Mountain bikes are providing an uphill boost to local economies on New South Wales' south coast, attracting a number of grants under Stage Two of the joint NSW and Australian Governments’ Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund.
The Mogo Adventure Trail Hub is set to become a mountain biking mecca in the region, with a new $5 million grant announced earlier this month to complete the $8 million project.
The new funding follows the $3 million Growing Local Economies Fund grant for the first stage of the project.
The council's direct of planning Lindsay Usher said adventure hub will be a boost to the the Eurobodalla region's visitors economy long into the future.
“Mountain bike enthusiasts have an insatiable thirst for adventurous trail networks and organised events, and we’re building a world-class trail hub right here in Mogo,” Mr Usher said.
“This new funding lets us complete the 150+ kilometre trail system envisaged in the master plan prepared for us by trail experts Dirt Art. It lets us extend out from the south side of Mogo and add amenities.
“Most exciting will be the Mount Wandera summit to sea hero trail.”
Mr Usher also congratulated the Narooma Mountain Bike Club, who received nearly $4 under the same round of funding to expand their mountain bike trail system just south of Mogo, and Eden council who also received $4.5 million for mountain bike hub and trails further south.
“This cements the NSW south coast as a go-to MTB destination,” Usher said.
Tourism is king in the Eurobodalla Shire, an area that has seen both fire, flood and of course COVID-19 heavily impact the local economy over the last few years.
Josh Waterson, who runs kayaking and hiking tours in the area, told FLOW Mountain Biking magazine: “This will be that lovely bit of revitalization that’s coming through a rebuilding phase of Mogo, and it’s going to be complemented by this fantastic new trail infrastructure happening at the same time."
For more information about the Mogo Adventure Trail Hub visit the council's Mogo Adventure Trail Hub page.