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Trail Bike Toolkit to Help Councils Unlock Outdoor Recreation, Visitor Economy and Community Opportunities

Trail bike riding is more than a weekend activity.


Across NSW and the ACT, trail bike riders are travelling, staying, spending, connecting with friends, supporting local businesses and contributing to regional communities.


They buy fuel. They stop for food and coffee. They book accommodation. They camp. They purchase equipment. They visit towns that may otherwise not be on the traditional visitor economy radar. They return to places where they feel welcomed, understood and supported.


For local councils, this presents a genuine opportunity.


That is why Outdoors NSW & ACT is launching the Trail Bike Toolkit for Local Councils — a practical resource designed to help councils better understand trail bike recreation and explore how it can contribute to local economic development, regional visitation, community wellbeing and outdoor recreation planning.


Trail bike riding is already happening across many local government areas. The question is whether that activity is only responded to when it becomes a challenge, or whether it can be better understood, planned for and connected to broader community and economic outcomes.


The Toolkit has been developed to support councils to take a more proactive approach. It encourages local government to look at trail bike riding through the lens of opportunity — including local business development, visitor economy growth, recreation participation, community connection, youth engagement and partnerships with riders, clubs, land managers, tourism bodies and neighbouring councils.


The 2026 State of Play in Trail Biking survey provides a strong insight into the value of trail bike recreation. Riders identified the top three reasons they ride as physical exercise at 95%, positive mental health at 94%, and social connection at 86%. This places trail bike riding firmly within the broader conversation about active communities, preventative health and outdoor recreation participation.


For councils, this matters.


Communities are increasingly looking for practical ways to support mental health, reduce isolation, encourage active lifestyles and create opportunities for people to connect with the outdoors. Trail bike recreation provides one pathway for people — particularly those who may not engage with traditional organised sport — to stay active, spend time in nature, connect socially and participate in outdoor recreation.


The survey also highlights the economic opportunity. It found that the average trail bike trip lasts 2.11 days, with riders commonly travelling in groups and spending locally across food, fuel, accommodation, camping and retail. The average expenditure was identified as $176.02 per person, per trip across food, fuel, accommodation and retail.


When compared with international visitor expenditure in regional areas, trail bike riders spend 73% more per person. That is a powerful reminder that local and domestic outdoor recreation visitors should not be underestimated in regional economic development planning.


Trail bike riders are not just passing through. They are spending, staying, returning, bringing others with them and contributing to local economies.


For many communities, this is not about creating something new from scratch. It is about recognising an existing recreation market, understanding its needs, and considering how councils can connect that activity to local businesses, visitor servicing, events, accommodation, hospitality and regional dispersal.


Trail bike recreation sits within the broader Outdoor Industry, alongside outdoor recreation, adventure tourism and outdoor education. Like other outdoor activities, it can generate benefits well beyond the activity itself.


For regional communities in particular, trail bike riding can contribute to:

  • increased visitation and overnight stays;

  • local spending on fuel, food, accommodation, camping and retail;

  • opportunities for events, group rides and club-based activity;

  • stronger connections between recreation and tourism planning;

  • activation of existing tracks, trails, facilities and service hubs;

  • improved relationships between councils, riders, clubs and community groups;

  • recreation opportunities for young people, families and visitors;

  • stronger regional dispersal; and

  • greater recognition of outdoor recreation as part of local economic development.


Outdoors NSW & ACT CEO Lori Modde said the Toolkit is designed to help councils see trail bike recreation as part of a broader community and economic opportunity.

“Trail bike riders are active outdoor participants, but they are also regional visitors. They travel, they stay, they spend, they return, and they often bring others with them,” Ms Modde said.
“When their spend is 73% higher than an international tourist visiting a regional area, councils should be looking at this as a genuine economic development opportunity.”

Ms Modde said the health and wellbeing outcomes identified by riders are just as important.

“The survey tells us riders are not only participating for recreation. They are riding for physical exercise, positive mental health and social connection,” she said.
“These are important community outcomes, and they should be recognised alongside the economic benefits trail bike riders can bring to regional areas.”

The Toolkit provides practical guidance to help councils identify local trail bike activity, understand rider needs, engage with stakeholders, explore visitor economy opportunities and consider how trail bike recreation may fit within broader local and regional planning.


It also encourages councils to work collaboratively with local businesses, tourism organisations, rider groups, land managers, community groups and neighbouring councils.


“Outdoor recreation is not just participation,” Ms Modde said.
“It is jobs, local spending, regional visitation, health, wellbeing and community connection. Trail bike riding is one part of that bigger picture.”

The release of the Trail Bike Toolkit builds on Outdoors NSW & ACT’s ongoing work with local government, land managers and outdoor recreation stakeholders to support better recognition of the Outdoor Industry’s contribution to local places and regional economies.


The Trail Bike Toolkit for Local Councils is now available through Outdoors NSW & ACT.


Councils, tourism bodies, regional development organisations, land managers and community stakeholders are encouraged to use the Toolkit as a starting point for local conversations and future opportunities.


Because when councils plan for outdoor recreation as part of economic and community development, everyone benefits — residents, visitors, businesses and the places they explore.



 
 
 

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