Garreth Paton

I’ve been building trails and riding bikes for most of my life. It started back in 1992 when I was 14 — digging tracks after school just so my mates and I could ride something new. That early passion for shaping terrain and testing it on two wheels has stuck with me ever since.

Over the years I’ve raced downhill, cross-country, and enduro, which gave me a real understanding of how trail design affects flow, safety, and rider experience. That mix of racing and building taught me how the smallest details — the way a corner transitions or how a feature sits in the landscape — can make or break a trail.

In 2009, I hosted the first-ever (unofficial) Pump Track World Championships in my backyard, long before pump tracks became a mainstream part of the scene. It was all about community, creativity, and having fun on bikes — values that still drive the way I build today.

I started Iconic Trails in 2019 to bring that same hands-on experience and passion into professional trail building. Since then, I’ve worked on projects across Australia, from remote walking tracks to major MTB trail networks. My focus is always on building trails that ride naturally, last through the elements, and connect people with the environment around them.

Trail building has never felt like  job to me — it’s been a lifelong progression from rider to builder to business owner, and I’m proud to keep contributing to the trail community that shaped who I am.