Always looking towards the future and assessing life's options. Would be interested to know how many of you would viably spend a weekend or few days in your own cabin in the forest with a communal eating lodge with a chef/pastry chef on site to prepare meals with produce locally and from the site itself along with a outdoor/fire area to socialise if desired. It would be limited to 12 patrons on 150 acres odd with a selection of trails (no green options.) if you'd consider it, what would be paramount to your experience and what sort of expense would you consider? Would be a mix of studio and 2 bedroom accommodation. Looking at 2hrs to Melbourne.
Private mtb park with food+accom
- Thread starter Sethius
- Start date
hellmansam
Likes Bikes and Dirt
If sufficient acres are an obstacle, what about MTB tailored accommodation, somewhere central to a good range of awesome trails, with a shuttle driver/vehicle option ?
Soul-Rider
Likes Dirt
All this sounds awesome. Especially if parters/kids had stuff to do as well. It it would be tough to set up however. Trail is hard work and expensive to dig and you’d need enough to keep people of varying skill levels and riding styles occupied. Then you’d need almost constant media exposure to stay on peoples radar as there are a lot of free places to ride too.
I could imagine my friends and I having a ball at something like this but it would be tough to pull off.
I could imagine my friends and I having a ball at something like this but it would be tough to pull off.
downunderdallas
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Have a look at Linga Longa in WA it sounds pretty close to what you are talking about (without the pastry chef and just camping at this stage) I'm not sure how much land they have. They have been at it for quite a while to get to where they are, even with somone like Sam Hill as a supporter and trail designer/builder as I understand it for at least rake 'n ride. I'm pretty certain the bike park makes very little money in real terms I'd be surprised if the guys don't invest the vast majority of what people pay to ride back into building and maintaining trails, shuttle buses, new facilities etc.
I think gravity/uplift is a must, you need at least a decent hill.
Having said all that I'd love to run a bike park with a cafe/microbrewery at the bottom and some accommodation,something like Christcurch Bike Park.
Nambra
Definitely should have gone to specsavers
@mark22 speaks the truth. Unless it’s a gravity park, you’ll need a lot more that 150 acres. That equates to a square of land with 780m long boundaries - not that big!
One of my local trail parks is 750 hectares, which is more than 12x as big and it feels small. Hidden Vale between Brisbane and Toowoomba is a private trail park with some epic riding and fancy accommodation - it’s 12,000 acres.
cokeonspecialtwodollars
Fartes of Portingale
Also worth having a look at and chatting with TrailShare on the NSW Central Coast.
teK--
Eats Squid
His shuttle trailer was way too small (10 bikes) and there was only 1, which means in the event of any mechanical issue everything ground to a halt.
Well aware of that one, would be a vastly different thing, grew up close by same goes for iride. Also had alot on his plate.
Aiming for active couples, a pair of mates etc to be able pack up the suv bikes and thats it, everything else is catered for.
More a tailored retreat with enduro - gravity focused trails that you can ride to the communal centre to cabin etc. I feel the need for other minor activities would be required and close to popular tourist destinations for a mix up.
This isn't I havent heard of, thankyou. Blue derby pods are a concept that's been successful, it's got a public trail network close by, which I can piggy back off in numerous directions within half hr drive for versatility. Was aiming for more a bespoke weekend away in pristine zones.
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Sounds like I need to go take a look!!
moorey
call me Mia
EsPeGe
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Mate I'm all for it. I travel far and wide to ride. I'm a gravity guy as are most of my crew. Like others have mentioned trail quality and quantity would be the draw card. I frequently travel distances for a weeks riding. With good accommodation and facilities I'm happy.
As examples check out Retallack in Canada. There are differences of course, It's much higher and is a Ski destination in winter but they have developed ALL their own trails, and run an amazing set up. Gucci accommodation with spa, sauna and loads of non riding activities, ridiculously good food and really friendly staff.
Green Valleys might be more on your scale. Nick and the local club down there have developed a fun park using shuttles. It's great for progression and is a great weekend away. With accommodation, a micro brewery etc it could be off the charts.
