Oli Musgrave-Evans shows how excited he is to tackle the new Epic trail at Melrose

The buzz was palpable as I drove the Bike SA van into Melrose. After years of hard work, co-operation, determination, patience, vision, imagination and persistence it was finally time to open Australia’s latest Epic mountain bike trail – right in the heart of the Southern Flinders Ranges.

The town was full of people who had gathered from across South Australia and the nation to celebrate the official launch of the trail on Sunday 29 October.

Local, state and federal leaders attended the official function as well as representatives of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, local business, community and MTB leaders, a writer from Australian Mountain Bike magazine and, of course, trail builder Garry Patterson from TrailScapes.

Effusive is the mildest word to describe the praise everyone heaped on the trail and the effect they expect it to have on Melrose, the wider region and on SA’s reputation as an adventure holiday destination.

Federal Senator for South Australia Karen Grogan, standing in for Deputy Premier Susan Close, made it abundantly clear at the launch ceremony. “It has been glorious to see the partnerships that produced this trail flourish and for this to be a completed project,” Senator Grogan said. “This is an amazing track and it’s going to make a fundamental difference to this region. The opportunities, both economic and social, are tremendous.

“This is an amazing track and it’s going to make a fundamental difference to this region. The opportunities, both economic and social, are tremendous.

“It will attract mountain bikers from all over the country and internationally. It will have an economic impact, not just for Melrose and Mount Remarkable Council but for the broader region.”

For trailbuilder Garry, the big day came as a relief more than anything else. He is enormously proud of what he and his team achieved in the face of brutally adverse conditions but the rewards in the form of universally grateful feedback made it worth the effort.

“It’s been an extraordinarily difficult build, like nothing we’ve ever come across. We’ve experienced everything from snow to fire. And rock, it’s just one big rock. On this job we wore out our excavators as though we’d been going for 10 years in just one year. It’s been relentless,” he said.

“But that’s why we do it – for people to enjoy on their bikes – and the response we’ve been getting has been outstanding. I just bumped into someone from interstate and said it’s the best trail he’s ever ridden.”

That rider wasn’t alone in that opinion.

Mike Blewitt from Australian Mountain Bike magazine made the long trip down from Brisbane for the launch and said the experience was worth every minute of the journey. 

“I came down two years ago to do some stories around Fox Creek and I’d always heard about Melrose since the mid-2000s,” Mike said. “I knew there was this bit of a cult following. I get it now that Melrose gets into your blood – the place is special and you don’t always get it til you go. There’s a nice vibe in town and it’s great to have a mountain to ride right next to you – we don’t get that in many places in Australia.

“You need a really mixed skill set to get everything out of this trail but at the same time I think a lot of people who are generally comfortable riding their mountain bike can have a great day out.

“I’ve done other Epics around the world and they are typically point-to-point which is a cool experience but logistically frustrating. In Melrose you have a really complete experience – you’re riding through three or four really diverse areas but you finish back where you parked your car. My car hasn’t moved since I got here on Friday afternoon, which I think is the sign of a good trip. You can ride up to the Willowie trails on the rail trail, you’ve got the town trails right here and you’ve got either the bailout loop or the whole loop you can do on the Epic trail. You’ve got lots of rides you can do right from your accommodation and I think that’s really special. Most other destinations don’t have that and it’s a beautiful part of Australia,” he said.

Passionate rider Bill Somerville had already ridden the Epic six times in four days by the time Bike SA spoke to him. Bill and his mate Ron Chapman, who visiting all the way from Newcastle, NSW, were blown away by the trail features, environment, scenery and the entire experience.

“It’s hard to believe we’ve got something like that to ride,” Bill said. “You get these mad berms all the way through the trees out the back and then you can see Alligator Gorge and so many other incredible views. It’s pretty special.

“There’s nothing else in South Australia to compare it to. Melrose has always been a bit different anyway, but the Epic is the highlight here now, for sure.”

The Melrose community is understandably over the moon about the significant boost to its appeal to locals and tourists alike.

Bike Melrose president Don Norton, who also runs accommodation venue Under the Mount and bike tourism outfit Beyond the Mount, said the new trail was a tremendous drawcard and boost to the region.

“Melrose has always been a bike destination but now it’s taken that appeal to the next level. It ticks all the boxes,” Don said. “We’ve got the town trails, beginner trails, stuff for the family and the kids, the rail trails to link everything up and now something for the enthusiast who wants to go out and set a world record on this amazing Epic trail.

“It’s spectacular. I’ve ridden several Epic trails in Australia and New Zealand and it’s just mind-blowing. I take my hat off to everyone who made this happen,” he said.

And Richard Bruce from local landmark – café and bike shop Over the Edge – said the whole town was “super-excited” for the future.

“To finally be able to say we’ve got this incredible new trail open gives us a lot more confidence and we know we’re going to draw a lot of people here,” Richard said. “Instead of having 20, 30 or 40km of trail, we’ve got 100km of trail and the full range of green, blue and black runs, rail trails, gravel grinding – it’s such a great cycling destination.

“Even if you’re not a total enthusiast you’ll still have a great time here. We’re confident that we can see people coming from all over Australia now and perhaps even further away,” he said.

The Epic is a wonder of technicality and creativity from TrailScapes. But, from the outset, it has also been and exercise in cultural sensitivity, respect and connection.

The detailed alignment of the trail was designed in close consultation with the Nukunu Wapma Thura Aboriginal Corporation to ensure the trail does not disturb any sites of cultural significance and to ensure cultural respect.

The Epic was a major component of the $10 million Remarkable Southern Flinders agreement, which is funded by the South Australian and Australian governments and supported by the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife.

The agreement also includes 20km of new trails in Mount Remarkable National Park at Willowie, an upgrade of the Mambray Creek campground and day visitor area, and new day visitor facilities at nearby Wirrabara.

Other partners in the agreement include Regional Development Australia Yorke and Mid North, District Council of Mount Remarkable, Port Pirie Regional Council, Northern Areas Council and the Nukunu Wapma Thura Aboriginal Corporation.

SAFETY FIRST – BE EQUIPPED FOR THE EPIC CHALLENGE

Distance, rugged terrain, wildlife and isolation are intrinsic parts of the Epic trail experience, and it is vital that you prepare accordingly before you venture out. Consider this checklist when you plan to tackle Epic Melrose.

· Advise someone of when you leave and when you expect to return.

· Make sure your bike is in top condition and fully serviced.

· Even with a perfect bike, carry spare tubes, tyre, tools, chain breaker and link etc.

· Take plenty of water and enough snacks, bars, gels etc to sustain you if you become stranded.

· Take a first aid kit that includes snake bite bandages and a space blanket.

· It is safer to ride as a group of at least three rather than on your own.

 This article first appeared in Bike SA’s Feb-Apr 2024 edition of Cycle Magazine.