Goat Farm, Greenmount

The Goat Farm is a designated mountain bike area on DPaW land in Greenmount, on the edge of Perth. There trails are probably the closest to the city and only 4km from Midland train station.

All disciplines of mountain biking are catered for with two downhill runs, three XC tracks, a 4X course and an excellent skills park that is suitable for riders of all abilities.

Beware that the hill is steep, some of the trails rocky and the downhill tracks in particular, badly eroded. Whilst there are great views of Perth from the top of the hill, there is also little shade and it can be an unforgiving place to ride on a hot summer's day.

Down-hill Trails:

Gravel Rash (0.85km)
The most challenging technical trail at The Goat Farm. A short fast down-hill trail curls off the “Slippery Nipple” and takes you downhill fast. Hug the “GForce”, a series of tight berms near the top then plummet off the hill before coming to the “Praying Mantis”, a tough and technical rocky section. Continue down and over “Mum’s Worry” – a bermed drop off and jump then over “The Shute” before blasting out at the bottom of the hill.

A-Kline (0.53km)
International trail builder Joey Klein inspired this trail, this short spur option off the Dugite Bite tips you off the scarp and over a technical rocky section with a double black diamond A-line and a less challenging B-line. Continue on down through a tough and fast open flowing section of trail before joining the Blue Cruiser cross-country trail that takes you back to the car park.

Dugite Bite (1.14km)
Launch from the “Slippery Nipple” into a long series of tight downhill berms before being spat out over a set of table tops and into more berms. Pass the spur trail A-Kline and into a wild rhythm section then down through some deep berms before being launched into orbit on the final table top. Continue on and join the Blue Cruiser trail back to the car park or push your way back up to the top via the push up trail.

4X Trail (0.44km)
The 4X trail is a fast flowing trail including a start area. It is a trail where you and 3 mates can race each other over technical jumps, over tabletops, through winding banked berms and over rhythm jump sections to see who can reach the bottom first. This trail is a great place to hone your skills before taking on some of the other trails within the park.

Cross Country Trails:

Blue Cruiser (5.78km)
The Blue Cruiser is a challenging and sometimes technical cross country trail with fast flowing downhill sections and some tough uphill climbs. There are a couple of sections of the trail that are uphill or downhill only so check the map and look for the directional signs as you go. The Ball Breaker is one such uphill section certain to up the heart rate. The Blue Cruiser is linked to the Cannon Ball Run.

Cannon Ball Run (0.64km)
The Cannon Ball Run across The Goat Farm links each side of the Blue Cruiser. If you join it riding from north to south it is mostly downhill with some fast flowing sections. Look out for where it crosses the A-Kline where you must stop and give way. This link trail allows you to ride a figure of 8s with Blue Cruiser.

Ball Breaker (0.98km)
The Ball Breaker is an uphill only linking section of trail on the back side of the Blue Cruiser. This is a very tough uphill slog that will test the ‘mountain goats’. Ball Breaker can only be ridden when riding the Blue Cruiser anti-clockwise. It is steep and technical in places.

Skills Park
The Goat Farm skills park is the perfect place to spend an hour or two honing your skills. The upper section consists of a series of beautifully constructed berms and table tops of varying sizes. Once you have mastered these, this track leads in to the lower section (nearest the car park) where there are small drops, more table tops and then some large (black diamond) rock drops to finish. The middle part of the skills part has an array of logs, platforms, skinnies and see saws of varying sizes ideal gaining confidence and progressing your riding.

Destinations

Greenmount

Greenmount and its neighbouring conservation area, John Forrest National Park, have held a special place the hearts of Perth people since the late 1800s, when the area was declared Western Australia's first national park. Still a favourite daytrip from the city, it's just a 30 minute drive north-east along the Great Eastern Highway to reach the Perth Hills community of Greenmount, and another ten minutes into the Darling Ranges to enter John Forrest National Park. The best way to get there and explore its 1,500 plus hectares of wilderness is to walk or cycle the Railway Heritage Trail and then take a detour onto the many bushwalking trails that crisscross the park. Wandering through marri and wandoo woodlands, passing quiet pools, spectacular waterfalls and heathlands filled with spring wildflowers (in season), you can take in magnificent vistas of the Swan coastal plain and city beyond. It's a must-snap stop for photographers and bird watchers, while lovers of the performing arts might also be interested in the productions of the Darlington Theatre Players at the Marloo Theatre in Greenmount. Spend a few days immersing yourself in the laidback Perth Hills lifestyle, and book a night or two at one of the area's budget or mid-range accommodation options.