There are calls for more mountain biking facilities on the NSW South Coast. Photo: Raul Mellado.
A South Coast business chamber is calling for more investment in mountain biking in its town as part of a push for more tourism options.
Moruya Business Chamber president Rob Pollock said his town should have “a slice of the action” that would build on infrastructure in nearby towns.
He pointed to an $8 million grant awarded after the Black Summer bushfires for building and upgrading mountain bike trails through the Mogo State Forest and Deep Creek Dam.
“At the moment, we don’t get that space,” he said.
“Mogo has got their trails, and they’ve just put a huge trail into the back of Moruya [the Burnaaga trail along Mount Wandera], and it hits one of the highest mountains behind Moruya.
“But that goes towards Mogo and has no connection to Moruya, and … south of us, Narooma has got their own bike trails.”
Mr Pollock said a focus on Moruya would join trails in other parts of coastal NSW.
“The natural progression of these mountain bike trails is to have a link between Narooma, Moruya and Mogo.
“If some proper design work can be done, and some interconnectivity … back into Moruya and [trails that] keep connecting towards the south, I think we could have one of the world’s best mountain bike trails open 52 weeks a year. It’d be world-class.”
Mr Pollock wants to see Moruya on the (mountain biking) map. Photo: Eurobodalla Shire Council.
The first section of Mogo Trails opened in August 2024, and the track has since expanded to more than 120 km.
Further south, Narooma is home to 85 km of trails through the Bodalla State Forest.
Mr Pollock said expanding their network in Moruya would bring benefits for the local economy, as well as offering a new place for people to ride.
“We feel left out. We think that a bit of equity, considering we sit in the centre of the shire, would be fair,” he said.
“We definitely want to support the mountain bike trails.
“We can see that it’s a huge asset for tourism, and we want to be definitely attached to it.”
Mr Pollock said that more investment in the natural world around the town would reap benefits for locals and visitors.
The Moruya River was “underutilised”, while other adventure or nature-based experiences could represent a growing market.
“We need to push that [adventure tourism] for people who come from the cities and beyond the Eurobodalla to have a real good look,” he said.
Mr Pollock also gave the examples of people using jet skis on the river or off-road driving tracks as activities the region could promote.
“We don’t sit right on the coast, we sit inland, but some of that makes us more connected to the bush,” he said.
“We have numerous water holes … really beautiful places where all the locals know to go to camp and go for a swim. There’s a lot of natural beauty around Moruya.”
