MTB riding in Cessnock

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Bush track

When I wrote this post back in 2019, the shop was less than a year old and I was still mostly riding road bikes. Geez there’s been some water under the bridge since then. Here’s an update four years later.

If you’re new to Cessnock then our advice is to connect with the Kurri Mongrels via their fb page. They ride four times a week and are a very sociable crew of riders.

There’s also a Cessnock Mountainbike Group on fb. They also are very social riders, but ride less frequently. Most weeks there’s a social gravel ride on Thursday mornings at 7.30am from Astill’s Picnic Area in Werakata National Park. Always check the fb page to make sure it’s on.

If you want to explore solo, Cessnock and Kurri are a rider’s paradise and my advice to all MTBers is to use Strava’s Heatmap to find the most popular trails.

The heatmap won’t tell you which are the best though, and from experience I’d say you’ll need 2 or 3 years of regular riding to cover this map. You can see that Cessnock and Kurri are MTB towns!

You can find a cycling map here but there’s very little MTB coverage in it because it’d be pretty much impossible to include the detail required. Here’s two popular spots that will fill a weekend.

HEZ Singletracks can be found easily from the HEZ road off Leggett’s Drive at Pelaw Main, or from behind Kurri Hospital. It can also be accessed from the Cessnock side through the bush from Duffie Drive.
You can see from the heat map there’s enough single track out here to ride an entire day. Your Strava will be filled with segments like Scooby Doo, Creaky Knees and Pallet Moto. If you want to climb then there’s a few ways up Tumblebee to the south.

Werakata State Conservation Area is another all-day riding opportunity, you can get at it from Pelton or from Kitchener (across from the Khartoum Hotel) or travel in from Cessnock Racecourse. There’s old railway lines, heaps of single track and some fast downhills. There’s also lots of well-maintained fire roads, so this is good for graveleurs as well. Make sure you visit the famous Ashley’s Tower while you’re there.

There’s also a Cessnock Mountainbike Group on fb that ride regularly but not to a schedule.

There’s a stack of other places to go, stay tuned for updates.

Werakata NP on Lomas Lane.

Brokenback Range from Mt View Rd.

Sawpit Rd at Sweetman’s Creek

Watagan Range from Heaton Rd

Peanut Rock and the Precinct.

Abernethy Dam


Like a time capsule from the past, here’s what we wrote back in 2019…

The Prologue and Day 1 of the annual Port to Port MTB Stage Race is run right here in the Pokolbin State Forest.

There are local riding parks, such as Awaba Mountainbike Park, plus lots of forest like the Broken Back Range and the Watagan State Forest.

Our team are experienced off-road riders. We’ve been riding and racing MTBs, and have a deep knowledge of the local area and riding conditions. You can talk to us for guidance and advice.

In the CBC store we sell Cannondale MTBs, and normally carry around 20 MTBs in stock.

Most of the bikes we sell are Hardtails, which are MTBs with front suspension only. For most riders, a Hardtail is capable of doing everything you need off-road.

Many riders prefer Dual Suspension MTBs. These are very capable off-road bikes, able to take big drops and very aggressive trails.

Dual Suspension bikes are available in Enduro (Downhill, long suspension) or Trail (XC/Cross Country) geometry.

For the serious MTB rider, the new range of eMTBs are becoming very popular.

These eMTBs have a Bosch 625w assist system with three modes, and can extend your range and capability beyond what you thought was possible. Climb faster and ride further than you have ever done before.

For the full range and specifications of Cannondale bikes, visit their website here.

Call into the shop at 88 Vincent St Cessnock, phone us 02 4909 8492 or email us sales@cessnockbicyclecompany.com.au and we’ll take you through the range.