Trails from the front door
Riding and four wheel driving
There is a mountain bike billboard on the lawn out the front of this hotel, which is a reasonable summary of what this country is used for. The riding around Zeehan is genuinely good and almost nobody outside the West Coast knows it.
- Best monthsNovember to April
Photograph: Kim Dunstan
The Heemskirk Range trails share their name with this hotel, which is a coincidence we are happy to take credit for. The network runs through alpine plateau, rainforest gully and old mining country, and it is large enough to fill a day without repeating yourself.
Oonah Hill sits just outside Zeehan and is the sensible introduction: a return ride with a steady climb over gravel and rock, and a fast run back down with the valley open in front of you.
Further out, Mt Owen above Queenstown is the biggest network in the region and runs from family-friendly green loops right through to shuttle-access downhill. Sterling Valley towards Tullah is rougher, wetter and more technical, following old tramway lines through dense rainforest.
It is not only bikes. There is serious four wheel driving through here, trail bike groups come through in the warmer months, and there are routes running between Zeehan and Strahan that locals have been using for years.
Breakfast opens at 5am, every day
First light matters when the weather here can turn by lunchtime. Breakfast from 5am means the day starts when you want it to.
Practical
What we can do for a riding group
- Room to park a trailer, a ute, or both.
- Breakfast from 5am, so you are on the trails at first light instead of waiting on a kitchen.
- Somewhere to hose down and dry gear rather than putting it back in the car wet.
- A bistro and a bar for afterwards, and a bottle shop on the same site.
- Rooms that sleep 4, if the group is splitting costs.
Stay the night at the Heemskirk
Trailer parking, an early breakfast and somewhere to wash the mud off. Call us for group rates.
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