How much I would be willing to spend depends on what is offered. I spent $2000ish on Retallack for 3 days. Everything was included (including a heli drop), food, fully guided riding shuttles, as mentioned previously amazing food and accommodation. I don't expect you'd do the heli but if you have good trails, comfy accommodation and a good uplift set up then I'd be up for it.
As examples check out Retallack in Canada. There are differences of course, It's much higher and is a Ski destination in winter but they have developed ALL their own trails, and run an amazing set up. Gucci accommodation with spa, sauna and loads of non riding activities, ridiculously good food and really friendly staff.
Green Valleys might be more on your scale. Nick and the local club down there have developed a fun park using shuttles. It's great for progression and is a great weekend away. With accommodation, a micro brewery etc it could be off the charts.
How much I would be willing to spend depends on what is offered. I spent $2000ish on Retallack for 3 days. Everything was included (including a heli drop), food, fully guided riding shuttles, as mentioned previously amazing food and accommodation. I don't expect you'd do the heli but if you have good trails, comfy accommodation and a good uplift set up then I'd be up for it.
Nambra
Definitely should have gone to specsavers
I think it is (or was?) owned by the dude that started Flight Centre.
Home - Hidden Vale Adventure Park
www.hiddenvaleadventurepark.com.au
Nerf Herder
Wheel size expert
i think a better model is a sizeable public trail network and the service infrastructure around that grows organically to support the user base.
Fruita USA ... Derby, Rotorua
needs to be big enough so that the trail experience has to be over the top to guarantee both longer then over night stays and return visitations. The only way to make it work economically for an operator/ community. The land requirement would be too big for a lone operator particularly in such a small niche market like AU.
Fruita USA ... Derby, Rotorua
needs to be big enough so that the trail experience has to be over the top to guarantee both longer then over night stays and return visitations. The only way to make it work economically for an operator/ community. The land requirement would be too big for a lone operator particularly in such a small niche market like AU.
Ackland
chats d'élevage
What's your topography like?
Max vertical?
Soil type?
Are there natural outcrops?
Can you get native veg clearance approval?
What's the vegetation?
Annual rainfall?
Number of rideable days?
Bushfire risk?
Why is your location iconic?
Are there shuttles?
Is there a climbing trail or do you buy a shuttle package as part of the entire offering?
Max vertical?
Soil type?
Are there natural outcrops?
Can you get native veg clearance approval?
What's the vegetation?
Annual rainfall?
Number of rideable days?
Bushfire risk?
Why is your location iconic?
Are there shuttles?
Is there a climbing trail or do you buy a shuttle package as part of the entire offering?
caad9
Likes Bikes and Dirt
I've always liked the idea as well, but i think the gravity orientated park is the hardest to make work.
Shuttling people costs a lot of money and introduces a lot of variables that could bring proceedings to a halt ala Warrenbayne.
Vehicles/Drivers/Trailers/Road maintenance don't come for free.
I don't have any real idea regarding actual numbers, but I'd be pretty confident that Rotorua/Derby have far more visitors riding XC/Trail than using shuttles. Those people are self-reliant and not costing any time/money to keep occupied.
Unless your park offers something truly special, what would make people return visitors?
Shuttling people costs a lot of money and introduces a lot of variables that could bring proceedings to a halt ala Warrenbayne.
Vehicles/Drivers/Trailers/Road maintenance don't come for free.
I don't have any real idea regarding actual numbers, but I'd be pretty confident that Rotorua/Derby have far more visitors riding XC/Trail than using shuttles. Those people are self-reliant and not costing any time/money to keep occupied.
Unless your park offers something truly special, what would make people return visitors?
Stredda
Runs naked through virgin scrub
I think if you had private trails I would look at what you could do that differs from the nearby riding areas. If you have a good elevation, make the most of that. One thing that is quite restrictive in Australia in areas of public land is Northshore type features. Parks and councils seem to freak out over structures on trails. Our club in Tassie constructed the Penguin MTB park and because we are the leaseholder of the land we can construct what ever we like (within reason). We have several large wall rides, a crossover, timber roll, container stepup/stepdown and freeride area.
It would be a lot of work but it would be different.
It would be a lot of work but it would be different.