The Northern Rivers Dirty Wheels Mountain Bike Club collected at least 30 new members when it officially opened its New Italy trail network last weekend.
The four-year-old club now has more than 170 members based between south Queensland and Yamba, with plenty from the Byron area.
‘The official opening of the New Italy MTB Forest Trail attracted 500 people, making it a huge success and demonstrating the popularity of off-road cycling,’ club president Dave Hegerty said.
The New Italy trails are relatively level and undulating and are good for kids and intermediate riders.
The club is also getting close to opening another set of trails at a site in Alstonville suitable for more experienced riders. ‘This course is intense. It is short but steep, and deliberately a lot harder to suit advanced riders,’ Hegerty said.
The Dirty Wheels also got a boost from Kevin Hogan, the federal member for Page, who announced a grant of almost $10,000 to build car parks at the new facilities.
‘This is great news for the community and the Dirty Wheels club members,’ he said. ‘I would like to congratulate the club and all of its members for working to develop this public mountain bike facility – the only one on the northern rivers.
‘Mountain biking is a sustainable, non-discriminatory sport that can be enjoyed by anyone who can ride a bike.’ he said.
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