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Goodnessgravel is about where bikes can take you when you give yourself an excuse to leave town and venture somewhere new.
The series returns in 2026, but things might look a little different, as a new face has jumped into the driver’s seat.
Ahead of the first event on this year’s calendar in Glen Innes on March 7, we caught up with Cam Taylor, the new face at the helm of goodnessgravel, to find out what’s new, the changes to the calendar, and his vision for the series.
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Building on the solid foundation | The evolution of goodnessgravel
For those familiar with Australia’s gravel scene, Taylor isn’t new to this space. He already runs Brown Snake Gravel and the Brisbane Roubaix, two events known for blending riding with a buzzing atmosphere and community. Now, he’s bringing that same mindset to the goodnessgravel calendar in 2026.
That spirit isn’t changing in 2026, but under new management, it’s evolving.
“I really wanted to keep the same vibe,” says Cam Taylor, the new face at the helm of goodnessgravel.
“But, also build on it a little and give riders a bigger experience on these weekends away.”
goodnessgravel was founded in the aftermath of COVID, when international travel was difficult. The goal was to help folks get out and explore the hidden gems not so far from home. Founder of the series Will Levy also runs a twowheeltours, and has been running international cycling tours, including taking folks to the Haute Routefor over a decade — you know, the event that set the stage for the Netflix doco Icarus.
With overseas travel back in full swing, Levy needed to focus his energy solely on twowheeltours. So he approached Taylor and asked him to carry the goodnesstorch.
“It didn’t take much to say yes,” Taylor admits. “I’ve done quite a few of the goodnessgravel events before. I knew the places, their vibes, and I knew how special they were.”
Those experiences weren’t just as a rider. Taylor has attended previous events with his friends and family, outlining a clear picture of what makes goodnessgravel different.
“We’ve got memories from each event,” he says. “That’s a big part of why I wanted to take it on and give other people those same experiences.”
What’s not changing
Heading into the 2026 event calendar, Taylor is clear on what’s staying put.
“We’re keeping the ethos of goodnessgravel,” he says.
“It’s community-focused, and we cater for people who want to go hard and challenge themselves, but also the party-pace crew who want to take their time, enjoy the scenery, stop at the aid stations and have a chat.”
Those famously generous rest stops aren’t going anywhere either.
“They’ve got doughnuts and live music,” Taylor laughs. “That won’t be changing.”
Nor will goodnessgravel’s commitment to sustainability and local communities.
“There’s a donation from every ticket that goes back to local charities,” he explains. “In exchange, we have volunteers from the community helping on the day. That’s really important to keep.”
And yes, the beeswax-dipped rider numbers are here to stay.
“We’ll keep that,” he says. “And, even if we change rider plates in the future, we’ll make sure they’re as sustainable as possible.”
A Bigger, Broader Calendar
While final dates are still being locked in, the goodnessgravel calendar is shaping up nicely, starting with two crowd favourites.
First up is Glen Innes on the 7 March 2026, opening the season in the New England Highlands with the riding goodnessgravel has become known for. Kilometres of quiet country roads, with wide horizons and rolling pristine gravel, it’s an event that sets the tone of the year ahead.
For 2026, the same 125km, 75km and 35km course options will still be on offer. Colin has ridden this event twice before; you can read more about what to expect below.
- A great day in Glen Innes | Can you carb your way through goodnessgravel?
- Redemption, Doughnuts And Gravel In The New England Highlands | Colin returns to goodnessgravel Glen Innes
The calendar mixes returning events across regional New South Wales with new Brisbane-based events now officially under the goodnessgravel umbrella.
On the 29th of March, goodness heads north for the Brisbane Roubaix.
Brisbane Roubaix is a tribute-style ride inspired by the Spring Classics. The course details are yet to be announced, but last year’s route was a 100km of mostly paved roads, with a few spicy off-road sectors sprinkled throughout to simulate the Belgian cobbles.
“We start at a coffee shop and finish at a brewery,” he explains. “And, we have timed segments. It gives people who want to be competitive a chance to stretch their legs, but it’s still all about the experience.”
