Venue Details

Location

Mt Baw Baw is merely a 2.5 hour drive from Melbourne, 1 hour from the heart of Gippsland, and just over 3 hours from the Mornington Peninsula. One tank of petrol is all it takes to get there and back from Melbourne!

Mt Baw Baw is located 120 km east of Melbourne and 50 km north of the Latrobe Valley. Mt Baw Baw is a year-round resort, catering for snow enthusiasts during the white season, and outdoor adventurers, hikers and bike riders during the green season. During the warmer months, Mt Baw Baw comes alive with spectacular wildflowers. The Resorts walking trails link to a wider network of trails within the Baw Baw National Park and also the Great Alpine Walking Trail.

The Resort is home to the ‘DH1’ a national standard downhill mountain bike course which is open from Dec to April 2020, a shuttle service is available every weekend.

Village Central’s Sea to Sky Restaurant is open all year round offering great food and spectacular views across West Gippsland.

Decide which route you will take to get there, make sure you plan to fill up your fuel tank before heading up the mountain. Be prepared for all conditions as the weather can change rapidly in the Alps. Avoid driving up in bad weather, ensure you have warm, waterproof clothing and footwear and a tube of sunscreen.

Directions

Want directions? Get a map! Any map, digital, paper, one a mate drew for you back at school when you used to dream about bombing down the ‘DH1’ at Mt Baw Baw. If you can’t find Mt Baw Baw – you really aren’t cut out for travelling my friend!

Set a GPS to Mt Baw Baw, Mt Baw Baw Tourist Rd, Victoria. Keep in mind your ALDI GPS may/will (most probably) send you in the wrong direction.

Mt Baw Baw – right, got that? Mt Baw Baw – Victoria…

Detailed directions can be found here:

https://mountbawbaw.com.au/getting-here

No Fuel

You are reminded to fill up before making your way to Mt Baw Baw – There is NO FUEL available on the mountain – many have made the mistake in the past. Fill up before Warragul on the Princes Highway or at Yarra Junction if you are coming from Melbourne. Fill up at Traralgon if you are coming from NSW. You have been warned!

Food

You have a few choices here: BYO ($), Kelly’s Lodge ($$), Sea to Sky Restaurant at Village Central ($$$), the Pub ($$), or literally starve (if you really want to do that – which we’re guessing you don’t!)

Only basic supplies are available from the general store including bread, milk, snacks and limited toiletries. There are a number of dining options on the mountain but if you are staying a while make sure you do your grocery shopping on the way up.

Please remember to respect the environment and recycle your waste at the event in any of the strategically placed bins. Do your bit and bin your sh*t!

Course Description

Did I hear anyone say FAST??? Wait til you hit the bottom jeep track! The Mt Baw Baw ‘DH1’ has been a staple DH course for many years now. Its wide, its fast and it is super fun! There is nothing too hard on this DH course, but many find it hard on their bikes! Brakes beware – make sure your hydros are up to the task!  Trust me your rotors will blue up from the heat, your hydro fluid will start to boil and the loose rocks will punish your rims at high speed.

In the past the track started at the top of Tank Hill Platter and wound its way down the skiing home trail where it dropped away onto the wide open ski run below Village Central. The NEW start gate will see riders start out across from the Village Central ‘Sea to Sky’ deck which has a magnificent view of Gippsland (no more pushing up the hill!). Riders will be launched onto the main ski run into a jump built just for this event so the spectators on the deck can see your steeze! Disappearing into ferns and snow gums you will rail three corners before launching into ‘BeNato’s Berm’ which gives you ample pace to coast across the grassy toboggan slope (insert stylish manuals here). Passing through the usually locked gate, riders enter the legendary ‘Jeep Track’ – a section that always has water running down it and plenty of spectators to amp you up! This section is made up of three mounds to negotiate which drop onto rocks. This year you will have multiple line choices through this section. The ‘Coffin Rock’ is at the end of the section, and you now have to set yourself up for the ‘Moto Corner’. There are two options here – hang it wide and let it slide, or go straight and turn late in the berm. After negotiating that, your rims are about to cop a heap of loose rock and uneven single track as you prepare to do two drops to gain momentum which will launch you back onto the ski run. ‘Switchback Central’ is wide open and heaps of fun – get off your brakes and rail those suckers! Be sure to practice the right lines here as there is heap of options in these switchbacks. Hit the jump and land on the grass to set up for a fast re-entry into single track or go straight off the jump, into the flat corner at the bottom and let the drift do the talking!

