Let’s start with the ups. As with many of the best trail centres, Mystic is on the side of a mountain, so climbing is a big part of your day unless you buy a Gravity Pass shuttle ticket. The climbing trails though are great if you’re an XC whippet, masochist, or both. Weaving across the terrain to ease the gradient, they gain altitude persistently and throw in some testing switchbacks once you get up higher. The Stairway to Shreddin’ up track is black rated for that reason. Don’t forget to wipe the sweat and look out a the spectacular views on your way up.

Fortunately the descents can be accessed at multiple levels, so you don’t have to slog right to the top to get a good hit of down.

And it’s the downs that Mystic is known for. You want flow, you got it in spades. You want international standard DH, you got it in bucket fulls. Jumps – how high? Lots of options and lots of different types of terrain. Your shuttle ticket earns its air miles at Mystic and you’ll be itching to come back before the first trail ale has been downed at the end of the day.

Pretty much all the trails are machine built, so generally wide and smooth(ish) and there’s a full time maintenance crew out to keep them in shape. There are green trails lower down and near the trailhead for beginners, but the intermediate and advanced trails flow down from the hills. 

Navigation is OK with each trail marked, but it does feel like they could do better, especially as you pay an entry fee. There are a few maps around, but it seems you have to rely on a crowd-sourced, subscription-based digital map instead (there’s no official Mystic Park PDF anymore). There are some suggested loops for different skills levels, but these are not mapped either and just refer you to the trails to ride on the above digital map.

Buying a Mountain Pass for trail access is easily done online with one or seven day options. Annual passes now include access to Maydena in Tasmania and Gold Coast Bike Parks in an all-in-one price. 

If you want to jump on the shuttles, you’ll need a Gravity Pass and a Mountain Pass. Shuttles run generally from Thursdays to Sundays, but a bit more in the summer. 

The support in the park is good with Bike Patrols to assist with navigation and in case of emergencies, and a team on site. The trailhead facilities are improving, with toilets, Guest Services (check-in, passes and info), spares and repairs shop, and shuttle chill out area (aka a bus stop).

Bright has embraced the fact it has an international standard MTB park on its doorstep. In the summer particularly it’s a great MTB town with a bike rack hanging of the back of almost every car and a great cycling vibe.