to get a job in WA and SA as they have the biggest Dr shortages there and same for 1st year interns.
Right now I am leaning towards just outside Melbourne, if there is a hospital there that I can train at. Any advice... and if you are a Dr working at one of those and want to write me a reference letter (based solely on the fact that I am a mtn biker and not on my clinical skills of course) then I'd be Ok with that

Let the advice fly!

p.s. when it's all said and done the plan is to be a GP in a rural area (not remote... thinking like sunshine coast in terms of size and proximity to a larger centre... not in the big city, but not so far removed that I can't get to a good orthopaedic surgeon to fix all biking related injuries

 

[S.]

Melbourne is not much chop for mountain biking, to be honest. There is a little bit of accessible XC/trail riding but any DH involves a fair whack of driving. I'd suggest Canberra, Cairns or Adelaide instead, in no particular order. Adelaide probably has the most hospitable weather, but if you're Canadian you're not exactly going to find Canberra cold either. Cairns ranges from warm to fucking hot - it can be unbearably humid as well. Great place though.

 

[alpine_style]

Wagga Wagga has a bit of a MTB/motorcross scene. And looking towards RACGP fellowship, it's got 55,000 people and a decent uni campus.

Adelaide is a great cycling city. Though not a health professional, I refresh competencies with the emergency and outpatient departments at Royal Adelaide Hospital often enough - many of the staff seem happy.

Canberra has great riding. It also has the ANU Medical School which may appeal, or bring you added competition for a job with the local health service.

Cairns is good riding. Temps don't seem to max beyond 32 degrees though - which is doesn't make it hot by real third world standards. It is humid, though the city is well built for such. They have a great 24 hour GP medical centre with an awesome boss - I have spent many a day sitting in a hyperbaric chamber with him, he's great stories of working in Cairns and never repeated himself.

 

[Mywifesirrational]

Melbourne is not much chop for mountain biking, to be honest. There is a little bit of accessible XC/trail riding but any DH involves a fair whack of driving.

I'll partially agree to this, Melb. has got some great riding, YouYangs is fantastic, lysterfeild is good, Dandenong through to silvan has got some hidden delights. The new 'offical' DH track at kinglake on the way. But you do need to drive to get the best variety.

IF you're willing to travel, west has some great riding ballarat through the goldfeilds and down great ocean road way, gippsland certainly does, Mt Buller in summer is getting better (after being stagnant for a long time), just looking at 1-3 hr drives to see these places.

 

[Mtb1speed]

Canberra for most is about as good as a place I can suggest in relation to this post. Close enough to Sydney to have anything you may want from a large city and most of what you want is in Canberra anyway. As for riding venues, look in every direction and we are spoilt silly - Stromolo world championship venue, majura, sparrow hill, kowen and Bruce ridge to name the big ones, lots of smaller networks as well. Even meant to be getting a third hospital soon.

Check theberm.com.au for all you Canberra mountain biking info.

 

[jonozrx]

Canberra for sure

 

[PLUGGA]

Two words.....Wombat Track. Woodend Macedon Ranges. Move to Melbs mate. It's about 50mins from cbd. Not sure of job opportunities,but the riding is awesome!

 

[moorey]

Ballarat is cheap to live, short commute to melbourne. Surrounded by great trails, and an hour or do in every direction you have places like otways, you yangs, woodend, dandenongs, lysterfeild,...... Solved Cam. See you soon.

 

[piece]

I'm going to assume that you're a final year medical student and that you're willing to go anywhere.

My suggestion, based on personal experience, would be Gosford Hospital in NSW. If you put this as your first preference in the NSW internship ballot, you WILL get a spot there, even though you're an interstater. Riding within a reasonable distance includes Ourimbah and Awaba, with Manly Dam, Oxford Falls (~1.25hrs) and the Blue Mountains (1.75hrs to Glenbrook) being a little further afield.

In addition, you can live on the beaches (Terrigal, North Avoca, Wamberal) with a easy 20min commute and a "local" ride at Mt Kincumba - not at the standards of Ourimbah, but you can drive to the top, there's some singletrack, downhill and a (currently, due to rain erosion) reasonably challenging firetrail climb. There are some other options as well, including MacMasters, Rumbalara.

The hospital itself is a good place to work; they treat their JMOs pretty well (a lot of hospitals don't...) and if you want to go GP, there are PGPPP placements available for residents. It's also the trauma centre for the Central Coast - we get a lot of MTB related presentations in ED!

Its not perfect, but you could do a hell of a lot worse. Newcastle (John Hunter) also has good MTB, but they shanghai their JMOs all over the place (the Hunter Valley, New England), whereas at Gosford you will only work at Gosford and Wyong Hospitals. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

Addit: Canberra is also a great choice for riding and (somewhat) lifestyle, but it'll be much more difficult for you to get a job there (if not virtually impossible); all the jobs are preferentially given to ANU grads and there are more grads than jobs.

 

[FatGuts]

Canberra for sure

Yup, Bruce ridge is 10 minutes RIDE from the CBD & 10 minutes RIDE from Calvary hospital.

Furthest trails are Kowen at about 30 minutes from town.

I have done a lap of Bruce ridge from work in less than one hour.

