In a significant development for Western Australia’s South West, the Cook Government has successfully secured the AusCycling Mountain Bike Enduro National Championships for the years 2024 through 2026. This marks the first time the event will take place in the town of Collie, with festivities scheduled from October 17 to 20.
The choice of Collie as the venue holds substantial promise, as it boasts the Collie Town Mountain Bike Trails, offering over 100 kilometers of paths winding through majestic jarrah forests, steep valleys, and serene rivers.
The annual event will showcase National and Oceania Championships, encompassing competitions across 20 national championships categories. With over 1000 riders expected to participate, the championships serve as a crucial qualifier for the World Championships and provide valuable Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) points for international rankings.
Anticipating a surge of interest, the event is projected to draw thousands of visitors to the South West region, injecting vital tourism revenue into the local economy. Furthermore, being the sole international mountain bike event scheduled worldwide during this period is expected to heighten spectator and broadcast viewership.
This announcement aligns with the WA Labor Government’s substantial investment of over $10 million into the Collie Adventure Trails initiative. This initiative aims to position Collie as a premier trail town, supporting the town’s economic diversification away from coal.
Premier Roger Cook expressed enthusiasm, stating, “Securing this event is a huge win for Western Australia, and an even bigger win for the town of Collie. This fantastic event will bring thousands of people to the town, boosting our local economy through valuable tourism dollars being injected into local businesses, and building WA’s reputation as a host of world-class sporting events.”
Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti echoed these sentiments, emphasizing Collie’s potential to shine on the national stage. She remarked, “Attracting a cycling event of this scale to the town of Collie is a fantastic opportunity to put this picturesque regional town on the map, with its rich culture and history and strong visitor appeal.
Member for Collie-Preston, Jodie Hanns, highlighted Collie’s outstanding mountain bike trails and the community’s excitement in hosting the Championships. “It’s so exciting to be hosting these Championships and we can’t wait to welcome competitors and visitors to our beautiful part of the world in October and showing off all that our great community has to offer,” she said.
The selection of Collie as the host for the AusCycling Mountain Bike Enduro National Championships underscores Western Australia’s commitment to promoting sports tourism and bolstering regional economies through strategic investments.