Riding e-bikes offroad in Queensland

There is some good news for Queensland e-bike riders following the introduction of new age and driver licence requirements on 31 August.

Riders of legal e-bikes are exempt from the new licensing and age requirements when riding at qualifying public mountain bike trails, rail trails and private recreational cycling facilities.

Importantly, these exemptions are broader than the list of riding locations currently published by the Queensland Government.

Bicycle Queensland Director of Advocacy Andrew Demack said riders should not assume a trail needs to appear on the Transport and Main Roads website to qualify.

“Many mountain bike trail networks owned by local governments and other Government agencies are not listed on the TMR site, but the legislation is quite clear that you can ride on public trails as long as there is a sign allowing bike use, somewhere on the trail network.”

The legislation specifically states that the places published by the Queensland Government do not limit the places to which the exemption applies.

For mountain bike trails, the legislation defines eligible trails or trail networks as being open to the public, having recreational bicycle riding as one of their main uses, being on relevant government-managed land, and being identified as a mountain bike trail by signage on or at an entrance to the trail, or at least one trail within a network.

Rail trails are also covered by the exemption where they meet the definition contained in the legislation and are identified as a rail trail by signage.

As Andrew explains:

“Riding your EN15194 legal e-mountain bike on recognised public mountain bike trails and rail trails is exempt from the new legislation’s licensing and age requirements.”

The exemption does not mean other e-bike and road rules cease to apply. Riders must still use a legal e-bike and comply with the applicable riding rules, including helmet requirements and rules around riding near pedestrians.

The Queensland Government has published a list of recognised riding areas, but the legislation makes clear that this list is not exhaustive.

View the Queensland Government’s e-mobility riding areas and exemptions