Fresh mountain air… the wind beneath your wings… just you and 12,000 acres of pure biking bliss! If this has triggered your inner adventurer, well you’ll be pleased to hear you only have to travel to the City of Ipswich for this experience… welcome to Hidden Vale Adventure Park! Drive an hour from Brisbane to the City of Ipswich and soon enough you’ll find yourself exploring their rugged trails that span over 100kms in length. But don’t be fooled if you think entry here is just for the elite… this place caters for all.

With mountain biking gaining popularity in the community, it is essential there are trails suited to all levels of riding. As a rider I know we are constantly pushing our boundaries and skills to new levels, riding steeper more technical trails. These boundaries can be somewhat limited with more common blue and green beginner level trails.Having said that, the following includes some of the best ADVANCED riding in Ipswich for the rider looking to test their own abilities!Phils Trail, Castle HillIn my opinion this is the most technical trail at Castle Hill, Blackstone Reserve. With big ruts carved into the sandstone from tyres, steep switch backs and tight trees, Phils is sure to test out your bike skills. The trail also ends at the drop into the pump track/jump line, the perfect way to finish a sick track!

Hidden Vale Adventure Park (HVAP) is quickly becoming one of the hearts of mountain biking in Ipswich. With over 110km of professionally built trail networks and some of the longest descents in all of Southeast Queensland, HVAP is a must ride destination!Having ridden and raced at HVAP more times I can count, with many successful results, here are my top five trails to tackle at HVAP!

An escape to the country doesn’t always have to be road trips that turn into hours! Just 45 minutes out of Brisbane and you could be putting two wheels to this stretch of rail line from the 1800s… also known as the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail.   The trail famously takes in beautiful towns like Yarraman and Esk… but let us tell you, all the fun begins a whole lot closer to home! Wulkuraka is the start of this 161km ride… located just 10 minutes from the City of Ipswich. It then continues to Fernvale, before looping westwards to Lowood and then continuing north to Coominya, Esk, Toogoolawah, Moore, Linville, Benarkin, and Blackbutt before finally arriving in Yarraman.

Hillview Drive Reserve in Ipswich is a flowy 6km cross country loop featuring a variety of terrain. Only 200m from the beautiful Kholo Gardens, Hillview Drive is an ideal riding destination for a family day out. Here are my top five reasons to visit Hillview Drive circuit in Ipswich!LocationThe 6km circuit is easily accessible for Ipswich and Brisbane riders. This alone is perfect for those days you do not feel like driving excessively to get a ride in. 

The Brisbane Valley Rail Trail is a now disused railway line that extends from Ipswich to Yarraman, brimming with breathtaking mountain scenery and tranquil waterways, old train stations and carriages, and a rich history of early settlers.It's 161km!It's only a 30min drive from Brisbane’s CBD to the rail trail, or you can catch a train from Brisbane all the way to the Wulkuraka train station right where the BVRT starts.  Then its 161km of rail trail to Yarraman so there is a lot to see along the way such as wildlife, murals, fellow travellers and even an abandoned train in Linville!Everyone can ride togetherDue to the flatness of the trail, it’s a nice easy ride which allows for all levels of fitness and ages to ride together.  If you’re still concerned about mixing abilities then that’s the beauty of electric mountain bikes that are available for hire.

Set in 12,000 acres of natural bushland, Spicers Hidden Vale at Grandchester is the definition of country comfort. This sprawling retreat is just an hour from the big city, perfect for a luxurious weekend or mid-week getaway.

Trains have been in the top ten of big boy’s toys for a long time but of course, if you’re a kid, they’re just plain cool.Whether you’re four or 64, the City of Ipswich has a railway adventure to whet your whistle.

Young children (and parents!) will love how easy it is to experience the great outdoors in Ipswich.An outing to the bush with young children doesn’t mean you have to rough it. Ipswich has a range of natural areas with the types of facilities that make the whole experience more enjoyable for the whole family.All of these areas are funded through Enviroplan, which is a council initiative to protect and manage areas with high conservation values, Enviroplan celebrated 25 years in 2021.

If there’s a pint-sized human in your life then you may be familiar with their friends Annie and Clarabel, Henry, James, Emily, Gordon …oh and Thomas!Thomas is a little blue tank engine who has captured the hearts of tiny tots around the world for more than 70 years.So it’s a treat when he leaves the island of Sodor for a holiday in the City of Ipswich (Queensland) and when that happens, A Day out with Thomas is a very popular school holiday must-do.