It's like a whole community of people from completely different walks of life that are like-minded in one thing and that's cycling
- Shane Vanderwerf
A FEW years ago Wodonga’s hills offered little for off-road cyclists.
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Albury Wodonga Mountain Bikers trail manager Shane Vanderwerf said across the border lay Nail Can Hill, but on the Victorian side, nothing.
"You had to travel over to Albury to ride," he said.
But now trails are being blazed across the countryside, with plans for more.
“Albury-Wodonga can be the hub of mountain biking in North East Victoria and southern NSW," Mr Vanderwerf said.
A ranger with Parklands Albury Wodonga, Mr Vanderwerf said Hunchback mountain bike park comprised about seven kilometres of trail, including the new Quartz trail.
"There's been reports from a lot of riders that it's better than the trails at Mt Buller, which is just fantastic," he said.
Local company Terrain Trail Construction donated time and equipment to build the route.
“If we were to pay for that trail it would be about $30,000,” the ranger said.
With about six kilometres to go at Hunchback, there are also plans for a 25km loop to link with nearby hills and 10kms at Baranduda.
"In the bigger picture, in our five-year plan we'd like to have a trail, a 15 kilometre descent, coming from the Baranduda towers down to Baranduda and possibly down from the towers to Yackandandah as well," Mr Vanderwerf said.
He felt the tourism potential of trails that linked Beechworth, Yackandandah and Wodonga would be “incredible”.
Assisting Parklands Albury Wodonga and the mountain bike club are Wodonga Council and workers from conservation group Green Army and Mungabareena Aboriginal Corporation.
Mr Vanderwerf said they appreciated donations and the many riders who helped out at working bees.
"You'll get 30 people turn up, fathers and sons get up and they'll dig for a few hours and help out,” he said.
"It's like a whole community of people from completely different walks of life that are like-minded in one thing and that's cycling."
He said the popularity of Hunchback mountain bike park continued to grow.
“It doesn't really matter if it's raining or not, you go there any weekend and the car parks are full of cars of people riding there," he said.
