Wild Mersey

Destination overview

Spanning three towns and two council areas, Wild Mersey offers nearly 100km of singletrack in what amounts to three interconnected trail networks. You can ride from the Spirit of Tasmania (literally) on separated paths to the trail network at Warawee Forest, over the Mersey River to Railton, and onto Sheffield almost entirely on singletrack.

Related:

• Best Mountain Bike Trails in Tasmania | Where to Ride on the Apple Isle

Three times the towns, three times the fun

If you ask ten people what is their favourite trail at Wild Mersey, you will get ten different answers. Trailscapes and Next Level MTB have gone the extra mile to not only offer something for every type of rider but also to weatherproof everything so it still goes in the wet.

Starting just outside Latrobe is the Warawee Forest, a pocket park that’s designed to be a starter network. Most of the trails start and finish in the same place, so riders at different levels can still ride together, or folks can easily test the water as their confidence and skills improve.

What is believed to be the longest suspension bridge in the Southern Hemisphere crosses the Mersey River and connects Warawee to Railton, via the Railton Express Trail.

Railton has become the de facto trailhead of Wild Mersey, with singletrack running out of both sides of town, and it feels a little like Derby did in the early days. Railton has access to the Green Teleport climb and Green Hornet, which is like a green-rated version of Shred Kelly in Bright. The massive asphalt pumptrack is also right in town.

A short fire road pedal past the top of this small loop takes you into the Badgers Range and the Sheffield side of the trail network. Here the terrain gets a bit bigger, and there is a solid mix of fast swoopy flow trails, and rough and tumble tech.

Wild Mersey is closer than you think

Wild Mersey may not be the first destination that comes to mind in Tasmania, but it’s actually closer to Launceston than Derby and within riding distance of the ferry.

Each of the three towns has its own character, with Latrobe known for its museums and the Giant Platypus. This is also where you’ll find the closest bike shop.

Railton is a sleepy little village that is the self-proclaimed Town of Topiary, or the art of shaping bushes. There’s also a great brewery, just about at the trailhead.

Sheffield is the gateway to Cradle MOuntain-Lake St Clair National Park and has sweeping views of Mount Rolland from the main drag. There’s also 140 murals around town and tons of galleries and studios to check out.