INDIGO EPIC LANDS THIS SUMMER

In 2014, the Southern Hemisphere received its first IMBA accredited Epic trail with the opening of the Buller Epic Trail. It met the coveted standards of 80% singletrack and a minimum length of 32km traversing wild and natural terrain. Other members of this elite club include Old Ghost Road in New Zealand and the famous Alps Epic in Switzerland. Since Buller, Australia had yet to see another attempt at an Epic trail despite the enormous size of our continent and growing mountain bike infrastructure. Until now.

The Indigo Shire Council, nestled in the High Country of Victoria, is close to completing Australia’s second IMBA accredited Epic Trail. Construction began in 2021 and is set to finish near the end of summer 2022/2023. The trail will connect the historic towns of Beechworth and Yackandandah, providing 22 kilometres of brand-new trail to add to the towns’ pre-existing networks. Unlike Buller’s Epic which is only open during the green season, the Indigo Epic Trail will be rideable throughout the year, including winter.

Callum Brown from BCX Projects has been contracted by the Council to oversee the development of the Indigo Epic Trail, now in the second of three stages of development. “At the moment, Stage 2 is progressing pretty well. We’re at about 60% complete.” Stage 3 will be finishing trail building through areas of National Park, which will take a couple of months and be ready for a December 2022 opening. “The trail is largely all singletrack… all the new machine-built stuff is intermediate flow trail.”

This is all thanks to a $1 million state grant and $1 million of Council cash. But of course, behind every grant is years of grassroots groundwork. “It’s a community driven project that’s for sure.

You’ve got Yack Track and BCG (Beechworth Chain Gang), they’ve had people driving this project for many, many years.”

Both Beechworth and Yackandandah already have well established cross-country and gravity trails, some of which will be linked to the new trail to complete the grand loop. Beechworth is renowned for its utilisation of huge rock formations which create unique and natural trail features. There’s over 10km of cross-country tracks and several downhill-orientated trails which are well-loved amongst the locals.

Yackandandah currently boasts over 60km of trail comprised of 5 main loops. Because of these loops, you can ride continuously without having to constantly stop at intersections to re-orientate. Yackandandah is a truly unique setting with its gold rush era history; the trails follow the old water races which form part of the original mining infrastructure in the area. Riders are treated to hand-cut singletrack which zig-zags through the dense fernery and gums. The climbs are gentle gradients, and the descents will test your grip with their sweeping corners and loose dirt. In recent years, this vast network of singletrack has hosted numerous cross-country races such as the Shifty Fifty Series from Big Hill Events and The Goat Stage Race from GTR Events, which was new in 2022.

The newly devised Indigo Epic Trail will take the best of both Beechworth and Yackandandah trails and connect them into a “helix loop design.” This means the Epic can be tackled in its full length, or cut into shorter loops for beginner riders. It will pass through the Stanley State Forest with its magical pine forests, and the Nine Mile Creek Historic area as it heads east. Predominantly one-way, the Epic will be designed to start and finish in either Beechworth or Yackandandah. “It’s fully immersive and you feel like you’re very remote. It’s pretty spectacular bushland that’s for sure. It’s really quite incredible to be in those places,” says Callum.

Facilities in each town are abundant in quality and charm. Beechworth is a teeming tourist destination with its antique stores, gourmet cafes and wineries, and of course – the original Beechworth Bakery. Yackandandah is famous for its quirky arts and craft stores (there’s even a custom hat maker), galleries, and Schmidt’s Strawberry Winery (yes, strawberry wine). Both towns have accommodation to suit all budgets, from camp grounds to boutique B&Bs. With riders flocking to these destinations, the Indigo Epic Trail is expected to reap over 5 million tourist dollars annually. “It’s certainly going to be putting that area – and mountain biking in that area – on the map.”

So keep an eye on this project and start planning your summer holidays! The Indigo Epic Trail is sure to become a pilgrimage for mountain bikers all over the country.