Where should I live? I.E. What is the best place for Mtn Biking?
- Thread starter IluvmyBike
- Start date
Adelaide has heaps of close MTB trails. Have a look here for a few http://www.adelaidemtbtrails.com/ but these are just those that can be legally put up on a website.
The current Adelaide Mountainbike Club champion is a recently qualified doctor and if you want to touch base with him, PM me with your details and I will forward them on to him.
The current Adelaide Mountainbike Club champion is a recently qualified doctor and if you want to touch base with him, PM me with your details and I will forward them on to him.
Move to Tassie, has to be one of the best mtb destinations within Aus. Plus i will sell you my house at Karoola with 30 acres, 2 downhill tracks, cross country trails, moto trails, pump & dirt jumps. 20 minute drive to Launceston. Awesome views from property. Blah blah blah can go on & on.
pharmaboy
Eats Squid
Surely there is only one upside to canberra, and that is mountain biking. Its cold in winter, hot in summer, its close to the shittest ski fields in the whole world, and nearly everyone you meet works for the govt (when i use "works" i mean paid by) 
Sydney is shocking on pretty much all fronts - if you want to GP, then you want an area with an undersupply where billing is the norm. I am from newcastle, and longer term, the mountain biking is closer to where people live (especially closer to where you'd want to live anyway), and there are privately billing surgeries screaming out for new GP's constantly, and consultants wont try and steal your patients off you either (they are too busy as well) - beaches, tick, snow, X, mountain biking tick, sydney 2hrs away (still a little too close), great lake for fishing/boating (bigger than sydney harbour and 1/20th the boats and houses around it.)
I'd choose on climate personally, but if you have no interest in beaches, that sure as hell narrows it down in this country
Sydney is shocking on pretty much all fronts - if you want to GP, then you want an area with an undersupply where billing is the norm. I am from newcastle, and longer term, the mountain biking is closer to where people live (especially closer to where you'd want to live anyway), and there are privately billing surgeries screaming out for new GP's constantly, and consultants wont try and steal your patients off you either (they are too busy as well) - beaches, tick, snow, X, mountain biking tick, sydney 2hrs away (still a little too close), great lake for fishing/boating (bigger than sydney harbour and 1/20th the boats and houses around it.)
I'd choose on climate personally, but if you have no interest in beaches, that sure as hell narrows it down in this country
Danny B
Likes Dirt
Having moved to Melbourne from New Zealand, I am definately guilty of being a trail snob. Whenever I go back to see my brother in Wellington we go riding at Makara or Mt Vic. Both within 15minutes of the CBD... And my folks are 50 minutes from Rotorua.
If only we had terrain to rival our little neighbour. Don't get me wrong I love living in Melbourne but, sheah, we don't have hills or trails like some other places.
If only we had terrain to rival our little neighbour. Don't get me wrong I love living in Melbourne but, sheah, we don't have hills or trails like some other places.
IluvmyBike
Likes Dirt
Well, I'm an int'l student (i.e. paying out the nose) and I'll be first year out so not exactly rolling in it, but send me pics of it as it's nice to dream about what I may be able to one day afford. I'm all for Tasmania actually as I like the cold. If there is copious amounts of snow to be shoveled I am in for that too. I keep hearing fire roads mentioned in alot of places as mtn biking. Should mention to all posters (1) thanks so much for all of the tips and (2) I consider fire road riding recreation and not true mtn biking. Grateful to have it available for a quick sunday cruise with the family, but need to real technical single track to keep the heart going.
So far I think outside Melbourne or Sydney sound like good options. Close enough to the big cities that I can get there for flights (to NZ for the good stuff) but far enough out for local rides, no traffic and congestion and a decent lifestyle. Cairns is also an option as the wife is fond of it the one time we went. Adelaide sounds good, but then you have to pay an extra few hundred everytime you want to get anywhere. Hmmmm. Canberra has always sounded very bleak. Much like Ottawa back home. A fake (made up) city full of fake people. I am sure that there are many nice people there (in all likelihood nicer than me), but politics is very much not my thing.
akashra
Eats Squid
I only say this half-seriously, but if proximity to the CBD isn't a huge thing for you, there's a new estate called Atherstone in Melton.
