Blue Derby Mountain Bike Park is one of, if not the best mountain bike park in Tasmania. It’s a short 1.5-hour drive East of Launceston, the closest city with an airport accessible from mainland Australia. Everything within the park is easily accessible from the trailhead via Long Shadows which takes you up a long and easy climb to the top. Along the way, you’ll find some junction points if you don’t want to climb the full distance.
If riding to the top isn’t quite your style, then you also have the option of taking the shuttle service. This will drop you off at multiple points. It’s an ideal way to go if you’d prefer to preserve your energy for downhill trails. Vertigo MTB offers three shuttles for $39 (this may have changed, so visit their website for further details).
If you’re after some of the longer trails in the area, you’ll want to begin outside of Derby at Weldborough, approximately a 20-minute drive away. There are three trails here. Little Chook is the entry-level trail, which also brings you to Big Chook, the meaner big brother of Little Chook. The third trail, Blue Tier Trail, which we recommend turning into a day trip, is accessible via a shuttle (again through Vertigo, but more expensive to access these trails) from Derby or Weldborough. Blue Derby refers to this as the quintessential Blue Derby experience, a trail that has it all. From the top of the Blue Tier, it can take up to four hours to complete. Once you complete the Blue Tier Trail, have some lunch at the Weldborough pub, and then catch the shuttle to the top of Atlas which will put you back in the Derby trail network. If you take this approach, bring a daypack and rain jacket. The weather can vary and get quite cold, even during the summer season.
Website: https://www.ridebluederby.com.au/
Essential Information
Bike shops & hire
You have a few options here: Evolution Biking, Vertigo MTB, Bark Off Biking or Derby Bike Shop. All of these offer essential parts (Shimano and SRAM), mechanics on hand and specialised bikes for hire. Look in advance to check availability and for the terms and conditions of hire of bikes.
Accommodation
Derby has camping grounds at Derby Park, which requires a $20 entry fee (and goes directly to the maintenance of the trails – see it as an investment to the MTB community) next to the river which is always an enjoyable experience. There are toilets and a shower block (not free, but open to the public). If you’d like a free camping experience, you can choose one of the three locations:
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Branxholm Centenary Park
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RV Camping at Ringarooma Rec Ground
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Northeast Park, Scottsdale
If camping isn’t your thing, here are a few other options that you may enjoy:
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The Derby Lodge (0.12km from trailhead)
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Cascade Cottage (0.17km from trailhead)
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Tin Mountain (0.52km from trailhead)
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Dales of Derby (1.33km from trailhead)
Personally, I’m a fan of Airbnbs. You’ll find countless options to explore on the Airbnb website. Make sure to book well in advance!
Food
There are a few great food options in Derby, our top picks are The Hub and Two Doors Down Cafe. If you’ve gone to Weldborough for the day, your only option is Weldborough Hotel.
Make sure to stop by a nearby town first if you’d like a packed lunch. Scottsdale has a Woolworths and IGA for all your food needs. A great way to save money if you’re staying for a longer period of time.
Reception
Telstra is your best option. Some riders have said other providers have no coverage at all in the area.
Fuel Station
At the moment, there are no fuel stations in Derby. Your closest options are Scottsdale and Gladstone.