Cycling around Mount Remarkable: In the Outback region of South Australia

Mount Remarkable stands proudly over the pretty little Southern Flinders Ranges town of Melrose. Mount Remarkable National Park covers more than 16,000 hectares of rugged bushland and provides an idyllic backdrop for one of the prettiest little farming communities in the State.

We dropped in to the North Star hotel to meet publican and cycling enthusiast, Richard Bruce.

"We're a very cycle friendly pub," he said. "Every weekend we see more and more cyclists come up and the tracks are getting well used."

If you don't want to bring your own bike the pub will provide one. But as we set out something told me that Richard and the crew from Bicycle SA were anything but your occasional pedal pushers.

The courses they've designed on the slopes of Mount Remarkable are of varying degrees of difficulty.

"The green circle on the map denotes an easy track - it's for beginners," explained Richard. "The intermediate track is marked by a blue square and the black diamond is for advanced runs."

They are also considering a double black diamond classification for really keen riders who want to don body armour and the facemasks. It's a case of different spokes for different folks. For me the climb to the Great War monument provided the chance to take a well-earned breather and enjoy the changing moods of this popular mid-north lookout.

My fellow riders make it look easy but they did help build the course with assistance from the Green Corp. The newly opened Mount Remarkable loops are just the start of something much bigger, as far as these thrill seekers are concerned.

"Our vision is to create a trail network of national significance," said Richard. "We've talked about two hundred kilometres of single trail - about three days riding.

"If we can keep people in the area for five, six, seven days that starts to help the local economy. We're trying to provide a unique experience, which is totally different to anywhere on the east coast. So we're hoping to attract some of those riders from interstate and possibly overseas."

And what better way for an international tourist or a local for that matter to end the day... than with a stopover at Melrose's North Star Hotel. The pub has maps of the trail, as does Bicycle SA at 46 Hurtle Square in the city.

Mount Remarkable Mountain Bike Trails
Mawson Trail Loops
Maps at North Star Hotel, Melrose
& Bicycle SA, 46 Hurtle Square, Adelaide

Published 6th May 2007