Moving to Australia

[NikDB]

Hi guys.

Hope everyone is well.

I have joined this forum because I am looking at moving to Australia from the UK. Because mountain biking is my true passion, I want to suss out where the best places are for riding in Oz? I am big into DH and All mountain type riding and would appreciate any help or ideas that anyone can offer!

Big Thanks in advance.

Nik.

www.mtbtechniques.co.uk

[AnthonyG]

Hi Nik,

When ever we answer these questions EVERYONE say's that there area is best

This probably means you cant go wrong. Do you want to go to a major city or a smaller town/rural area?

Do you want to live in the tropical parts of Australia or something a little more temperate? Where do you need to go for your work skills?

I live in the Canberra area and I think it great for cycling in general and there are plenty of resources for Mtn biking. We have the Stromlo Mtn cycling facility which caters for MTN and Road cyclists and there are also plenty of MTN bike tracks around Mtn Majura near the city. Canberra is the political capital but its a fairly small city compared to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Perth. Summer maximums are typically in the low 30ºc range and in winter its typically -2ºc to 12ºc but generally clear and sunny at midday. Sydney's warmer but in my book its a crazy city to cycle. Melbourne's a nice city to cycle in and it temperature is a bit more moderate than Canberra although it does suffer from drizzly winters (that should make you feel at home) although I'm not sure about MTN biking facilities.

Thats a start. I hope someone else chimes in.

Anthony

[NikDB]

Hi Anthony.

Thanks for the response. I am a project manager in construction, so will need to be within commuting distance to a city or large town. I have looked into Perth as well, as I believe there are some good downhill tracks there? Not sure if anyone can confirm this?

Canberra is another option I have looked at, as I know it is close to Mount Stromlo (after watching Peaty take the Worlds! Well done to Jared Graves and Caroline Buchanan too! Great results!)

I know its not a perfect world, but if it was, would like somewhere that is in proximity to lots of varied type riding. I would like to be in an area with lots of different DH tracks / AM routes etc. and climate wise I would love some sun, but I really don't mind the wet and the mud, as this makes riding a little more fun!

I would also consider New Zealand for any Kiwi's who would like to chip in!

Cheers.

www.mtbtechniques.co.uk

[AnthonyG]

Nik, Canberra will certainly provide you with plenty of variety. It does rain in Canberra but the country IS in a drought at the moment so its pretty dry everywhere. Canberra is the coldest capital city in Australia in winter but then again its usually sunny during a Canberra winter after the fog lifts in the morning.

I really cant tell you anything about Perth. It would be a good idea to try this forum as well, http://www.cyclingforums.com/australia-new-zealand/ as there is more Australian/New Zealand traffic than this forum has.

Anthony

[531Aussie]

Eeek, Canberra is freezing in winter, by our standards, mostly because it's 580m above sea level.
The average daily max in July is 52 (11.2C)

http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/nsw/ca.../climate.shtml

[Chris L]

Well, having cycled in every Australian state, it's my considered opinion that the best riding in the country is to be found in Tasmania, and if you're coming from the UK, the climate down that way might make you feel at home as well. That said, you might have some difficulty meeting the 'big city' requirement down there. The biggest town in the place is Hobart, with a population of around 130,000.

Failing that, I can say that some of the riding around the Gold Coast is arguably the most underrated in all of Australia, although the best of the off road stuff is slightly further south around Murwillumbah/Mullumbimby. The problem with the Gold Coast is that it's also home to the worst drivers in the entire country, hence the reason Queensland usually tops the annual road toll. There are also some good downhill tracks behind Brisbane around Mt Glorious.

I just came back from WA, and there is plenty of MTB action in and around the Perth Hills, including the off-road Mundabiddi trail which is hundreds of kilometres in length. There will probably be plenty of ex-pat Brits to keep you company there as well.

[NikDB]

Great! You have all been a great help! I am liking the idea of Perth! I will remain open minded though... I have already started applying for some jobs and will keep you all updated!

[AnthonyG]

I'm not biased at all but Perth has some advantages and disadvantages. Its weather is moderate in winter and warm in summer and its a large city. Larger than Canberra thats for sure and the mining boom was certainly making it grow fast but it IS isolated from the rest of Australia. Perth is all on its own on the West coast and most of the Australian population is on the east coast. This may be a factor or it may not but its something to consider.

Anthony

[tallmantim]

Hi

Consider Melbourne, Canberra or Sydney if you are interested in events as well and a large cycling community. Melbourne has a great cycling culture, Canberra has arguably some of the best trails in the country within a short distance and Sydney is also great.

They all are also within a decent drive of races and events held around NSW and Victoria (such as 8 and 24 hour team races). Perth is a smaller city than Melb or Sydney for ongoing job prospects and is quite separated from the rest of the country - but is a beatiful place to live.

[avalon7]

Hi guys.I want to suss out where the best places are for riding in Oz?

Big Thanks in advance.

Nik.

www.mtbtechniques.co.uk

Any where in Oz is the Best place for riding!

[jackmartinn55]

Australia is a nice city. Mountain biking is a great hobby. For that you can search on Internet easily by search engine.

[Machka]

Australia is a nice city.

English is not your first language??

Or is geography just not your thing?