Warrawee Reserve (Wild Mersey)

The Warrawee Reserve Mountain Bike Trail Network is part of the larger Wild Mersey project, which will contain over 100kms of trails if funded and completed.  The first stage of the Warawee Trail network opened in December 2018 with around 15kms of mountain bike trails.

GETTING THERE

The Waraweee Trail Head Car Park is at the end of Shale Road, 3.8kms from the centre of Latrobe.  To get there make your way to Latrobe and drive along the main street looking out for Hamilton Street. If coming off the A1 highway,  you'll want to turn left (south) just past the Reject Shop (sorry to use that as a reference but it is easy to see).  Just turn left onto Hamilton Street and it becomes Shale Road. 

You shouldn't be able to get lost once on the road (just keep the river on your right).  The car park is at the very end of the road at a locked gate.

ROUTE OPTIONS

The new stage 1 Wild Mersey trails at Warrawee Reserve, opened in December 2018, are a great kick off to the whole trail project.

The bike park area itself is fairly small, and rather than head off on just one loop, you'll likely find yourself climbing up bee-line (a lovely and enjoyable little 5 to 10 minute ascent) and doing several different loops around the park to explore different trails.  I've descrived some possible loops below.

Do note that the park is designed to be ridden in a cobination of clockwise loops, so don't make the mistake of heading past the closed gate and riding in along the road.  Always head up Bee Line past the trail head signs and go from there.

You could easily ride to the bike aprk from Latrobe (it's a flat road) or even Devnport.  You could just follow the Tasmanian Trail route which goes most of the way to the park.  Just don't make the mistake of heading up old Devonport Road.

FACILITIES & SERVICES

There are no facilities (not even a toilet) once you leave Latrobe, so make sure you grab what you need there.  Latrobe has a variety of bakeries, cafes, public toilets, IGA etc. and is only a 5 minute drive from the trail head.  Devonport is a further 10 minutes away and has at least two well stocked bike shops plus everything else you'll likely need.

WARNINGS

I rode this park just two weeks after it officially opened and noticed a lot of early trail wear and in particular lots of spots where it looks like riders have hit soft edges and headed 'off piste' so just be aware that just because it is graded green doesn't mean that you still shouldn't have a little caution the first time you head down there.

Although never really far from anywhere, as always take the usual precautions of letting someone know where you are, carry a mobile phone, ride with someone if you can and have the first aid and bike basics.

DETAILED OVERVIEW

With still a few more trails to be built to complete the Warrawee part of Wild Mersey it will be a great little riding area that you can spend a few hours exploring riding all the different options.

The initial trails consist of a few different loops to ride.

The main loop that most riders will do which is to go up Bee Line, along Easy Does It and Bracken Track (abut 10-20 minutes riding) with a choice to then descend either a green (Laughing Gear), blue (High Voltage) or black (No Mersey) descents before heading back along Shale Road to the Car Park (looking out for platypus in the river as you go - I don't kid, I saw one on my first loop frolicking in the water beside me).  Each loop will likely take 15 to 30 minutes depending on your fitness.

For those looking for a slightly longer, and less trafficked route, then you can head up Bee Line, cut off along Tramway (which does follow an old tram line), descend down Devil's Run (an old road that comes out at a pump station), then back up Boiler Buster, around Big Bend and Sugar Coated which will again pop you out at the top of the same three descents.

Of the three descents the green Laughing Gear, will probably be the favourite for many riders, being fast and flowy. High Voltage is a berm filled and table top jump paradise, so if getting air is you fix you will love this trail. No Mersey is a more hand built looking trail with much narrower tread and steep tip in berms and a steeper gradient overall. It's not a nasty black but still enough to keep you on your toes.

There are also a few other trails you can throw in for variety, including hard packed and disco.  For my money, if I were time limited, I'd do the one longer route around Big Bend and then head down High Voltage.

The link to Railton will start mid January and this should also be a great addidtion.

A copy of both the Wild Mersey Brochure and the Warrawee Reserve Mountain Bike Trails (January 2016) are listed on this page for those who want more details of what is planned.