Riding the mountain - Flinders Ranges Tourism Operators Association

Ten years on and Melrose continues to be a leading mountain biking destination.

Melrose continues to develop its international reputation as a provider of premium mountain biking experiences with the pleasant three hour drive is an easy investment for the chance to get out of Adelaide for a weekend of challenging trails, good wine and great local produce.

Great places of course, are created through hard work, inspiration, trust and some smart planning. And Melrose is no exception.

Last Saturday, May 19, Bicycle SA hosted a dinner reunion as a thank you to the early pioneers of the push to develop mountain biking in Melrose.

It?s now been ten years since those first dreamy conversations about the potential of Melrose as a MTB mecca took place and it wasn?t long before the two key protagonists in this story were talking excitedly over some fine North Star food and hospitality.

Mike Pearce and Peter Solly (then Executive Director Bicycle SA) first raised the opportunities for Melrose in 2002 and within a few years significant funding for trail construction was being provided from the Office for Recreation and Sport as well as the Southern Flinders Ranges Development Board.

Also in attendance were Nick Bowman, now National Director, International Mountain Bicycling Association Australia, who was in charge of the Green Corp team that built many kilometres of trail throughout 2005, Dan van Holst Pellekaan ? State member for Sturt, who worked tirelessly as Tourism Development Officer, Richard and Alistair from the local Over the Edge bike shop and Bicycle SA CEO, Christian Haag.

The evening was also an opportunity for the South Australian Mountain Biking Association to express its gratitude to the local landowners who have unselfishly provided access to their properties for the development of trails.

Ian Fehler (Committee Member SAMBA) presented a trail plaque to the Smart and MacCallum (unable to attend) families, as well as Keith Coyler representing the SA Agricultural Society Council.

So if you haven?t been to Melrose for a while or are yet to go for a ride, this years? Fat Tyre Festival (from June 8-11) will provide a fun and safe space for family and social groups to share in the joy of mountain biking.

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