Mogo Trails

Project: Adventure trail hub planning for Mogo and surrounds.

Timeframe: April 2019 to early-2025

Status: In progress

Funding:

  • $5 million grant from the NSW and Australian Governments’ Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund
  • $3 million grant from the NSW Government’s Growing Local Economies Fund

Last updated: October 2024

Sneak peek opening: August 2024

The eastern section of Mogo Trails opened on Saturday 17 August. Word is out there about the quality of these trails, and now riders can get out there to experience it for themselves.

Details

We are working to:

  • plan and build an adventure trail hub in the Mogo area
  • open the eastern side of the network in August
  • launch the Mogo Trails website and Trailforks navigation
  • officially open the complete network and host a ministerial ribbon cutting in early 2025.

Benefits to the community:

  • increase in tourism-related business opportunities, particularly in off-peak times
  • increase in overnight stays
  • improved reputation for Mogo (and the Eurobodalla) as a tourist destination with many diverse experiences
  • increased opportunity for tourists and locals alike to immerse themselves in nature
  • an adventure experience for residents and visitors, as well as opportunities for local businesses.

Mogo Trails are being developed by Eurobodalla Council under a permit issued by the landowner, Forestry Corporation of NSW. There are exceptions to permit requirements for some bike-related support and Eurobodalla Council will work with Forestry to conduct EOIs for commercial offerings like shuttle services.

Rocky Trail Destination is managing the build, assisted by subcontractor Next Level Mountain Bike. Rocky Trail Destination will manage trail maintenance for the first year. The Batemans Bay Mountain Bike Club assists with volunteer days.

Trail locations

From Saturday 17 August, riders can access trails from three main trailheads.

Access for anyone staying in Batemans Bay/Batehaven, with car parking and amenities at Corrigans Reserve a short ride away. There is no parking on Curtis Road.

The two-way trail will be approximately two metres wide. Signage will inform riders of traffic in the area and the need to follow all road rules.

The main trailhead is accessed from the corner of James Street and Annett Street. Parking and amenities are available within the township and at Mogo Sports Oval and Playground.

The main trailhead access is close to the Deep Creek Dam area.

A second trailhead will be located at Mogo oval to access to the western part of the network once opened.

Parking for both trailheads will be provided at Mogo Sports Oval and Playground.

A trail head at the Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden provides central access to the eastern network of the Princes Highway. There is parking and amenities located at the botanic garden car park which is signposted on Deep Creek Dam Road.

Currently there is time-restricted access to this car park, as gates at the highway are locked. We are currently working on a solution.

  • Corrigans Reserve has toilets and a water refill station.
  • Mogo recreation reserve has toilets. These facilities will be upgraded.
  • Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden car park will have toilets later but no potable water.
  • Tomakin Road has toilets. Encouraging other people to use these other locations will reduce the pressure on the Charles Street car park.
  • Bike mechanic stations with pumps and tools are located at Mogo Trig and the Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden car park.

2024

August

  • We are recording all the GPS alignments of the trails and integrating data to Trailforks so users can access a functional network map as we roll out ridable trails on the eastern side first.
  • We are designing and testing the Mogo Trails website, ready to go live soon.
  • Trail builders are working to have at least 70 kilometres ready to ride as part of the sneak peek opening.

June 2024

  • We are preparing for a soft opening of the eastern side of Mogo Trails in early August.
  • Well over 80 kilometres of the trail network is built, and most of the trail length has seasoned well.
  • We are working on the new Mogo Trails website to have day-to-day trail information for riders that will also be available on the free Trailforks app.

April 2024

  • Trail construction is progressing smoothly.
  • We hosted a series of 'ride ready' workshops for local businesses. These workshops aimed to share information and advice about how to prepare for and cater to new visitors coming to Eurobodalla to enjoy the trail network.
  • Resources from these workshops are available to everyone.

