The Sunshine Coast MTB Festival is an adventure-packed mountain bike race every year.
Operated by the Sunshine Coast Trail Run Festival and Trail Run Australia, the organisers have designed a weekend full of exciting off-road events for the participants.
Sunshine Coast MTB Festival, 2025 Dates, Venue, Times, Course Map, Qld
Riders can choose from the challenging 47.5-kilometre circuit, a 28.5-kilometre loop, or a 9.5-kilometre sprint. With all these levels available, bikers of varying skills can participate. In addition, there will be a Mud Rats Bike for kids.
The Course
The Sunshine Coast XC MTB Festival is based in the Sunshine Coast’s rainforest hinterland in Ferny Forest on the banks of Ewen Maddock Dam. Three course distances are on offer, including:
- 47.5k | 5 x 9.5km laps
- 28.5k | 3 x 9.5km laps
- 9.5k | 1 x 9.5km lap
The 9.5km MTB course is an action-packed lap that dives in and out of the ferned rainforest with flowing single-track trails. New riders will enjoy the course’s flowing nature, while more experienced riders will love the pinchy climbs, creek crossings, bridges, and rollovers. If you’re not too tired to look, you’ll also enjoy the panoramic views across Ewen Maddock Dam along the way.
The course suits those new to mountain biking but will also challenge those with advanced technical riding skills in several sections.
The Course and safety Brief will take place at Race HQ. For safety reasons, all participants are required to attend the briefing with all equipment ready to start the event. The brief will cover all the information you need to ensure a safe and enjoyable race, as well as important information about the course and any changes on the day. The event will start soon after the Safety Brief is finished and will commence with a La Mans start from Race HQ.
Riders will place their bikes on bike racks located in the transition area, run/walk approximately 150m from the start to their bikes, and mount after the designated ‘Mount’ line. Please follow the instructions of the Race Director at the Start Brief.
Free Kids Mud Rats Event
The Mud Rats is a free, short, fun, non-competitive bike event for Kids aged 5 to 9. If any Mud Rats under five years old would like to participate, they must be accompanied by an adult (over 18) around the course. The course is a short, fun circuit around HQ, usually 400-800 metres long.
The Mud Rats Bike will occur on Sunday after the main MTB Event just before Prize Giving.
The Sunshine Coast MTB Festival winners can earn generous cash prizes, too! The Ewen Maddock Dam has become a famous mountain biking destination because of the trails in spectacularly scenic areas such as the blackbutt forests, elegant ferns, and more. It also offers views of Mount Beerwah and the dam itself. Through the years, it has catered to even beginner bikers, though more experienced riders are welcome to join this race and challenge themselves.
The festival is worth travelling for, and you’ll also have a great excuse to discover Landsborough and the many attractions it’s home to. While here, visit the Dularcha National Park, where you can have even more adventures, as there are numerous trails for mountain biking, walking, and horse riding.
Race HQ is based at the old Ewen Maddock Dam Camp on the banks of Ewen Maddock Dam. Facilities at the race venue include Portable Toilets, Portable drinking Water on site, a Catering Van and a Coffee Van. As the area has been opened specifically for the event, the land manager, SEQ Water, has advised that Camping, Open Fires, and BBQs are prohibited on site.
Parking on-site at the venue is limited and can include a walk up to 400m to Race HQ. To keep the number of vehicles to a minimum, it’s encouraged that all participants carpool wherever possible.
The Sunshine Coast MTB Festival is a race of a lifetime!
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