Great trails within 3hrs of Canberra- Tathra
Tathra lies almost exactly a 3hr drive from Canberra, along the far south coast of NSW, near Bega, on Yuin Country. This gorgeous coastal town is a hidden gem and although the population swells in summer, there is still plenty of space on the superb mountain bike trails and the beach- and a great community as well.
Tathra has plenty of cross country single track with approximately 50km of trail between the Bundadung and Fire Shed trails. Many of the trails have been around for over 10 years, with some great additions popping up over the last few years. These are mostly green and blue trails, with a few black trails in there for those who want to push the limits a little :)
For women new to mountain biking, this trail network offers many options, with many easy green and blue trails, plus a firetrail network in amongst them. There are often women’s social rides hosted at Tathra, and plenty of trails to progress to for those who have consolidated foundational skills.
Destination Tathra
-singletrack by the beach
Lots of small drops over fallen logs
Tathra trails have some narrow tree gaps- beware!
Trails are well marked at Tathra
Tathra pub- you never know who you’ll run into! The playground in the background, and the amazing view from the deck of the pub.
Great coffee at Mitchies Jetty, Merimbula
The amazing trail network at Tathra, built by some dedicated locals.
Tathra trails are very flowy, with features such as bridges, gullies, and lots of small drops. There are some rocky sections, but not many slabs or boulders. Lots of sandy trails too, and some tight tree gaps.
Plenty of shaley rock, particularly on Bridges- a black trail.
There are also two great shared trails in Tathra that are both paved and separate from the road.
The Mogareeka Cycle and Walkway is a 2.5 kilometre shared cycle and walking pathway that runs from town (right near the Wild Orchid Cafe) along Andy Poole Drive to the Mogareeka Inlet. This path is flat and easy, making it a great ride for families.
Another great shared pathway is the Yili-njili Cycle and Walkway. This is a 3.2km paved path from Tathra public school to Kalaru. This one has some hills, but is still an easy ride for families, especially for the bigger kids.
Getting there: It’s a pretty good trip through to Tathra, with good roads and plenty of great places to stop for a break if needed. Cooma has a number of great coffee shops (Kettle and Seed, The Lott, The Courtyard), and then you’ll head through Nimmitabel and then down the Brown Mountain through Bemboka and to Bega.
Favourite Trail: Haddi Gatti. This is a blue trail with lots of small drops, bermed corners and fun little gullies. It is a descending trail, so no climbing on this one :)
Eating out: Our eating out choices are limited due to the need for coeliac friendly food- but we are spoilt in Tathra, with the beautiful Tathra pub offering coeliac friendly gluten free food. With a great playground for the kids, and a huge deck overlooking the ocean, this is a popular place to eat (and the food is delish!).
Good coffee: Wild Orchid is a gorgeous little cafe on the main strip with friendly staff and good coffee. Although we get most of our coffees down at Mitchies Jetty in Merimbula, because we often stay there, this is a great little cafe and was buzzing when we stopped past.
Wild Orchid Cafe in Tathra, buzzing with activity.
Wild Orchid Cafe, Tathra. A neat little takeaway window around the side.
In summary, Tathra is a great destination for a weekend mountain biking trip. An idyllic coastal town with plenty of beginner friendly mountain bike trails, the beach, good food and coffee- what more could you want!?