Hi, I would love to see Australia be added to the worlds to ride!
If this has not been considered, please consider adding Australia to the Zwift worlds!
I’ve thought about this too. Rather than a new world, Zwift could add kms of more roads to Watopia with and Australian theme. And the logical place to put an Australian outback-themed area is in the large and unused space out to the East of the roundabout joining the desert area of Fuego Flats to the Southern Coast road near Desert Springs township. Zwift could gradually transfer to the Australian desert (with emus and camels) to a temperate gum tree forest and grassland with kangaroos and an outback pub and then back to the desert to join back up with Fuego Flats somewhere near the township of Desert Flats. Plenty of opportunity to add a climb and a flat bypass - giving you plenty of route and race options.
1 Like
Yes, even Australian themed would be nice!!! I am about to do the Sydney to Gong ride for MS in November, and was thinking how cool it would be if Zwift had this route to do virtually! Not a fan of Fulgaz or Rouvy to do it that way, I much prefer Zwift!
We had the UCI worlds championships here in Wollongong, Australia in 2022, but nobody likes UCI courses/worlds in Zwift so that stops this idea. People even want the UCI worlds in Zwift removed(!).
The Alpine Way from Thredbo to Khancoban to the Spillway Road and then back would be one heck of a good route for Zwift. 
That would be the hardest route of any in Zwift - way tougher than any of the Pretzel routes.
But people would want it to be built with Climb Portal style graphics and stuck in some kind of Portal. That would be a shame, because it is really beautiful in real life.
You could also put in a cycleway:
That’s one I use sometimes IRL. 40km end to end. At 4:28 section Zwift could even have the famous magpie that sits on the light posts and attacks everyone that goes past.
1 Like
A zwift world shouldn’t be constrained by reality, the virtual world can be much more feature rich than any one real location.
My idea for an Zwift Australia world would be a combination of roads picked from or inspired by the Illawarra Ranges, Adelaide Hills etc, joined together at the bottom by a version of Melbourne’s Beach Rd, add in some flat to rolling roads with an outback theme, and fill in the gaps with gravel/mtb trails.
2 Likes
Wow, that Thredbo ride looks insane!!!
Haha an M7 to Prestons return would be good!! Definitely need the magpies for added fun! I wouldn’t mind getting swopped virtually at all LOL
I am sure there would be some good routes from Australia to add, the Bowral Classic etc! I am in NSW so would be good to do some other parts of Oz also from famous tracks in other states!
I dont mind UCI worlds either btw!
2 Likes
There was some talk many years ago of a Haute Route even in Australia, but it didn’t proceed further sadly, it’s just too far away for the rest of the world. They don’t like flying 13 hours or more. 
Approvals for road-cycling events are also extremely difficult, it’s a wonder the UCI Worlds didn’t get cancelled because of all the angry protests.
For the racers you could have The Armory track used by the Lidcome-Auburn Cycling Club every Thursday evening during the summer months for criterium racing, the so-called “Heffron of the West” because it often got some pretty strong and well known riders in A-Grade.
The Thredbo ride I’ve done and it’s very difficult. I had the wrong gearing - 11-25 cassette and 50-34. The way out isn’t so bad, but the way back has some very steep sections.
Which is exactly why I think and Australian-themed area could be constructed in Watopia rather than sticking with any one particularly “accurate” area. Add in an outback pub, kangaroos hopping by, emus running around, and YES! definitely swooping (but harmless) magpies. Make it as cliched as you want.
And as a separate idea (I agree Tom), we really do need some gravel / dirt tracks around the place. They don’t have to be used for regular races like the ZRace monthly series or ZRL but the opportunity for short and steep ups and downs and loops for our gravel bikes or MTBs would be really appreciated! They don’t even have to join up with the existing road network. Look at the space north of Fuego Flats for a dry and rocky ride and the area South West of the Sandy Coast for a more wet and jungley experience.