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The Tweed’s first official mountain bike park and pump track at Uki has been officially opened – despite the rain – in a flurry of activity for high-octane enthusiasts.
Set against the stunning backdrop of Wollumbin/Mt Warning, the Tweed’s newest outdoor recreation facility today officially opened its gates to mountain bikers of all ages, experience and abilities with more than 6.4 km of trails on offer.
Around 100 enthusiasts attended the ribbon-cutting and smoking ceremony which was scaled back today due to the rain, including the closure of the trails. However, the rain cleared up enough for semi-professional mountain biker Dane Folpp to delight the crowd with a few wheelies, jumps and tricks.
Mayor of Tweed Shire Chris Cherry welcomed visitors to the park, saying it was another jewel in the crown of the Shire’s growing recreational attractions.
“Tweed Shire Council is extremely proud to deliver this fantastic facility, which is already proving a hit attracting more than 800 people a week since completion a few weeks ago,” Cr Cherry said.
“Anecdotally, we’ve heard of people travelling from as far as Toowoomba, the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and Coffs Harbour to visit Uki Mountain Bike Park, bringing many tourism and economic benefits to the Tweed.
“Along with the opening of the Tweed section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail earlier this year, the Tweed is fast becoming a sought-after destination for families and biking enthusiasts across the region.”
Cr Cherry thanked the NSW Government for its financial support and members of the Tweed Valley Mountain Bike Riders for their passion and commitment in initially championing the idea of the park some 10 years ago and dedication in working with Council to make it happen.
Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin, whose government contributed $430,000 towards the facility through the NSW Office of Sport’s Regional Sports Facility Fund 2021-22, was pleased to see the park open.
“This will be a place where families and friends can come together to enjoy the magnificent Tweed Valley while being active and healthy together and having some fun,” Ms Saffin said.
“We are really excited to deliver this fantastic facility for the mountain bike community and wider Tweed community and can’t wait to see how the riders, families and kids enjoy the park for years to come.”
The Tweed Valley Mountain Bike Riders Club played a significant role in getting the facility off the ground, from planting the seed as an idea, to helping to source funding and physically assisting on site with tree planting and rehabilitation works.
Club president Hugh Flower said the park was already proving a popular drawcard with the mountain bike and wider community.
“The park is everything we envisioned with 6.4 km of trails built around developing riders’ skills from green trails all the way through to black trails with one of the primary objectives being to develop beginners and intermediates,” he said.
“The track design has already received excellent feedback from punters – who wouldn’t love to be outdoors, on a track like this, with the stunning backdrop of Wollumbin/Mt Warning and the Tweed Valley around you?”
Outdoor trail design and construction specialists Trailworx were contracted to build the Uki Mountain Bike Park, with the initial concept design completed by Dirt Art.
The park features 8 mountain bike trails including 1 climbing and 7 descending trails. The tracks are made up of 4 green trails (beginner), 3 blue trails (more difficult) and 1 black diamond trail (very difficult).
There is also a pump track (skills park) specially designed to suit children aged 5 – 12 years.
Future concept plans for the site include provision for shade structures, seating and tables, landscaping, pathways and permanent toilet facilities, however this is dependent upon securing additional funding.
Uki Mountain Bike Park is at 165 Smiths Creek Road, near Uki. Entry is free, with opening hours from 6 am to 6 pm daily. The park may close at any time due to weather conditions (rain, wet or muddy tracks, high winds, fire danger) or club events.
A Facebook Group has been set up for the community to share their experiences and tips for the park, including park closures during weather events. Follow Uki Mountain Bike Park Community Group.
The facility is part of Council’s commitment to providing the community with opportunities to be active and healthy, as well as ensuring the Tweed is a vibrant place to live and visit.
Find out more at tweed.nsw.gov.au/mountain-biking.
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