As you make your way through the thick and twisted alpine heath, corners become blind and sniper rocks seem to come out of nowhere. Make sure you tip into ‘Poo Corner’ as it has been built up since last we raced the clock at Baw Baw. You can exit much faster giving you way more speed to get over the ‘Bastard Stump’. Two more twists and a tight tree to dodge and it is now time to bring the speed>>>

A sweeper and two whoop dee doo jumps throw you into the vortex>>> high speed tuck jumps>>> speed corners>>>  and ”Rennie’s Jump’ before the ‘Mach 10 Jeep Track’>>> Have some fun and boost the rock jump to flat if that’s what you’re into, or stay pinned to the track. The coolest corners on the course are fast approaching; ‘Way Too Fast’ is the left hander into the right hand ‘Moto Berm, which we have walled up for your riding pleasure. Tackle ‘Slammed’ the big boulder before the original ‘Bus Stop’, which has been removed due to a massive tree over the course; this has given us a fine spot to slam another jump into the mix! This can be rolled or boosted – it’s up to you. As you approach the finish line pedal hard to smash those seconds!

If you haven’t had enough, try licking your rotors and you’ll know what we mean about brake maintenance! Water will be available for all riders (and those who lick their rotors) at the top and bottom of the track.

Jump back in the shuttle line and enjoy the ‘smoothy shuttles’ back to the top!

I hope you all enjoy Mt Baw Baw as much as I do!

KINGMAN!

“Turn up the radness way past eleventeen!”

Accommodation

All accommodation bookings are to go through www.mountbawbaw.com.au or call 1300 651 136

The suggestion is to book as early as you can as the mountain tends to become ‘booked out’ very quickly. Please organise your stay early to avoid disappointment. There is strictly NO camping in the Alpine Resort

Many of the lodges don’t supply linen. Remember to bring your own or organise a linen pack with Guest Services before you arrive. Only basic supplies are available from the general store including bread, milk, snacks and limited toiletries. There are a number of dining options on the mountain but if you are staying a while make sure you do your grocery shopping on the way up. 

Entry Details

Enter online and save!

Saturday & Sunday Senior = $100,

Saturday & Sunday Junior = $90 (Under 15 ONLY)

CLICK HERE TO ENTER ONLINE NOW!

Enter on the day:

Saturday & Sunday Senior = $130,

Saturday & Sunday Junior = $100 (Under 15 ONLY)

Sunday Only Senior/Junior = $90

Weekend Racing licence = $30

All riders MUST produce their MTBA Competition Licence. If you do not have proof of MTBA Competition Membership you will need to fill out and purchase a Weekend Racing Licence from Registration.

Event Schedule

Friday

Course available for on foot inspection only (NO RIDING)

Saturday

0800 – 1600 Registration Open

0800 – 1000 Course available for on foot inspection

1000 – 1430 Official course practise (ALL GROUPS)

1430 – 1530 Official course practise (NO PRO GROUP)

1530 – 1630 Official course practise (PRO GROUP ONLY)

 

*Note: A diligent effort will be made by event organisers to police these groups on course to ensure all riders are given the best chance to complete full runs during practice.

PRO Group = Elite Men, Under 19 Men and Expert Men

Non Pro Group = all other categories

The Race Director has the ability to disqualify any rider that disobeys this rule. All Pro Group riders will have a colour coded race plate.

Sunday

0800 – 0900 Registration Open. (Entries after 0900 will not be accepted)

0800 – 1100 Official Course Practice (ALL GROUPS)

1115 Sharp. Rider Briefing at event central (All riders MUST attend)

1130 Racing Begins

Presentations will be held at the conclusion of the Elite Men’s final.

Contact Details

VDHS committee: info@vdhs.com.au

Host Club: info@gippslandmtb.com.au

MTBA membership questions: info.mtba@mtba.asn.au