Bishop Druitt College’s Mountain Biking Program has once again made waves, recently featured in the Winter 2025 edition of Australian Mountain Biking Magazine (AMB). The article shines a spotlight on BDC’s non-competitive, skills-based approach to mountain biking and it's a moment of immense pride for our riders, staff and families.

This national recognition follows the program’s involvement at the Outdoors NSW & ACT Inaugural Mountain Biking Symposium, where BDC MTB coordinators Joel and Patrick presented to over 500 key stakeholders about the power of inclusive, developmental cycling programs in schools. Joel said, “We never set out to be a high-performance program. We wanted to create something meaningful for young people and to now be recognised nationally for that, it’s more than we could’ve hoped for,” said Joel, MTB Coordinator.

Since its formal launch in 2022, the BDC MTB program has grown to include:

• Over 230 student participants, from Stage 2 through Stage 4.
• Year-round skills development sessions, trail rides, and mountain bike camps.
• Regular rides at local favourites like Sawmill, Jacks Ridge and Wedding Bells.
• Strong participation in local and regional events like NCIS and the NSW Schools MTB Series.
• A growing number of trained staff, with seven instructors holding AusCycling accreditations.
• The debut of a custom BDC MTB jersey in 2023, proudly worn at events and ride days.

At its heart, the BDC MTB Program is about connection with the land, with local businesses, with one another. The team has worked closely with local clubs, supported community dig days, built industry partnerships, and encouraged both students and parents to join their local clubs and become AusCycling members.

In 2025, BDC will also launch ‘Friends of Mountain Biking’, an online community hub to further support MTB growth, education, and engagement.

Among the program’s proudest achievements:

• Widespread participation, including increasing numbers of girls taking up the sport.
• Successful MTB skills camps and National Schools Championship trips to Thredbo.
• Hosting two AusCycling Foundation Instructor Courses at BDC for both staff and community members.
• Winning the inaugural NCIS Mountain Biking Competition.
• And of course, a feature in AMB Magazine, a testament to the staffs' passion for getting BDC students out on the trails

BDC’s MTB journey is now well established and continuing to grow. With continued community support, a growing student base, and strong partnerships, the wheels are well and truly in motion.

Credit: Editor at AMB and Author: Annie Arnott.