Development of Mountain Biking Projects in Northern Tasmania
In 2011, Urban Enterprise undertook a thorough investigation into tourism opportunities in the largely agricultural Dorset Council in North East Tasmania. One of the key projects we imagined for the area was the establishment of a mountain bike town at Derby about 1.5 hours east of Launceston. The former tin mining town has excellent prerequisites for a small tourist village with an attractive streets cape surrounded by the mountainous Blue Tiers forest reserve.
The project has gathered great momentum, with funding provided by Government and trial building now completed by the renowned World Trail group. Already, the town has attracted a mountain bike tour operator and has sparked wide interest across the mountain bike and broader community.
Flow Nation, a leading online resource for Australasian mountain bikers, believes that the "tiny little town of 200 people is about to become the epicentre of the fastest developing mountain biking region in Australia", leading to obvious economic development and tourism benefits.
The Blue Derby Mountain Bike Trail was launched in February 2015. For more information see:
Image source: Flow Nation