Southstar shuttles gets you to the top of Rotorua's world-famous trail network in Whakarewarewa forest and Christchurch's Vic Park trail network in the Port Hills. The shuttles give you access to a variety of trails from cruisy to extreme. Each accessing over 30km of handcrafted trails that can be put together in endlessly new ways to give you the best part of a mountain bike ride - railing down a mint trail - without the ride up.
Use the shuttle to extend an xc ride, or rack up some descents on a downhill rig.
When & where
Both Southstar shuttles run Saturdays, Sundays & Public Holidays. In addition the Rotorua shuttle runs Tuesday evenings during daylight savings, School Holidays and daily Dec 27th to Feb 1st. The Christchurch shuttle runs Wednesday evenings during daylight savings.
The Rotorua shuttle leaves Waipa carpark off SH5 just south of Rotorua (map) at 9.30am and 1pm and every 15 mins from the corner of Hill and Pipeline Roads. Last lift at 5.30pm Saturday, 3.30pm Sunday. The Tuesday night shuttle leaves Burger Fuel in Rotorua at 5.15pm and typically does 5 uplifts until dark.
The Christchurch shuttle leaves from Bowenvale Ave between Oakview lane and Wedgewood Ave (map), starting at 9.30am and every 40 mins through the morning. It breaks for lunch around 1pm and restarts from the bottom at 1.30pm, last pick-up 3.30pm.
The Wed night shuttle leaves 4pm and typically does 4-5 uplifts until dark.
You don't need to book, just turn
up at the pick-up point. To make a mid-week group booking or get a weather update call Jeff in Rotorua on 0276543038, email: jeff[at]southstaradventures.com, or Wilfred in Christchurch 0211178313. The general rule is if it's raining the shuttle isn't operating.
If it's been raining overnight and fines up mid-morning, we often run for the afternoon.
Prices
Current shuttle prices
are as follows: 1 run $10, 6 run anytime concession
card $30 (can be used on any day - i.e you don't have to use it all at once), 100 uplift pass $200 (valid for 12 months from date of purchase). From the 1 Nov both passes can be shared.
News
Southstar ran shuttles for the Wideopen demo day, Camerman Jonathon Drew was onhand to catch the action from Wide Open pros Brett Frew, Matt Scoles and Vaughan Woolhouse
Southstar hosted the Lapeirre Salomon team in Rotorua last summer and they have posted a video of their trip in Rotorua, watch it here.
Public Holidays 2009
New Years Day Jan 1st 09
Day after New Years Day Jan 2nd 09
Wellington anniversary Monday Jan 19th 09 (Rotorua shuttle)
Auckland Anniversary Monday Jan 26th 09 (Rotorua shuttle)
Waitangi Day Friday Feb 6th 09
Good Friday April 10th 09
Easter Monday April 13th 09
Anzac Day Saturday April 25th 09
Queens B-Day Mon 1 June 09
Hawkes Bay Anniversary Fri Oct 23rd 09 (Rotorua shuttle)
Labour day Mon Oct 26th 09
Canterbury Anniversary Fri Nov 14th 08, Nov 13th 09 (Chch shuttle)
(Not running Christmas day and Boxing day)
Valentines Day is always 14 February each year, in 2009 this is a Saturday
Mothers Day is always the 2nd Sunday in May, 10 May 2009
Fathers Day is always the 1st Sunday in September, 6th Sept 2009
School Holidays (Rotorua shuttle):
Fri 10th April 09 - Fri 24th April 09
Mon July 6th 09 - Fri 17th July 09 10
Mon 28th Sept 09 - Fri 9th Oct 09 10
Races (Rotorua shuttle):
The Rotorua shuttle will be running for the public on all the Rotorua Mountain Bike Club race days, these dates will be advertised on the RMTBC website. These are typically as follows:
North Island Series late November /early December Sat/Sun
The skills and expertise gained from construction of
trails in the whaka forest with the Rotorua Mountain
Bike Club, at Castlerock and Rotorua's World Championship
4X track have enabled the development of a special trail
design consultancy service. Southstar
Trails is all about ensuring that trails are
developed that meet the needs of mountain bikers and
create the minimum impact on the environment. To find
out more click here
Southstar
Clothing Design
Filling the missing link between mountain bikers, street
wear and beach volleyball, check out the new clothing
lines from Southstar, you can see some more designs
in the Southstar Webshop here.
Southstar
Tours
Southstar operates 1 week and 2 week mountain biking
tours through New Zealand. Our guides take you to the
best singletrack in the country, linking together trails
like only locals can. We shuttle between trailheads
in a van, with bikes safely housed on a 12 bike trailer
rack. These trips have set departure dates over the
summer, or you can request a custom trip with your choice
of lodgings. See the nz tours page for more info
ROTORUA RIDE REPORT: Shuttle is on today Wed 7th Jan. Trails are dry and mint. 10 day forecast here.
CHRISTCHURCH RIDE REPORT: Shuttle is next operating Wed evening 7th Jan. Forecast here.
Southstar
Shuttles
