Smithfield Is About To Nearly Triple In Size — $15.5M, 85km of Trail Coming
This is huge. The Queensland Government has committed $15.5 million to expand Smithfield Mountain Bike Park from its current 30 kilometres of trails to 85 kilometres. That's not a renovation. That's not a tweak. That's nearly tripling the size of one of the most internationally significant MTB venues in the country. Cairns just punched its ticket to Australia's MTB capital.
What's actually happening
The headline numbers are spectacular:
- $15.5 million investment from the Queensland Government
- 30km to 85km trail network expansion — over 50km of brand new singletrack
- Upgraded trailhead facilities, new signage, and a major skills park rebuild
- Construction targeted for 2027 onwards, with the full network operational by 2028
- Trail master plan being delivered through 2026 with community consultation already underway
For context — 85km of trail at a single venue puts Smithfield in genuine world-class territory. It's the kind of network where you could ride for a week without repeating a trail. That's an absolute game-changer for Cairns tourism, the local riding scene, and Australian MTB more broadly.
Why Smithfield, and why now
Smithfield isn't just any bike park. It hosted UCI XCO World Cup rounds in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2021. It's the spiritual home of Aussie cross-country racing and the venue where most of our current elite XC riders cut their teeth. Sam Gaze, Rebecca McConnell, Cameron Wright — they've all banged out laps here.
But the existing 30km network has been busting at the seams for years. Local rider numbers have exploded, race tourism keeps growing, and the trails were built for a world that doesn't exist anymore — the modern enduro and trail bike scene needs more terrain, more diversity, and more flow.
The new master plan addresses all of it. Beginner trails to grow the sport. Flow trails for the weekend warriors. Technical descents for the gravity crowd. Climbing trails to spread riders out. And the existing XC race loop preserved and enhanced for international competition. Everyone gets fed.
What this means for Aussie MTB
Three big shifts coming:
- Cairns becomes a multi-week MTB destination. Right now Smithfield is a 2-3 day stop on a north Queensland trip. With 85km on offer, you're looking at a proper week-long ride holiday. Local accommodation, bike hire, and shuttle services will scale up massively.
- International events will return in serious numbers. A world-class venue at this size puts Cairns back in the conversation for World Cup rounds, World Championships bids, and international race tourism. We could see another XC Worlds bid by 2030.
- The local riding scene gets a level-up. Cairns kids growing up with 85km of progression-friendly trails on their doorstep will produce an extra generation of world-class riders. We've already seen what 30km did — what does 85km produce?
Smart timing — get up there now
Construction starts in earnest in 2027 and runs through to 2028. That means there's a roughly 18-month window where the existing 30km network is fully operational, the planning is generating excitement, and the crowds haven't yet ballooned to match the future scale.
Translation — book your Cairns trip in 2026. The trails are quieter than they will be in 2028, the weather window May-October is unbeatable, and you can ride the existing network before it gets folded into something five times bigger. You'll have stories to tell.
What you need to ride Smithfield
Most of the network is rideable on any modern trail or enduro bike. 130-160mm of travel is the sweet spot. The XC loops will reward a lighter bike, the gravity descents will reward something slacker — but a do-it-all trail bike like a Polygon Siskiu T8 or a Trek Fuel EX handles the lot.
What you'll really notice in tropical conditions is grip. The red Cairns dirt gets greasy when humid, the rainforest sections stay damp year-round, and the rocks polish up slick under traffic. Two upgrades pay for themselves on a Smithfield trip:
- Sticky grips — your hands sweat, your bars get slippery, you lose control. Bucklos Lock-On Grips with their tacky compound are the move.
- Properly grippy pedals — flat pedals with serious pin grip stop your foot blowing off the bike on rooty descents. ENLEE Enduro Flat Pedals are built for exactly this.
- Fresh brake pads — Smithfield's descents are long and the rocks heat up your rotors fast. Pack a spare set of Bucklos B01S brake pads in your kit.
The bigger picture
This is the third major Aussie bike park expansion announced in the last 12 months — Warburton, Maydena, and now Smithfield. The investment is getting serious. State governments have finally cottoned on to the fact that MTB tourism is a genuine economic driver, and they're putting real money behind it.
For riders, this is a golden era. More trails, better facilities, real progression pathways, and world-class venues opening up across the country. The next 5 years of Aussie MTB are going to be wild.
Pack your bike. Book your flights. Send it.
Heading to Cairns for a Smithfield mission? Drop us a line — happy to share trail recommendations and gear setup advice.
