Mountain bike trails see Narooma defy slump in regional tourism

Narooma’s mountain bike trails have saved the town from a plunge in regional tourism.

Since informally opening last December, about 40,000 riders have been through the trails. Instead of laying off people during the quiet winter season, several local businesses have put on extra staff.

Eurobodalla Shire Council’s manager of economic development and place activation Teresa Lever said the trails “were the best Christmas present Eurobodalla could have had”.

Amid cost-of-living pressures and a post-COVID rebound in Australians holidaying overseas, Ms Lever said revenue of businesses exposed to the tourism sector was down 15 to 30 per cent from 2023. Her data though showed spending by visitors to Narooma between January and August was up 2.2 per cent from the same period last year.

Sarah Breust, manager of Narooma Bicycles which sells, hires and repairs bikes, said she has had so much more visitor and foot traffic this winter and employed an additional part-time staff member to meet demand.

“We are seeing people from Victoria, Queensland, Sydney and Canberra. We are seeing the majority of the people from Sydney and Canberra multiple times,” she said.

The mountain bike trails get rave reviews.

“People say how well maintained, designed and sign-posted they are,” Ms Breust said.

Sally Bouckley owns luxury tourism operator Southbound Escapes which runs a shuttle service on the trails.

She said many riders were first-time visitors to Narooma. “They are all coming for the trails. It is a target audience.”

Georgie Staley, with partner David O’Brien, spearheaded the trails’ construction and successful funding from the federal and state governments’ Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund.

She said the trails were “definitely taking people away from Tasmania, as well as Thredbo where the lift tickets and accommodation are expensive”.

Nor are Thredbo’s difficult trails suited to young families whereas Narooma’s trails are progressive, catering for novices through to pros.

“What I really wanted to do was attract families and I think we are succeeding,” Ms Staley said. “They stay longer, and it is good to introduce kids to the sport.”

She said passionate volunteers worked behind the scenes to keep the trails well maintained and keep riders coming back.

Ms Bouckley said the trails have been extremely good for her business and helped get it through winter. “I now have four casual staff drivers and an extra girl in the shop – so five new employees.”

Accommodation providers, particularly caravan parks, hipcamps, wikicamps and Airbnbs, have benefitted hugely.

Tod Sutherland, park manager at Discovery Park Narooma Beach, said the trails have been great for business. “Every second car through the park during the winter period had bike racks,” he said. “Looking at last year’s figures we were wondering how we were going to keep staff on, but actually we had to employ more people.”

He said the trails were good for the whole town, including supermarkets, breweries and cafes. “They have the money and they are spending it.”

The uptake of mountain biking has surprised many including Ms Staley, while Ms Lever said the community’s embrace of the pursuit was an unexpected bonus. “This has huge economic benefits for Eurobodalla due to residents’ improved health and social outcomes,” she said.

Mr Sutherland said with the Mogo trails progressively opening and the rave reviews circulating the mountain biking community “it is only going to get better and better”.

After speaking with shuttle bus operators in Eden, Ms Bouckley knows the trails in Eden, Mogo and Narooma are spreading visitors through the Bega Valley and Eurobodalla shires. “The trails are encouraging people to travel further south than before.”

Ms Lever said having three new trails in the region was a competitive advantage and mountain biking was a growth sport. “Having these family groups gives us confidence of a youth culture of mountain biking developing.”

She said schools were offering courses on mountain bike riding skills, while Ms Bouckley said mountain bike workshops sold out quickly. Ms Breust, qualified to coach, will benefit from that.

Major biking events at Mogo and Narooma next year, including Sea Otter in October, are adding to the optimism. “They will stay in the Shoalhaven and Bega Valley and the Snowy Monaro,” Ms Lever said. “It is the power of the mountain bike community that the region benefits from all it has to offer visitors.”