Why city’s mountain biking, adventure tourism scene is on the rise

It's already an extremely popular activity, but it seems the city’s mountain biking scene, and adventure tourism on the whole, is only looking to intensify.

Taj Pollard competes in the under-19 men class SEQ Downhill Series, round four Mackenzie Frenzy DH hosted by Toowoomba Mountain Bike Club, Sunday, June 13, 2021. Picture: Kevin Farmer

It’s an exciting time for adventure tourism in Toowoomba, and the droves of people travelling west for the mountain biking trails alone proves it.

Southern Queensland Country Tourism CEO Peter Homan said adventure tourism, in particular mountain biking, was a “growth sector” of the market and the town was quickly being recognised for their trails.

“We’ve become very popular with mountain biking and road cycling sectors and they’re coming in droves,” he said.

“We see thousands every weekend for mountain biking and cycling and the hiking trials.

“We’re well placed into the future.”

It’s not just thrillseekers getting into the mountain bike riding scene.

Mountain biking trails across Toowoomba and the Darling Downs are making headlines with popular tourism sites like Booking.com, which revealed 69 per cent of people were now actively seeking “environmentally friendly” modes of transport, and exercise.

Jubilee Park, Glen Lomond Park and Stenner Street Skills Park are just some areas named by Booking.com that have catapulted Toowoomba onto the world’s stage, and sent adrenaline junkies flocking west.

“There’s an appeal right across the world for travel for good and for the betterment of their footprint they leave behind,” Mr Homan said.

“People are travelling more for good these days.”

Plans to expand the network of mountain biking trails are currently in the works, and include plans to develop a network across the Western Downs.

The Bunya Mountains will house its own mountain biking network in a bid to generate tourists to the region.