06,359 Queensland Government 2020 election commitment plus contributions from South Burnett Regional Council, FRRR, the Gambling Community Benefit Fund, and the Stanwell Community Development Fund.

The current network spans roughly 13.8 km across 11 purpose-built MTB trails (plus a couple of utility/connector tracks), with a balanced mix of green flow lines, blue intermediate runs with berms and small features, and a single black-rated cross-country race loop — XCO OMG (4.7 km) — that hosted the 2024 AusCycling Queensland XCO and XCC State Championships in October 2024. Stage-one downhill runs (Tracks 1–3) feature jumps, berms and table tops with B-lines, while the XC-leaning trails (Peanuts, Big Dog, Paper Scissors Rock) link the upper and lower carparks via Stuart River-side singletrack.

Together with the SBMTB Club's sister networks at Wondai and the historic McEuen State Forest trails, Gordonbrook positions South Burnett as a quietly serious regional destination — free to ride, family-friendly at the lower carpark, and the only purpose-built XCO-grade race venue between Brisbane and the Bunya Mountains. A skills park and dual slalom run are on the long-term plan as further funding is secured.

Location & Access

• Address: Recreation Drive, Kingaroy QLD 4610 (top carpark trail access)
• Region: South Burnett (Wide Bay–Burnett, QLD)
• Drive times: ~3 hr from Brisbane (via D'Aguilar Hwy/Bunya Hwy); ~20 min north of Kingaroy; ~6 km via dirt from the South Burnett Rail Trail
• Public transport: No PT — car only (Kingaroy is the nearest town with services)
• Parking: Two free dirt/gravel carparks. Bottom carpark (near the dam wall and picnic area) has shaded bays, picnic tables, a composting toilet and direct trail access. Top carpark is smaller, on Recreation Drive just before the mine-area gate, and is primarily a trailhead with no facilities.
• Coords: -26.440833, 151.756371 (verified vs Wikipedia and council page; ~26°26′07″S 151°44′03″E)

Best Season & Conditions

• Peak riding season: Autumn through early spring (April–September) — cooler temperatures, lower humidity, drier surfaces
• Wet-weather impact: Soils are loamy/clay-influenced; surfaces hold up reasonably well but the SBMTB Club has historically requested riders avoid wet trails to protect them. No formal closure system documented.
• Fire-danger / total-fire-ban impact: Council recreation area — no documented MTB-specific TFB closure, but standard South Burnett bushfire-danger advice applies in summer.
• Snow / alpine season: N/A — sub-tropical, riding year-round
• School-holiday surge: Quiet most weekends; major race weekends (e.g. 2024 QLD State Champs) draw 100+ riders.
• Algal bloom: Blue-green algae blooms in the dam intermittently restrict swimming/fishing/boating — does not affect MTB trail access, but signage in the picnic area may close water-contact recreation.

Managing Body & Trail Builders

• Land manager: South Burnett Regional Council (council reserve around the dam)
• Trail builder / maintainer: South Burnett Mountain Bike Club (SBMTB) — volunteer club, also stewards Wondai and McEuen networks
• Volunteer / dig days: Posted on the club's Facebook page (facebook.com/SouthBurnettMTB); ad-hoc working bees as funding/season permits
• Donations / membership: Australian Sports Foundation page — https://asf.org.au/projects/south-burnett-mountain-bike-club (tax-deductible donations); membership via club website
• Contact: southburnettmtb@gmail.com (club); 1300 789 279 or 07 4189 9100 (Council, info@sbrc.qld.gov.au)

History & Background

• Gordonbrook Dam (water-supply history): Built 1941–1942 to supply the WWII RAAF Kingaroy Training Base. Wall raised 3 m in 1987 to expand capacity. Spillway damage from major flooding (2011–2013) led to a >$7.4M repair completed 2018. Capacity: 6,800 ML; catchment: 605 km²; surface area: 235 ha.
• South Burnett MTB heritage: The Nanango MTB Club operated 1992–2004 and hosted the 1996 QLD State Championship at Seven Mile Diggings (~300 entrants). After it dissolved, informal weekend-warriors (W.O.M.B.A.T.S, founded 2013) kept the Wondai State Forestry trails alive. The current South Burnett MTB Club emerged from that lineage and now maintains historic Wondai trails plus the newer Gordonbrook network.
• Gordonbrook MTB development: Stage-one trails (downhill runs and connectors) opened in 2019 with three trails totalling ~3 km. Subsequent stages were built out 2020–2024 funded by the