Gladstone Mountain Bike Park

Overview

Gladstone Mountain Bike Park is a volunteer-built, council-supported MTB network on the outskirts of Gladstone in Central Queensland. The trails sit at the end of Koowin Drive in Kirkwood — about 15 minutes' drive from the Gladstone CBD — and have been growing since the first trails were cut in 2015 by Gladstone MTB Inc. The network today comprises ~27 km across roughly 36 named trails ranging from gentle green flow to a small number of steep black-graded technical lines, all running through dry-sclerophyll bushland on the Kirkwood hills with intermittent views to the harbour and offshore islands.

The park is volunteer-managed and free to ride. It is open 24/7 with disabled access at the trailhead. Gladstone MTB Inc. runs regular social rides, monthly ladies-only rides, club events and an annual 6-hour XC race ("Multitrade Building Hire 6hr"), which uses a ~5.5 km short-lap circuit through the network.

It's the main MTB destination between Rockhampton and Bundaberg and slots in as a worthwhile half-day stop for riders driving the Bruce Highway between Brisbane and the Whitsundays. Trails skew toward XC and flowy all-mountain rather than gravity — there is no lift or shuttle.

Location & Access

Address: Koowin Drive, Kirkwood QLD 4680
Driving directions: From Kirkwood Rd → Lavender Blvd → left into Koowin Drive → follow to end → short gravel section to trailhead and parking.
Drive times: Gladstone CBD ~15 min; Rockhampton ~1h 30m; Bundaberg ~2h; Brisbane ~5h 30m.
Public transport: None practical — drive only.
Parking: Dedicated trailhead car park at end of gravel road. Free, gravel surface.
Coordinates: -23.897428, 151.238434.

Best Season & Conditions

Open year-round, 24/7. No formal seasonal closures. [search-summary re: 2]
Best months: April–October (dry season, mild temps 15–27°C). November–March is hot and humid with thunderstorm activity; early-morning rides only in midsummer.
Wet weather: Trails are dirt/loose gravel and "may be affected after heavy rain"; riders are asked to "keep off all closed trails and closed areas" per club code of conduct. No formal documented wet-weather closure policy — defer to club's Facebook for live closures.
Cyclones: Central QLD sees occasional cyclones Dec–Apr; check ahead in summer.

Managing Body & Trail Builders

Managing body (trails): Gladstone MTB Inc. (GMTB) — volunteer club. Affiliated with AusCycling. Postal: PO Box 7382, Kin Kora QLD 4680.
Land manager: Land sits within the Gladstone Regional Council area; the council lists GMTB in its community directory and supports the club.
Founded: Gladstone MTB Inc. — first trails built 2015.
Contact: Membership via membership@auscycling.org.au; club email gladstone.mtb.inc@gmail.com (per search result, unverified directly); Facebook /GladstoneMTB (primary public-facing channel); Instagram @gladstonemtb.
Phone: No public phone — club is volunteer-run and uses email/Facebook.

History & Background

2015 — first hand-built trails opened by volunteers of Gladstone MTB Inc. at the Koowin Drive site.
2016 — Gladstone Memorial Park tar pump track opened (separate site within the city); at the time it was the largest sealed pump track in Australia, built by World Trail.
2015–present — incremental network expansion to ~27 km / ~36 trails through volunteer trail-build days, sponsor support and council partnership.
Hosts the "Multitrade Building Hire 6hr" XC race annually (~5.5 km short lap).