Forestry Corporation, proud supporters of the Woolgoolga Mountain Bike Club, has commended the club’s members for turning the Wedding Bells State Forest and Mount Coramba trails into top-tier mountain biking destinations.

The Woolgoolga Mountain Bike Club will host three days of action when Rocky Trail Entertainment returns with two of its major events this week.

The North Coast edition of the Rocky Trail Academy schools event will take place on Friday, September 19 followed by the Fox Superflow gravity enduro across the weekend at Mount Coramba.

Organisers expect more than 300 competitors and their families to attend, injecting an estimated $250,000 into the local economy.

The club has partnered with Forestry Corporation for almost a decade, establishing the mountain bike park, near Arrawarra and the downhill trails at Mount Coramba under State Forest permits.

Forestry Corporation Partnerships Leader Ryan Ellis: 

“It’s fantastic that a local sporting group can literally build facilities with their own hands from the ground up in local State forests and attract events of this calibre. The club’s consistent effort and strong focus on children and women’s participation have transformed the sites into something really special. It’s such a great thing for the community,” Mr Ellis said.

“The Wedding Bells site near Arrawarra continues to grow in popularity and is a great example of mixed forest use, with the area harvested in 2009 and hazard reduction burns successfully staged around bike infrastructure late last year,” he said.

Woolgoolga Mountain Bike Club President Rory Evans: 

“We’re thrilled to help bring these majors events to the region. It’s a credit to everyone involved - past and current members – who've contributed countless volunteer hours to build and maintain this trail network. It’s fantastic to see riders from across the country travel to race in our backyard,” Mr Evans said.

Rocky Trail Entertainment Co-Founder Juliane Wisata: 

"Mountain biking has seen incredible growth in NSW and we're seeing regional hubs like the North Coast truly leading the way," Ms Wisata said.   

"These events are a powerful driver for the local economy. We expect to bring hundreds of competitors and their families to the Woolgoolga area, injecting a significant economic benefit into local businesses.

“It's fantastic to see how facilities like those in Woolgoolga State Forest, with the support of Forestry Corporation and the local club, have created a fantastic community riding destination of regional and State significance that benefits both the community and the sport," she said.     

Woolgoolga Mountain Bike Park in Wedding Bells State Forest 

The MTB Park in Wedding Bells State Forest, near Arrawarra, was developed following extensive planning and environmental assessments in consultation with local Garby elders.

In 2021, the club received a $400,000 Stronger Country Communities grant from the State Government.

Regional NSW riding high on MTB tourism in State Forests

This year Rocky Trail Entertainment will host 20 events in NSW State Forests over 24 days of competition.

These events are expected to generate an estimated $2-million for local and regional economies attracting an estimated 1500 competitors and up to 1000 non-competing visitors to regional NSW.

To find out more about Forestry Corporation go to www.forestrycorporation.com.au.

For event information go to rockytrailentertainment.com