January 2024

  • Construction has hit a milestone with 50km of trails completed. Progress is steady, and we appreciate your patience.
  • Design adjustments for optimization, during the detailed design phase, some updates were made to optimize the trail network. These changes aim to enhance the overall trail experience.
  • Our trail builders are focused on delivering quality and durability. This means the trails are designed to withstand wear and tear, particularly during wet weather.
  • There's been a trail length adjustment for quality. While prioritising quality, there's a slight reduction in total trail length. However, we're still expecting to offer over 125km of trails, ensuring a well-rounded experience.

2023

July 2023

  • Trail construction is progressing smoothly. Next Level MTB team of 19 has up to eight excavators operating at any time.
  • Please refrain from using the freshly built trails until they are officially opened.
    Riding the trails before their scheduled opening will require the team to revisit the work on these trails, impacting other crucial tasks. Your cooperation will help ensure the timely completion of high-quality trails.
  • The Deep Creek Dam network has undergone several updates, incorporating valuable feedback from the Next Level Crew, who discovered that the soil in this area is great to work with. As a result of these updates, the revised network around Deep Creek Dam now spans about 90km.

April 2023

  • Trail construction is well underway with four crews from Next Level Mountain Bike working in the forest. Until the trails are officially opened, the area remains a construction site. This means a strict no access policy.

January 2023

  • Forestry Corporation NSW issued a permit for the trail network.
  • Council has reached a major project milestone allowing construction crews to get started: Forestry Corporation NSW approved the Review of Environmental Factors.
  • The Next Level MTB team are arriving to start construction from mid-January. We ask interested community members to respect all safety signage and keep clear of work crews. Please stay off all freshly built trails until officially opened. All project enquires should be directed to Council.

2022

November 2022

  • Rocky Trail Destination completed the Review of Environmental Factors (REF) and submitted it to Forestry Corporation (Forestry) for assessment. Once approved, the trail builders will mobilise for construction. Next Level Mountain Bike will start construction approximately five weeks after REF approval (weather permitting).
  • Council started planning Mogo Recreation Park. We are working closely with the Mogo Village Business Chamber for delivery of a pump track and a new community facility. The Chamber is finalising pre-construction activities.
  • Members of the local riding community established the Batemans Bay Mountain Bike Club. Council is developing a website and information can be found by searching 'Batemans Bay Mountain Bike Club' on Facebook.

January 2022

  • Rocky Trail Destination and Next Level Mountain Bike are working with Forestry and Council to narrow down the trail corridors. The construction team will start walking the proposed corridors this month to assess the landscape for the final track alignment.
  • Council and Forestry will soon review the final design which will be used to progress environmental and cultural approvals. Ongoing trail refinement will continue until we’re ready to break ground – we’re aiming to get started on construction in March 2022.
  • Next Level Mountain Bike has been busy planning its work crews and procuring equipment to get ready for the trails' construction and machinery is set to arrive in Mogo in the new year.

2021

September 2021

  • Council awarded the detailed design, construction and maintenance contract for the Mogo Trails to Rocky Trail Destination and Next Level Mountain Bike.
  • The brand name 'Mogo Trails' was adopted.

June 2021

  • Council was successful in attracting $5 million under Stage Two of the joint NSW and Australian Governments’ Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund. This new funding allows us to not only complete the 150 kilometres of trails, but also means we can extend the project on the south side of Mogo and add amenities.

2020

December 2020

October 2020

  • The Mogo Adventure Trail Hub Project was awarded $3 million NSW Government funding through the Growing Local Economies Fund.

September 2020

  • Council endorsed the draft Mogo Adventure Trails Hub Masterplan for public exhibition.
  • The draft masterplan was on exhibition for community feedback from Thursday 10 September to Monday 19 October 2020.

February 2020

  • Council appointed specialist consultants Dirt Art to begin preparing the masterplan.

2019

August 2019

May 2019

  • Council engaged specialist consultants TRC Tourism to begin preparing the Mogo Adventure Trails Hub Strategy.
  • Council and TRC Tourism facilitated two stakeholder workshops at the Moruya Golf Club. The workshops were aimed at understanding the issues and opportunities of a trail hub surrounding Mogo and attracted a diverse range of trails users and key stakeholders.

Media releases

More information

For more information, visit the Mogo Trails website, or contact Council's tourism and events manager: