Mount Remarkable trails

Overview

Melrose, at the foot of Mount Remarkable in South Australia's Southern Flinders Ranges, is the most established mountain-bike destination in SA and one of the oldest in Australia. The town sits ~270 km north of Adelaide and roughly 45 km north of Port Pirie, and acts as the regional hub for cycling: a destination bike shop (Over The Edge / OTE) on the main street, a long-running club (Bike Melrose, founded 2002 as the Southern Flinders Rough Riders) and ~100 km of singletrack winding from the showgrounds and pub up into the foothills.

There are two distinct networks under the "Mount Remarkable" umbrella that riders treat as one trip:

Melrose town trails (private land) — ~80 km of mostly hand-built singletrack on the McCallum family and other landowners' properties. Built from 2005 onwards (Nick Bowman + Greencorp), expanded by the OTE crew through 2007/08. Difficulty is beginner through black diamond and trails are accessed directly from town accommodation.
Willowie Forest network (Mt Remarkable NP) — ~20 km of green and blue family-friendly trails built 2021 by Bike Melrose in partnership with DEW (Department for Environment and Water). Built as part of the $10 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 $10 m Remarkable Southern Flinders agreement (SA + Federal Government + Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife).
Feb 2025 — Bushfire burns ~25 % of Mt Remarkable NP; main MTB areas remain accessible.