Feature by Carolyn Beasely

Beneath a canopy of jarrah and marri trees, two riders roll fluidly, their lines effortlessly chosen, their tires gripping the berms. 

Colourful parrots chatter in the dappled shade. For the cyclists, the world outside this forest, outside this moment, ceases to exist. It’s the holy grail of mountain biking; the sensation of ‘flow.’ This is why they’ve come.

Mountain bikers understand the addiction, and from Perth / Boorloo, they don’t need to travel far to scratch that itch. Dwellingup (90 minutes south of Perth) and Collie (two hours south of Perth or 30 minutes from Bunbury) are WA’s premier mountain biking towns.

Since 2018, the WA Government, through the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions has invested $10 million in the development of world-class mountain bike trails in the towns, adding more than 180km of flow-inducing trails.

Alicia Caruso, Managing Director of Dwellingup Adventures, has mountain biking in her blood. Her intergenerational family business has been renting mountain bikes here for almost 30 years.

_{Dwellingup Trails & Visitor Centre, Dwellingup}

“I have grown up with mountain biking, but it's certainly flourished in the last five years,” Alicia says. “Before, you had to know what you were doing, whereas now you can turn up without a plan. You can hire a bike, and access the trails right from the front door of the Dwellingup Trails Centre.”

The Dwellingup Trails and Visitor Centre is conveniently placed at the intersection of the 1000km-long Munda Biddi mountain bike trail, the Bibbulmun hiking track, and the historic Hotham Valley Railway. The centre offers carparking, the Waypoints Café, hot showers, free WiFi, plus laundry and bike washdown facilities.

Alicia says there’s a mental benefit from being in nature, and the nature immersion here is instantaneous.

“People cross over the road from the Dwellingup Trails Centre and they're in the forest,” Alicia says. “All of a sudden they feel like they're miles away.”

Dwellingup offers several trail hubs for cyclists to enjoy. The Marrinup Trail is a cross-country loop, with a side track leading to an historic Italian prisoner of war camp. Nearby, Turner Hill Trail offers an 11km main loop, which can be shortened to 5km, and junior bikers can cruise the easy kids track.

Inside Lane Poole Reserve, the Murray Valley Trails feature WA critter-inspired names. Try easy Quollity Street, and progress to the intermediate Quokkamoly. For an advanced descent, check out Karrakatoa.

_{Lane Poole Reserve, Dwellingup}

According to Alicia, Dwellingup appeals to cyclists not only for its professionally designed trails, but also its non-biking activities.

“Dwellingup has horse trails, hiking trails, paddling trails, four-wheel driving and camping,” she says. For forest thrills from a different angle, many cyclists add a trip to Treetops Adventure Dwellingup, ziplining through the canopy with a bird’s eye view.

_{Black Diamond Lake, near Collie}

Further south in Collie, another 150km of trails beckon. Pitch a tent beside Honeymoon Pool, Potters Gorge, and Lake Kepwari or choose from a range of hosted accommodation.

_{Honeymoon Pool, Wellington Forest}

For e‑bike hire, kayak hire or guided trail experiences, Adventure Connections has you covered. All experiences can be booked online.

Right in town, the Collie Wagyl Biddi Trails comprise nine kilometres for beginners and intermediate riders. Just north of Collie, the Arklow Trails can be accessed via the Munda Biddi Track. Feel the flow on Ray’s Trail, with its jumps and logs, or check out the new adaptive trails, suitable for hand-cycle bikes.

The Mount Lennard Trails are part of the Wambenger Trails network in Wellington National Park, featuring glorious views of the lower Collie River. The pick of the trails here is Grizzly Trail, and don’t miss the network of jumps at the bottom. Nearby, the verdant Wellington National Park Trails include a 40km (and growing) network of new flowy mountain bike trails along with hiking and dual use trails, through rich marri and jarrah forest. The main trailhead is at the Kiosk by the Dam or ride or walk straight from your campsite at Potters Gorge or Honeymoon Pool and onto the trails.

Kiosk by the Dam itself is an ideal spot for a thirst-quenching break, taking in the awe-inspiring  giant mural "Reflections" on the Wellington Dam wall, part of the Collie Mural Trail.

Kiosk owner Trevor Messenger relishes the chance to work in this natural paradise.

“The tranquillity is perfect here,” Trevor says. “When we’re on our own, we sit outside and have a coffee and we get the parrots, and even emus. At night-time, the kangaroos come out, and wallabies and possums.”

The kiosk is a fully licensed café, and you’ll also find campsites, glamping accommodation and bike hire.

_{Arklow Trail Network, near Collie}

For those seeking maximum adrenaline, plan your trip to coincide with an annual event and test yourself against other ‘shredders’. The Dwellingup 100 is held annually in September, with distances varying from 20km to 100km, plus trail running events. While the Collie River MTB Marathon takes place every July, with distances from 35km to 85km, plus adaptive and also kids races.

But if you’re happy with something less extreme, Alicia has a hot tip for her favourite mountain bike trail near Dwellingup. It’s called BFG.

“It’s a trail for everyone, a gentle descending cross-country trail with gentle berms and small table tops,” she says. “BFG just kind of takes you away; mountain bikers call it a ‘flow’ trail.”

And for Alicia and many other mountain bikers, flow is something that can’t be ignored. “Yeah, I feel the flow every time I get on my bike,” she says.

Published August 2023.