NOTE: SOME TRAILS REMAIN CLOSED DUE TO BUSHFIRE DAMAGE. The trails got severely affected in January 2026 and repairs are ongoing. Looks like Facebook is more up-to-date on what’s open than the web-page.

La Larr Ba Gauwa in Harcourt is the mountain biking jewel of the north. The trail network here can keep you going for days. Mainly because it demands that you get to the top under your own steam, but also because there is a huge amount of variety to keep things interesting.

Harcourt has it all: rocky technical ascents, rocky technical descents, rocky flat bits, slick-rock, jump lines, gaps, drops, flow, and climbing. Lots of climbing.

Technically you’re supposed to park in the town and ride up the 2km off-road trail to the trailheads. Yes. When you get there though, you have the choice of the southern and northern networks, each with a mix of blue and black trails.

There is a single 2.3km green trail (1.Wanyarra) from the main trailhead. It’s the only option for beginners, with all the blue trails demanding some upward commitment even if the technical features can be avoided on the way back down.

The trails are well marked and loop back to trailheads at the tops or bottom, each with trail maps, making navigation easy.

The granite and sandy type surface here can be loose in the dry, but firms up after rain. There’s no shortage of natural and man-made features on the trails and you find yourself wanting to go back up to ride the lines you didn’t the first time.

A standout for Harcourt is the technical climbing, particularly on the two black rated tracks. These are a great test of balance, precise line choice, and focussed power. Not to mention lungs and legs. The satisfaction of a cleaned section here makes the downs even sweeter.

There’s something for everyone at Harcourt including a hero trail for the jumpers and groms which has some pretty substantial jumps and gaps that need a good deal of commitment. Or keep wheels on the ground by taking the not-so-heroic B-lines if you prefer. Either way, the smiles will keep coming – until it’s time to go back up the hill again.