 

[mella060]

Albury is another place worth a mention. It is a smallish city on the nsw/vic border with a population of around 50000 people and only 3 hours drive from Melbourne. It has all you need. A fun network of trails on the hills around the city and only an hour from the snow and great alpine riding. Only half hour from Beechworth, which has an awesome little mtb park. Only an hours drive from places like Bright/Mt Beauty which has some of the best riding in Australia.

What about Geelong, only an hour from Melbourne ? It's close to the You yangs trails and a bit over an hours drive from Australia's #1 mtb destination, Forrest.

http://www.rideforrest.com.au/

 

[No Skid Marks]

Live at jindabyne workaround cooma hospital. Doubt you'll find a ice there but there's lots of riding available and under 2 hrs to Canberra. Also close to skiing and good for dh and all Mtn. Apart from theridingits as boring as accept for in winter when the population quadruPles. Blue MTNs NSWis also okay and has a few hospitals and lots of other stuff to offer.

 

[bardles]

Here's a thread that should get some interest! I'm applying for an intern position next year somewhere in Australia. Only thing I know is that it won't be in Brisbane as there's no spots for Canadians there... plus it's not exactly the mtnbiking capital of Australia so not high on my list anyway.

So, what are the best areas for biking? I have heard that around Melbourne is supposed to be excellent, adn I would imagine that Tasmania has some great terrain (just not sure about the infrastructure/trails around) and I woudl guess blue mtns and Ourimbah is pretty sweet, but that's where my knowledge (if you can call it that) ends.

Right now all I know is I've been and done Qld and want to go elsewhere. I'm mostly likely to get a job in WA and SA as they have the biggest Dr shortages there and same for 1st year interns.
Right now I am leaning towards just outside Melbourne, if there is a hospital there that I can train at. Any advice... and if you are a Dr working at one of those and want to write me a reference letter (based solely on the fact that I am a mtn biker and not on my clinical skills of course) then I'd be Ok with that

Let the advice fly!

p.s. when it's all said and done the plan is to be a GP in a rural area (not remote... thinking like sunshine coast in terms of size and proximity to a larger centre... not in the big city, but not so far removed that I can't get to a good orthopaedic surgeon to fix all biking related injuries

All of QLD is full? That's a shame - I did my internship in Cairns and that is what got me into the whole MTB thing in the first place. I then did the rounds with the MTB standouts being Gold Coast and Nambour.

I routinely ask all my Canadian students (there are always a few), if they bike - we musn't have met. Can't help with further advice, but good luck..

 

[aanon]

Adelaide is good, far from mega alpine stuff but lots of excellent riding.
no trails are more than an hour from any part of Adelaide and you can ride a few different places in a day, without a car.
There are some real good dh tracks and lots of DJ areas, and heaps of people who ride.
Definately worth considering.
History shows a heap of good racers/riders have come from ''Radelaide'' i doubt that would have happened without a decent scene and riding areas.
Best of luck mate.

 

[crank1979]

Campbelltown! Plenty of great tracks within 20 minutes of Campbelltown. 50km to the Blue Mtns, 50km to the city, 50km the Wollongong beaches and tracks. 2 hours from Canberra. About 2 hours from Newcastle area tracks. And some interesting wildlife, of all varieties!

 

[Turner_rider]

I'd look more into Hobart as depending on the riding you do you won't need to drive anywhere for lots of great riding or to get to work.

 

[IluvmyBike]

Thanks. I've definitely thought of it, but apparently there are no jobs for our-of-staters. I've heard that there are chances in Launceston and Burnie hospitals. How are those spots for riding? Guessing the night life in Burnie is fairly limited, though.

 

[Turner_rider]

Thanks. I've definitely thought of it, but apparently there are no jobs for our-of-staters. I've heard that there are chances in Launceston and Burnie hospitals. How are those spots for riding? Guessing the night life in Burnie is fairly limited, though.

There's lots of good riding in both places but finding someone to show you where to ride is much easier in Launceston. I grew up near Burnie and yes the night life is limited but riding is excellent if you can find someone who know where to go (otherwise you'll be riding on your own and never find the good stuff). Launceston is the better option if you plan on seeing the state too as its a bit more central for trips around the state (and if in Tassie and an outdoors type you will want to explore as much as you can). At the end of the day it may come down to what you can get work wise and then your other priorities in life. While lots of places on the mainland are awesome for riding there can be a shite load of driving to get variation. In Tassie there is stacks of variation and its never that far to go and you'll never get stuck in traffic getting there.

 

[frensham]

Anywhere in Tasmania is hard to beat for scenery and wonderful (fire trail) riding. Hobart has good man made trails (single track) and an official MTB park.

Canberra has superb man made trails (100s of km of single track) plus the most wonderful off road (fire) trails in the nearby Namadgi National Park, where you could ride for days on end. Canberra is called the Bush Capital for good reason. A 20-30 min bike ride (as opposed to car) has you in the bush and a whole world of mountain biking opportunities in front of you.

Adelaide has an official MTB park and also lots of man made single track a decent drive from the CBD.

Canberra for single track and close proximity of epic day rides has the edge on most other places in my opinion.

 

[Rafferty]

Not Perth. Well not metro anyway. There a couple of places but it's always hot and dusty. The south west is beautiful and nice for riding but I'm not sure about the availability of work.