The Oskam family (from left) Peter, Tom, Louise and Baby run That Place mountain bike park near Whanganui. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown
The Oskam family (from left) Peter, Tom, Louise and Baby run That Place mountain bike park near Whanganui. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown
Family-owned and operated mountain bike park, That Place, is marking five years in business and has further expansion plans, reports Fin Ocheduszko-Brown.
The remote park – located 25km up the Whanganui River in Kaiwhaiki – has been maintained by the Oskam family, Louise, Peter, Tom and Baby.
It is on52ha of family trust land, reachable by public gravel road that continues upriver from Kaiwhaiki Pā.
Louise Oskam said the maintenance and development work of Peter and Tom has contributed to the success of That Place.
There are soon to be 15 trails available to ride at That Place mountain bike park, located 25km up the river from Whanganui. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown
Director Tom Oskam said the problem a lot of trails and mountain bike parks encountered was under-management.
“[That Place] is great riding, well-crafted and well-maintained, which is a real problem now in the mountain biking world because there’s lots of great trails that have been built, but not maintained,” he said.
“There’s a lot of trails being built but there’s not a lot of trails that receive the love that they need to stay popular so this is the other end of the scale.”
Tom Oskam has over a decade of experience building mountain bike trails across Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
He said he feels more connected to That Place because it’s home and he can fix what he wants by riding down himself.
“It’s so much nicer than being put on a job, finishing a trail as quick as you can because that’s what the boss wants you to do and moving on to the next,” he said.
The Jelly Time or Hockus Spokus trails have garnered the most positive feedback from riders.
Louise Oskam said riders’ feedback is often centred around the technical trails that are challenging but enjoyable.
She thinks the different landscape and offerings have drawn people to the park.
“It really is something unique and special. We have only had amazing people come and stay, everyone is always in a good mood that have a good time,” Louise said.
“The community is amazing; that’s what we have really found.”
The trees, that were initially shoulder-height, have grown to form a canopy over riders’ heads as they whizz down the trails.
“When you ride through trees, you feel faster,” Tom Oskam said.
The Oskam family started Takahuri Glamping a year ago near Kaiwhaiki in an attempt to attract visitors to the area and That Place mountain bike park. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown
A year ago, the Oskams created Takahuri Glamping, which consists of three off-grid geodesic domes available for accommodation.
This was seen as another way to attract tourists and people in Whanganui to the area.
