Illawarra Escarpment Mountain Bike Concept Plan - Mount Kembla

Image: Lord Mayor of Wollongong Councillor Tania Brown, The Hon. Ryan Park MP, Wollongong Mountain Bike Club Vice President Craig Morris and National Parks and Wildlife Service Director South Coast Julie Peterson at the Kembla Mountain Bike Trails.

Pump up those tyres– the first stage of the Illawarra Escarpment Mountain Bike Network is now open.

At around 20 kilometres long, the purpose-built trails cater for riders of all ages and abilities and provide riders the chance to cycle through the escarpment while also protecting its natural and cultural values.

All up 25 new trails have been unveiled including:

• 4 beginner trails (green)
• 13 intermediate trails (blue)
• 1 intermediate/hard trail (blue/black)
• 7 difficult trails (black)

Features along the trails include bridges, jumps, flyovers, berms and downhill runs.

“I know there are a lot of very passionate mountain bike riders in Wollongong who have been longing for the day they could legally ride through the escarpment on trails that respect the area’s natural beauty and cultural importance while also providing an exhilarating rider challenge,’’ Cr Brown said.

“This is the reality now, and Wollongong City Council is proud to have partnered with the NSW National Parks to deliver this important project.’’

As part of the broader project, Council has provided carparking in Kembla Village to minimise the impact on residents and to support safe and accessible mountain bike riding experiences.

Minister for the Illawarra Ryan Park said he had long advocated for legal trails in the escarpment that balanced the community’s desire to ride through this landscape with its broader significance.

“Our community has been advocating for this Illawarra Escarpment Mountain Bike Network for a long time, I’m absolutely thrilled to see stage one now open to the public,’’ he said.

“These beautiful and thrilling bike trails will expand riding activities for locals and encourage visitors from all over the country to experience what our region has to offer.

“Thank you to Wollongong Council, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and the many community members and groups who have worked with us tirelessly in shaping this project.”

Wollongong City Council’s General Manager Greg Doyle said Council had invested significantly in a wide range of cycling infrastructure in recent years, and this long-term project was key to supporting a diversity of riding opportunities.

“We’re proudly a UCI Bike City and part of the commitment we’ve made to our community is that we will look to facilitate and support different ways for people to get on their bikes,’’ he said.

“While we know our range of on-road bike paths and upgrades to shared pathways along the foreshore areas are welcomed by residents, and our criterium track at Unanderra is well-used, we also know there’s a passionate band of mountain bike riders who hit the trails at our award-winning Cringila Hills Mountain Bike Park regularly. This will give them a new challenge to explore.’’

Following the opening of the new trails, the Lord Mayor encouraged riders to be mindful of others when out and about.

“Looking at this weekend’s weather forecast, I’m sure there are people making plans to come and give the trails a go – and that’s great,’’ she said.

“We just ask people to their research before they ride – have a look on Trailforks app and make sure they’re open and to pick the trail that aligns with their skills and ability. Be mindful there will be others using the trails and be sure to wear safety equipment.

“This is just the first stage of these trails, and we look forward to continuing the development of these trails with NSW National Parks over the coming months.’’

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is inviting the Illawarra and mountain biking community to have their say on the second stage of the planned Illawarra Escarpment Mountain Bike Network.

Read the NPWS media release to find out more, then view the REF and have your say before 26 May 2023 by visiting the NSW Environment website or emailing npws.scbinfrastructure@environment.nsw.gov.au

Following community engagement in 2021, Council and National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) continued to work on developing the Illawarra Escarpment Mountain Bike (MTB) Concept plan. This process has been taken longer than originally expected with complex land ownership, social, cultural and environmental and community factors all being highly important in developing the plans.

In mid-late 2022, NPWS sought feedback on the Review of Environmental Factors (REF) for the trail network. The REF was then finalised in late 2022, and the Illawarra Escarpment Mountain BIke Strategy was also adopted.

Next steps for the MTB Concept plan

NPWS aim for trail network construction to be done in stages, with the first stage starting in early 2023.

With the REF and Illawarra Escarpment Mountain BIke Strategy now finalised, Council is putting the final touches on an updated MTB Concept Plan. Concept planning is being staged to align with the construction of the network, and Council will seek community feedback prior to any work commencing.

The updated draft MTB Concept Plan and REF is planned to be shared for community comment in early 2023. Feedback during this period will be used to make decisions on the MTB Concept Plan, prior to it being finalised.

A community update was sent out to local residents in early February, 2023.

Past updates and activities

2018 – First community engagement on the Illawarra Escarpment MTB Strategy and Concept plan

2019 to 2020 – updating the concept plan and working with stakeholders via MTB Advisory Group

February 2021 – targeted community engagement with Mt Kembla and Kembla Heights community

July 2021 – MTB Concept plan update - Assessments and funding

December 2022 - NPWS Review of Environmental Factors (REF) finalised

In March 2021 we spoke with local residents from Mount Kembla and Kembla Village about the Draft Illawarra Escarpment Mountain Bike Concept Plan. We held face to face information sessions at Kembla Heights Bowling Club and an online information session to share ideas and hear feedback regarding the draft plan. A summary of what we heard can be found in the document library on this page.

This work builds on the draft Illawarra Escarpment Mountain Bike Strategy(External link), which was on public exhibition in late 2018. The draft strategy focused on providing safe sustainable recreation for a broad range of riders and the prevention and removal of informal trails across the escarpment.

Community feedback from the public exhibition and input of the Illawarra Escarpment Mountain Bike Advisory Group is being used to explore potential options between Mt Kembla and Mt Keira. The emphasis is on creating safe, sustainable recreation that minimises negative impacts on residents and landowners.