40kms to Macedon, 40kms to the You Yangs;
40kms to Ballan, 40kms to the CBD (including Westgate).
If you were truly picking a living location to factor in riding, at least take a peek at it.
40kms to Macedon, 40kms to the You Yangs;
40kms to Ballan, 40kms to the CBD (including Westgate).
If you were truly picking a living location to factor in riding, at least take a peek at it.
knob scortcher
Likes Dirt
up here in townsville from the trails you can see the hospital its only a couple minutes ride from the closest trail.
scratchy
Farkin Activist
Canberra is a bit of a standout. I would then suspect it would be Hobart then maybe Cairns and some other regional centres.
Having lived in Adelaide and Perth I have to say that WA has a lot more singletrack for you to ride and discover (and more on the way). There might be more DH options in Adelaide, but neither are epic.
Having lived in Adelaide and Perth I have to say that WA has a lot more singletrack for you to ride and discover (and more on the way). There might be more DH options in Adelaide, but neither are epic.
It's important to bear in mind the options that you will have available to you as an intern are constrained by a) networks and b) the fact that as an intern you are quite constrained in where you can work within those networks, due to the need for adequate supervision and breadth of terms. For example - Cooma (and therefore Snowies/Thredbo)? Not an option for an intern.
I can really only comment on the NSW networks and allocation process. Within this, the fact that you're an international student places you fairly low on the totem pole for allocation preferences (unless the process has changed: NSW trained Aust citizens/PRs > interstate/international Au/PR > Aus trained international non Au/PR > international trained).
As before, in terms of NSW, I would recommend giving Gosford some serious consideration. PM me for more information if you want; it doesn't really need to be in the thread itself. Other NSW options with relatively easy access to trails would include Nepean, (western Sydney...), Newcastle (but you'll be sent all over the place for 10-11 weeks at a time) and St George/Sutherland (which I hear is a horrible place to work).
I can really only comment on the NSW networks and allocation process. Within this, the fact that you're an international student places you fairly low on the totem pole for allocation preferences (unless the process has changed: NSW trained Aust citizens/PRs > interstate/international Au/PR > Aus trained international non Au/PR > international trained).
As before, in terms of NSW, I would recommend giving Gosford some serious consideration. PM me for more information if you want; it doesn't really need to be in the thread itself. Other NSW options with relatively easy access to trails would include Nepean, (western Sydney...), Newcastle (but you'll be sent all over the place for 10-11 weeks at a time) and St George/Sutherland (which I hear is a horrible place to work).
BrindiCruiser
Likes Dirt
Agree with most advice in thread. Canberra, Adelaide, Hobart, gosford, newcastle all good choices in roughly that order. Canberra prob has the
Most choices of riding area in a 20 min drive radius.
Most choices of riding area in a 20 min drive radius.
Wow, we are a spoilt lot. We have so much riding and we talk it down.
Lots of good info from many here but I'll sing the Melbourne praises. Within 10 mins of the CBD you can be on the Yarra Trails, which is xc. If you know how to link up all the trails you can do a handy 84km loop starting in Richmond near the breweries head out twd the Mullum and beyond then back on the other side, hell you can even throw in the tunnel under the freeway if you haven't done that and the weather permits, not saying I have done it and not saying I have not, just saying it is there, not too legal tho.
Also within 10 mins of the CBD you have Westgate Park. If you are strong yo can link up the Yarra Trails with the Dandenongs. Otherwise a 45 min drive from the CBD has you riding for hrs in the Dandenongs.
