Gravel Riding

Wollombi Gravel Fest
with Valtteri Bottas & Tiffany Cromwell

Get ready for an unforgettable experience at Wollombi Gravel Fest—a full weekend of exhilarating rides, gourmet dining, local wines, and the tranquil beauty of the Wollombi Valley.

We’re all very excited to have gravel riding legends Tiff Cromwell and Valtteri Bottas join us for the weekend as we enjoy three days of fun in the valley. We kick off the weekend on Friday night with ride check-in and a pre-ride dinner, setting the stage for your epic 90km ride through the breathtaking Watagans on Saturday.

After conquering the trails, explore the tiny village of Wollombi and indulge in a smoked BBQ festival complete with live music and craft beer on Saturday evening.

On Sunday, unwind with a leisurely recovery ride up the Boree Valley followed by a delicious brunch.

A perfect way to start your Christmas break.

Let's get organised

Wollombi Gravel Fest

December 20-22, 2024

Wollombi Gravel Fest is a celebration of gravel riding in the gorgeous Wollombi Valley.

The weekend is all about riding with friends, soaking up nature, indulging in food, wine, live music, and entertainment.

The two days of riding will vary in difficulty with day one being the challenging day through the Watagans.

Day 2 is more of a relaxing ride and is on an out and back course allowing for riders to turn around at any time.

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Dining and food options

We have a dining package if you’d like to make things easy for your weekend.

Select the package that suits your travel plans. If you’re arriving Friday before dinner and leaving Sunday afternoon, we’ve got you covered for all meals. Dining packages can be ordered in the registration process.

If you’re not staying for the full weekend but would still like to participate in some of the dining options, just select the appropriate option for you.

Visit Wollombi has a good list of accommodation available. There is also the option to camp directly in Wollombi. Your camping option can also be booked on the race registration page.

Wollombi Gravel Fest

Schedule of events

Friday

Arrive in the afternoon, check in to your accommodation, and relax with cocktails and a pre-ride dinner hosted by Myrtle & Stone.

Saturday

Kick off with coffee and a hearty breakfast wrap at 8am, then embark on a scenic ride through the Watagans. Later, enjoy our famous Myrtle Smoked BBQ festival with local live music, craft beer, local wines and a chance to hear from Valtteri and Tiff about life on the road as professional athletes.

Sunday

Start with coffee and a light snack, followed by a gentle recovery ride on Boree Track. End the weekend with a delicious brunch by Myrtle & Stone, and explore the Wollombi galleries before heading home for Christmas.

Day 1

Wollombi Gravel Fest Unbound. Starting in Wollombi we’ll ride south along Great North road on paved road. At Murrays Run we’ll turn left and this is where you leave the pavement behind and enjoy the quiet dirt roads. We’ll travel up towards Bucketty through gorgeous paddocks and up a lovely climb. At the top we’ll turn left and head into the Watagans, down Watagan Creek road and finish the first loop at Laguna. At this point we turn left and right and head over the hill into Yango Creek road and enjoy a scenic ride home.

87.56 km
1,418 m vertical
Approx 3.5-4 hours

Day 2

Boree track out and back. Starting in Wollombi we’ll ride up Yango Creek Road to the Boree Valley Road turn-off at 9km. From there we ride out and back on Boree Valley road and back down Yango Creek road arriving in Wollombi for your recovery brunch.

59.51 km
935 m vertical
Approx 2.5 hours

FAQ's

Is Wollombi Gravel Fest a race?
It is not a race. Wollombi Gravel is all about the experience of riding through gorgeous roads with great people and enjoying the moment. Regular road rules apply at all times

What does my entry include?
Your entry includes:

Entry to the designated rides on amazing champagne gravel. You can choose to do one day or both days.
Ride insurance through AusCycling
Safe ride conditions with marshalls, signage, and first aid facilities
Entry to the race festival grounds with live music, delicious food and mingling with fellow cyclists
A ride alongside Formula 1 driver and adopted Aussie Valtteri Bottas and World Tour cyclist Tiffany Cromwell
Ride alongside other Olympians including Olivia Gollan and Kate Bates
Access to an up close and personal chat with Valtteri and Tiff, hosted by long time sports presenter and local Wollombian Jim Wilson
Post ride sausage sizzle after Saturday’s ride (included in the Saturday ride ticket)
A ride t-shirt and goodie bag
Bag check-in and pick up at start/finish area
Water and feed zones along the ride. We provide the tasty treats.

Who can enter?

This event is open to cyclists from beginners with some off road experience through to the highly experienced. You will need a moderate level of fitness. Riders Under 18 years of age on event day must be accompanied by an adult guardian and should choose the Sunday Recovery ride as their ride of choice.

What bike should i ride?

The course is definitely a gravel bike course. It can also be ridden on a mountain bike. A road bike would not suffice in certain parts of the course particularly if the weather turns sour.

What does it cost to enter?

Day 1: Wollombi Gravel Fest Unbound: $180

Day 2: Wollombi Gravel Fest Recovery: $110

2 day pass: $220

Under 18 participants get their entry for half price.

What support is provided?

Both Saturday and Sunday’s course will be supported with a lead vehicle and a sweep vehicle. We will have feed zones for refreshments and communication opportunities at regular points around the course and we will have trained marshalls and first aid at major points on the course. Support is being provided by local RFS volunteers and qualified event drivers. We ask that each rider signs on at the start of each ride and signs off when arriving at the finish to ensure we are accounting for every rider.

We will also have an event support mechanic onsite at the ride village for three days. The support mechanic will provide free last-minute service support for riders and if you have a problem they’ll solve it with a range of spares including tyres, tubes & tubeless, chains and brakes for Gravel/eGravel and MTB/eMTB. Air and water will be available for your use plus emergency charging for AXS and Di2.

What else is taking place throughout the weekend?

You’ll have the opportunity to arrive on Friday evening and enjoy a pre-ride dinner with fellow participants at Myrtle & Stone Cafe as you register for the event and pick up your goodie bag.
On arriving back in the village after your Saturday ride, the ride village will have live music, food and refreshments to allow you to relax with friends and talk about the ride. The village will be open until 8pm.

Where can i stay?

You can browse our accommodation page for accommodation options. Hunter Valley Escapes and Wollombi Valley Stays are also very helpful in finding the right accommodation for you and Visit Wollombi also has additional listings.

If you like camping, the ride village will have camping for a small fee. There is also camping next to the Tavern and at local campsites listed on our accommodation page.

What do i need to bring?

Bring your bike, a spares kit and pump, proper bike clothing, any necessary medication (we are half an hour from the nearest chemist), ride food (although some will be provided). It’ll be hot so ensure you have sunscreen and plenty of water and electrolytes.
The spares kit on your bike should include a spare tube and tyre levers plus a chain joiner link and a tube/tyre patch kit. You’ll also need a multi-tool and if you run tubeless then carry some plugs and a CO2 kit or a pump. If you use AXS then a spare battery is a good idea.
We will have spare tubes, CO2 and other necessities for sale at the ride centre if you forget yours. We will also have a mechanic onsite for any last-minute bike issues.

Is there phone coverage?

There are large parts of the course that will have no phone coverage but there are definite patches of coverage throughout the ride. Water stops will all be able to communicate with ride headquarters and first aid if needed.

Wollombi Valley has phone coverage for Telstra and Optus, however is you’re with Vodafone, you’re out of luck. Ride headquarters and accommodation venues have wifi for your