New horse riding trails to officially open at Wingello State Forest next week

The Southern Highlands Endurance Ride Inc established the new trails in collaboration with the NSW Forestry Corporation, and with financial support from the NSW Office of Sport and New-Moon Stud. 

Wingello forest ride secretary Rebecca Hogan said interest in endurance rides had grown in recent years though many riders were concerned about getting lost.

“We’ve been atracting new comers into the sport but we found a lot of people didn’t know how far 5km was and were worried they’d get lost,” Ms Hogan said.

The new horse trails are a welcome addition to the region as urban expansion and development has impacted trails that previously existed in the Southern Highlands and Illawarra.

“A lot of the semi-rural areas have had a lot of informal trail riding, but a lot of those trail systems have been developed and no longer exist in the same way,” Ms Hogan said.

Two trails have been marked as part of the project: The Fern Gully Trail spanning a distance of 18km and the New-Moon trail spanning a total distance of 31km. 

An official opening is set for 11am next Friday, September 7 at the horse float parking area at Wingello State Forest. 

“It’s a morning to meet and greet and a way to say thank you to NSW Sport and Recreation and to the Forestry Corporation for their support and funding of the project,” Ms Hogan said. 

“It is also an opportunity for trail riders to group together and show our Government representatives just how many of us there are, and how important to us it is to have access to riding trails,” she said.

Horse enthusiasts and the general public are invited to attend the opening next Friday. 

“We’ll be doing an official photo at 11am, come down with your horse or just come and enjoy a Snax on Trax coffee in the forest in the company of other horse riders," Ms Hogan said.