Meanwhile, Brown Snake Gravel rolls straight out of Brisbane’s CBD and threads through the neighbouring parks and bushland, finishing back in the City for a bumpin’ after-party. With 102.5km and 61.5km course options, it’s a proper off-road adventure, never venturing out of earshot of the City. On the calendar for August, the event date is TBC at the time of writing.
The remainder of the goodnesscalendar is still to be locked, but Orange, Bulahdelah and Parkes are pencilled in for May, July and October. As things are confirmed, we’ll update here.
Beyond that, Taylor has his eye on some further expansions. But before then, the focus is on growth without dilution.
Turning rides into weekenders
One of the clearest messages from rider feedback was simple: folks want more time together.
“One of the recurring themes from the (post-event) survey (data) was that people wanted us to do a little bit more at the event village and after-party,” Taylor says.
In 2026, goodnessgravel will start experimenting with ways to extend the experience beyond the ride itself.
“We’ll definitely be trying to do more in that space,” he explains. “Short film nights, maybe a gravel film on the Saturday evening, somewhere people can come, have a beer or a pizza, and just extend the weekend a bit.”
It’s about making the whole weekend feel connected.
“It’s always kind of been a weekend away,” Taylor says.
“But, now it’ll feel more tied to goodnessgravel, rather than everything happening independently.”
That could also mean organised shake-out rides on Fridays, lead recovery rides on Sundays, and a little more structure around how the weekend unfolds.
Can it still be not a race and timed?
goodnessgravel has always made a point of saying that it isn’t a race. But Taylor believes there’s room to evolve.
“I haven’t decided yet what that will look like,” he says. “But, I would like to introduce timing in some form.”
The challenge is maintaining an inclusive feel that defines the series. Taylor thinks you can do both.
“You can cater to riders who want to push themselves, while still keeping that friendly, welcoming vibe.”
The Brisbane events offer a glimpse of what is possible, with Strava-based timed segments already in place for those who want to be on the leaderboard.
Familiar roads with fresh energy
Some courses will remain unchanged, well, at least for now.
“The course at Glenn Innes is really great,” Taylor says. “It has beautiful scenery and a bit of everything. I’m not too upset about not tweaking that one yet.”
Other courses may rotate or evolve, keeping the calendar feeling fresh for returning riders.
One location Taylor is particularly excited about is Orange.
“It’s a pretty new place for me,” he says. “Mount Canobolas and the surrounding countryside are really pretty. I went there before Christmas and just thought, ‘this is special’.”
Taylor has been busy locking in returning partners, with Lazer Helmets, Bowy Active, Panaracer, Black Sheep Cycling, and many more, all set to continue their support in 2026.
“Will (Levy) built a great foundation,” he says. “Now, it’s about strengthening those relationships and building from there.”
And yes, Taylor will be at every event.
“I’ll be at all of them,” he says. “Probably not riding on the day. It’s hard to do both. But I’ll be there to bring the vibe and cheer people on.”
Looking ahead at goodnessgravel | New look, same spirit
For all the talk of growth, goodnessgravel’s heart remains unchanged.
“I just love exploring new places,” Taylor says. “You take some friends, head somewhere you wouldn’t normally go, and end up with memories you wouldn’t have had otherwise.”
And, that’s precisely what the goodnessgravel calendar promises: same soul, bigger weekends and a series that continues to give gravel go’ers a reason to get out of town.
How do you register for goodnessgravel
Registration for goodnessgravel Glen Innes is open now. For more info on the series or to book your spot, head over the goodnessgravel website.
Photos: Outer Image Collective, Element Photo and Video, El Calvoli
The post New Look Same Spirit | goodnessgravel returns with a new face behind the series and expanded calendar appeared first on Flow Mountain Bike.
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[[{“value”:”Goodnessgravel is about where bikes can take you when you give yourself an excuse to leave town and venture somewhere new. The series returns in 2026, but things might look a little different, as a new face has jumped into the driver’s seat. Ahead of the first event on this year’s calendar in Glen Innes
The post New Look Same Spirit | goodnessgravel returns with a new face behind the series and expanded calendar appeared first on Flow Mountain Bike.”}]] Read More Flow Mountain Bike
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