New Italy Mountain Bike Forest

Overview

New Italy Mountain Bike Forest is a free-to-ride, cross-country single-track network set inside Doubleduke State Forest, on the NSW Far North Coast. About 30 kilometres of purpose-built trail wind through grassy sclerophyll forest and remnant wetlands roughly 9 km south of Woodburn — historically one of the only large-scale, free-to-access MTB facilities between Grafton and the Gold Coast hinterland (Nerang).

The network is hand-built and volunteer-maintained by Northern Rivers Dirty Wheels Mountain Bike Club (NRDW) under a Forestry Corporation NSW occupation permit. Officially opened at the end of 2016, it has since become one of NRDW's flagship facilities (the other being Duck Creek MTB Park between Alstonville and Ballina). The trails are pitched at "all abilities" — predominantly flowy XC singletrack with some technical natural features (rock, roots, drop-offs, bridges), and several lines explicitly designed to suit adaptive cycles.

It's a riders-only site: no walkers, no horses, no dogs, no e-bikes unless AS 15194:2016 compliant (i.e. low-power pedal-assist only — no throttle / high-power e-MTBs). The trailhead has no toilets and no drinking water — the nearby New Italy Museum complex (15 km south of Woodburn on the Pacific Highway) is the standard pre/post-ride stop for coffee, food, and amenities.

Location & Access

Address: Cypress Road, Tabbimoble NSW 2472 (car park ~100 m past the Piccolis Road intersection, on the left)
Region: Northern Rivers
Drive times: ~9 km south of Woodburn; ~50 km north of Grafton; ~50 km south of Lismore; ~2.5 hr from Gold Coast / Brisbane
Public transport: None — car only
Parking: Free gravel car park off Cypress Road; trail map signboard at the carpark
Coords: -28.82152, 153.41123 (DB; sits within Doubleduke State Forest)

Best Season & Conditions

Peak riding season: Autumn through spring (Apr–Oct). The subtropical climate means summer can be hot and humid; the sclerophyll surface holds together well in dry conditions
Wet-weather impact: "Site may be closed during periods of excessively wet conditions" — riders are asked to check NRDW website and Facebook before riding to protect the trail surface
Fire-danger / total-fire-ban impact: Doubleduke State Forest can close during Total Fire Bans / forestry operations — check Forestry Corp NSW forest closures
Snow / alpine season: N/A — subtropical lowland forest
School-holiday surge: Quiet relative to South-East Queensland trail centres; no major surge issues

Managing Body & Trail Builders

Land manager: Forestry Corporation NSW (Doubleduke State Forest, ~2,600 ha)
Trail builder / maintainer: Northern Rivers Dirty Wheels Mountain Bike Club Incorporated (NRDW), under Forestry Corp NSW occupation permit
Volunteer / dig days: Coordinated through NRDW website and Facebook page
Donations / membership: https://www.nrdw.com.au/donate/ — NRDW is a not-for-profit community association (founded 2012); donations fund tools, signage, materials, and new trail builds
Contact: 0491 611 911 — info@nrdw.com.au

History & Background

Doubleduke State Forest covers ~2,600 ha of swamp and grassy sclerophyll forest plus freshwater wetlands, with cultural significance to the Bundjalung people.
NRDW (Northern Rivers Dirty Wheels) was founded in 2012 by a small group of riders; it is now one of the largest and most active clubs on the NSW North Coast.
Trail construction at New Italy began in the mid-2010s under a Forestry Corp NSW occupation permit. The Mountain Bike Forest was officially opened at the end of 2016 and described at the time as one of the only free-to-ride, large-scale singletrack facilities between Grafton and Nerang.
The site's name and identity tie into the surrounding New Italy settlement: poor Veneto farming families who, in 1880, were misled by the Marquis de Rays into purchasing land in a non-existent "La Nouvelle France" colony near PNG. Survivors were eventually granted some of the last selectable land in NSW, naming the area New Italy. The New Italy Museum complex (8275 Pacific Hwy, ~15 km south of Woodburn) preserves that heritage and is the de facto rider services stop.
NRDW has hosted XCO racing here (e.g. the September 2021 New Italy Mountain Bike Race) and continues to expand and refine the network with volunteer labour.