Ten kilometres of new tracks on the lower slopes of kunanyi/Mt Wellington have been built by the City of Hobart in the hope of ‘boosting the tourism economy’ in Hobart.
The project has seen multiple new, family-friendly mountain bike, running and walking tracks built on the mountain – including Rocky Wheel’n, Free Wheel’n, Crosscut and Upper Luge.
The City of Hobart say the new tracks are part of their Riding the Mountain plan, with a cost benefit analysis into the tracks by SGS Economics and Planning finding that the new tracks would “draw new visitors to Tasmania and entice those coming for mountain bike riding to stay longer.”
The report also found that with mountain biking becoming a key tourist drawcard for Tasmania, better riding opportunities will play an important role in growing Hobart’s share of this key tourism market.
The new trails have been funded by a partnership between all three levels of government, including $238,000 from the Australian Government under the Recovery for Regional Tourism program and the Tasmanian Government’s Cycle Tourism Grant program to the tune of $367,500, matched dollar for dollar by the City of Hobart.
