On the New South Wales coast, Sea Otter Australia brought cycling together with a wider outdoor culture this October. Its programme from 22 to 25 October spanned Batemans Bay and the nearby Mogo Trails network. This was the festival’s second edition in the region, with organisers planning rides and competitions for different ages and abilities alongside the exhibition.
The programme covered ten racing and riding disciplines, from enduro, cross-country and gravel to pump track and beach cyclocross. Activities for children and adaptive cycling categories were also included. That mix makes a festival different from a single-start race: visitors can encounter several forms of cycling and choose whether to watch, try a bike or head out onto the trails themselves.
The Hanging Rock exhibition site was within riding distance of Mogo Trails, linking bicycle demonstrations to real terrain. The programme announced before the festival named more than 250 represented brands. Its design shows how a trail network, local businesses and the cycle industry can work together to create a destination extending well beyond a finish line.