0 m "Remarkable Southern Flinders" agreement co-funded by the SA and Australian governments.
The capstone is the Remarkable Epic Trail — a 38 km backcountry loop opened October 2023 with ~1,300 m of climbing and a near-continuous 6 km descent, designed by TrailScapes in consultation with the Nukunu Wapma Thura Aboriginal Corporation. Together with the 22 km Southern Flinders Rail Trail, the network supports everything from family laps to dawn-til-dusk adventure days.
Melrose hosts SA's flagship MTB events: the Fat Tyre Festival (Easter / June long weekend, run since 2002) and the 18/6 Hours of Melrose endurance race.
Location & Access
- Address: Willowie Forest, Mount Remarkable National Park, SA 5480 (~45 km north of Port Pirie; trails start in/around Melrose, ~5 km from the Willowie entrance).
- Park HQ phone: (08) 8841 3400 (Mount Remarkable NP / NPWSSA office).
- OTE Sports phone: (08) 8666 2222 — first port of call for visitors, on the main street at 4 Stuart St Melrose.
- Drive times: Adelaide ~3 hr; Port Pirie ~35 min; Port Augusta ~45 min.
- Public transport: None practical — drive in.
- Parking: Town parking around Stuart St / Showgrounds (free). Willowie Forest day-use carpark (recently upgraded with accessible toilets and picnic area) within the national park — vehicle entry fee applies.
Best Season & Conditions
- Trails are rideable year-round. April–October is most pleasant — mild temperatures.
- Summer (Dec–Feb) can reach 30–45 °C; carry substantial water; avoid the Remarkable Epic in heat.
- The park closes on Catastrophic fire-danger days and may close on Extreme days; total fire-ban days = no riding.
- Feb 2025 bushfire burnt ~25 % of the national park; Willowie and Melrose entries remained fully accessible. Some recovery closures may remain for non-MTB areas.
- The park is scheduled to close 15–20 November 2026 for pest-control operations (per parks.sa.gov.au).
- For the Remarkable Epic: no departure after 12 pm; carry supplies; notify someone of expected return.
Managing Body & Trail Builders
- Land manager (Willowie / Mt Remarkable NP): Department for Environment and Water (DEW) / National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia (NPWSSA).
- Land manager (Melrose town trails): Private landowners (McCallum family + others) — access is by permission; respect signage; no dogs / no shuttling on private property.
- Trail builder / club: Bike Melrose (formerly Southern Flinders Rough Riders Inc, founded 2002). Bike Melrose maintains the network, runs events, and partnered with DEW on the Willowie build (2021).
- Bike shop / on-the-ground host: Over The Edge Sports (OTE), 4 Stuart St Melrose — café, bike hire, workshop, guided rides, skills clinics.
- Cultural partner: Nukunu Wapma Thura Aboriginal Corporation (consulted on Remarkable Epic design).
History & Background
- 2002 — Southern Flinders Rough Riders Inc formed; first Fat Tyre Festival.
- 2005 — First 20 km of town trails cut by Nick Bowman + Greencorp crew on McCallum property.
- 2007–08 — OTE staff add more town singletrack.
- 2017 — SFRR rebrands to Bike Melrose, broadening from MTB-only to all forms of cycling.
- 2021 — 20 km Willowie family network opens inside Mt Remarkable NP (Bike Melrose + DEW).
- Oct 2023 — Remarkable Epic Trail opens, designed by TrailScapes, funded as part of the