50 minutes by car has you riding in Macedon and Woodend / Wombat, same time to SG or Kinglake, 60 minutes to the You Yangs, 75 minutes to Castlemaine, 90 minutes to Creswick, 1hr 45mins to Lake Mountain / Buxton trails, Redesdale, Anglesea, Mount Buller, Stirling, the magic of Mount Beauty, Beaconsfield, Whittlesea / Mount Disapointment, don't forget Forrest, there are trails around Sale and further east, also thre is Lysterfield about 45 mins out of town. This is not an exhaustive list.
Yes some of these are further out, but this state has heaps and all is easily accessible.
I love the stuff in Canberra but you will freeze your cock off in Winter, QLD is great but spread out, Radelaide is rad but smaller, I can't comment personally on the other places, I reckon Tassy would be pretty awesome though having been there for work a few times, but if you are a xc rider Melbourne is the place to base yourself and will have more work potential I believe.
And yes there are a lot of hills if you want them.
For cross training it is also a great place for road riding (sorry for blaspheming here) but if you head north east you will not be disappointed, just stay away from Beach Road heading south, boring as bat 5hit, mmmm north east or east has great hills.
Regards,
Mars.
Lots of good info from many here but I'll sing the Melbourne praises. Within 10 mins of the CBD you can be on the Yarra Trails, which is xc. If you know how to link up all the trails you can do a handy 84km loop starting in Richmond near the breweries head out twd the Mullum and beyond then back on the other side, hell you can even throw in the tunnel under the freeway if you haven't done that and the weather permits, not saying I have done it and not saying I have not, just saying it is there, not too legal tho.
Also within 10 mins of the CBD you have Westgate Park. If you are strong yo can link up the Yarra Trails with the Dandenongs. Otherwise a 45 min drive from the CBD has you riding for hrs in the Dandenongs.
50 minutes by car has you riding in Macedon and Woodend / Wombat, same time to SG or Kinglake, 60 minutes to the You Yangs, 75 minutes to Castlemaine, 90 minutes to Creswick, 1hr 45mins to Lake Mountain / Buxton trails, Redesdale, Anglesea, Mount Buller, Stirling, the magic of Mount Beauty, Beaconsfield, Whittlesea / Mount Disapointment, don't forget Forrest, there are trails around Sale and further east, also thre is Lysterfield about 45 mins out of town. This is not an exhaustive list.
Yes some of these are further out, but this state has heaps and all is easily accessible.
I love the stuff in Canberra but you will freeze your cock off in Winter, QLD is great but spread out, Radelaide is rad but smaller, I can't comment personally on the other places, I reckon Tassy would be pretty awesome though having been there for work a few times, but if you are a xc rider Melbourne is the place to base yourself and will have more work potential I believe.
And yes there are a lot of hills if you want them.
For cross training it is also a great place for road riding (sorry for blaspheming here) but if you head north east you will not be disappointed, just stay away from Beach Road heading south, boring as bat 5hit, mmmm north east or east has great hills.
Regards,
Mars.
FatGuts
Likes Dirt
Canberra is only cold to Australians. For people who come from climates with real winters, June, July, August in the capital is sub tropical..............
cam-o
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Particularly given the OP is a canuck, the occasional -5 morning we have might mean they dig out a set of arm warmers
layful:Seriously - riding here in Winter is fine. Early morning roadie stuff needs layering up but during the day it's still 5+ degrees and you warm up fast.
cam-o
Likes Bikes and Dirt
True that - Strommers as a slopestyle snowboard park every winter - drooooooool!Yeah, but it's cold enough for pipes to freeze over, but not cold enough to get to make snowmen.
Where's the fun in that? Stromlo doesn't even turn in to a ski resort in Winter!
FatGuts
Likes Dirt
Yeah, but it's cold enough for pipes to freeze over, but not cold enough to get to make snowmen.
Where's the fun in that? Stromlo doesn't even turn in to a ski resort in Winter!
Yah, that bit is a PITA. The thing is though, all you have to do is spend a day in Jindy & Canberra feels warm
Ridenparadise
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Hey guy, heard a report on TV that Australia should be ashamed of itself taking doctors away from underprivileged countries who need them more. Have you thought of Vancouver?:indecisiveness: (Yes that was a joke)