Mountain biking

Ewen Maddock Dam (Landsborough): Ferny Forest Mountain Bike Loop. This is a mostly flat track with plenty of forest and ferns and the occasional fun twisty, turning trail. With no notable hazards or obstacles it's perfect for beginners and a good introduction to mountain biking for kids. Great for a fast lap or a relaxing roll.

Dularcha National Park (Landsborough): tunnel track. Have fun exploring a heritage listed train tunnel in the northern section of this trail. 

Tuchekoi National Park trails: Cooran side. A 7km one way trail from Cooran to Pomona mainly through open dry forest with some hills and fun little bits of single track. Grab a coffee and soda and return.

The Sugar Bag Road trails in Caloundra are suited to all levels of mountain bike rider with 3 easy, 9 intermediate and 5 difficult trails. The trails include a set of tight technical loops with lots of features which as bridges, see-saws, log rollovers, wooden ramps and various jumps. A great training ground and place to develop your skills.

For relaxing lakeside rides you can head to Noosaville. Cross Weyba Creek on a historical wooden bridge and head to Weyba Lake and back. You can also head to Baroon Pocket Dam (Martin Williams walk) or Ewen Maddock Dam (Ford Road figure 8). With the latter, on your way you will ride through tall gum forest to the lakes edge then circle back through denser forest full of banksia and brushbox.

If you want to get the heart racing try: Wooroi MTB trail 8 - snake track in the Tewantin National Park near Tinbeerwah. This track crams lots of adrenaline into a short rough ride. Lake MacDonald Noosa trail 4 has an adrenalin racing steep bush section to old Tewantin Road and Turpentine track. Mapleton National Park has some tricky corners.

Road Rage, Parklands, is a technical track that takes you down a fast steep section, with lots of rocks and rubbly adrenalin. Sugar Bag Road Golden Rough MTB 6, Caloundra West, is described as a twisting turning nugget of gold for technical MTB enthusiasts, with plenty of rollovers and tight corners.

Across the Sunshine Coast region there are more than 20 businesses that have bikes for hire including reliable mountain bikes for trail riding, hybrid, road and other bike types. There are also numerous off-road cycling clubs and mountain bike clubs who welcome riders or all ages, provide learning opportunities and help with trail development.

With over 30 fast flowing single tracks, Tewantin Forest between Tewantin and Cooroy is a firm favourite with mountain bikers at the northern end of the Sunshine Coast. There are a multitude of tracks through green forests of gums and palm trees and sometimes a kangaroo. The longest trail is 21km. You can pop in at Tewantin for a coffee before or after your ride.