Illawarra Escarpment Mountain Bike Draft Strategy: Public Consultation

Halo1

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Some HUGE news dropped yesterday and needs MTB riders support NOW!
http://www.illawarramtballiance.com.au/news/2018/10/27/illawarra-mtb-alliance-media-release

Public exhibition is from 30 October 2018 to 10 December 2018 - see above link for details and links.

Although some iconic Gong trails trails could not be included, mainly due to being on private land, the proposal aims to replace these trails with new like for like trails.

What do people think?
 

Dozer

Heavy machinery.
Staff member
It's the best place in NSW to get this happening. There are a few downsides to it but being the positive dude I am, I say hats off to the guys and girls who have been digging and maintaining the trails that have created and kept in interest in the area that have now convinced the politicians and pencil pushers who don't even ride a bike that this is worth doing more towards. It shits me that politics decides where you can ride your bike but onwards and upwards and above all else, awesome work to the people on the tools who have kept people in the Illawarra riding bikes.
 

climberman

Likes Dirt
Overall great idea.
Some things in the general discussion annoy me (like its a given mtb tracks are dangerous and environentally poor, especially in the context of ex-mining lands, or the 'must avoid steep areas and riparian areas' approach) but there'll be a general submission in support from me.

Not sure what it means for Bulli and Throol.
 

Halo1

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Not sure what it means for Bulli and Throol.
Should be business as usual for Bulli and Fiirool.

Dirt Art only focused their work on Nat parks lands. The Nat parks document does mark some trails for closure that are not on their land. Given that Nat Parks can't take any action on these trails and there is no indication from the landowners that anything will change there should be no impact on most of the trails.
 

climberman

Likes Dirt
Should be business as usual for Bulli and Fiirool.

Dirt Art only focused their work on Nat parks lands. The Nat parks document does mark some trails for closure that are not on their land. Given that Nat Parks can't take any action on these trails and there is no indication from the landowners that anything will change there should be no impact on most of the trails.

Is part of Bulli not in IESCA? Dunno if the bottom is but the bit off the Pass is?



"Five localities (Austinmer, Bulli, Balgownie, Mount Keira and Mount Kembla) were investigated. The draft strategy proposes formal trails in three (Balgownie, Mount Keira and Mount Kembla).

Public lands at Austinmer and Bulli offer limited scope for trail development at the current time due to their small area and environmental constraints.
Routes were chosen to provide sustainable, safe, high-quality single-track experiences for a diversity of riders without adverse impacts on the community, the environment or other values"

Great to see Balgownie kept :)

So..... when do we start lobbying for a chairlift system? :D:D:D:D
 

LPG

likes thicc birds
It's great news.

I'm a bit concerned about what will happen with some of the awesone existing trails but they have been illegal for a while and the way things are these days they either become formalised or risk being shut.

Would be awesome to see a suitable track to ride from the bottom to top on dirt, but I can imagine that there would be enough people just riding the road anyway as it will be likely easier.

A chairlift would be awesome but the drive from bottom to top is easy enough that a shuttle service would be pretty easy and not need a whole chairlift to be built and maintained.
 

Halo1

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Here are a few updates that came out during the week if you are hiding from some one or something and are not on social media...We wont ask why or judge you:D

Clarification of Locations and trail closures flagged in the strategy
http://www.illawarramtballiance.com...mtb-alliance-draft-mtb-stratgey-clarification

A summary of the projects pros and cons to help with your feedback
http://www.illawarramtballiance.com.au/npws-strategy/

Some email template responses are being developed for those that are time poor or too lazy to write their own response and will be out ASAP.
 

Halo1

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Email Submission Guides are now available here
http://www.illawarramtballiance.com.au/npws-strategy/

So GET ON IT people!!

It would also be helpful if you could add you own little bit, so it does not look like you copied someone's homework as much.

Remember to provide a submission for both the NPWS draft MTB Strategy and the Wollongong City Council Mt Keira Summit Park draft Plan of Management for MTB.
 

LPG

likes thicc birds
They say that 15 groups of people were against the trails but that group of protesters would be lucky to have 30 people there.

They want the area to not be compromised by mountain bikes but it's the riders who prevent and even pick up roadside rubbish dumping. Unfortunately if you try not to let anyone use an area you usually find the only people who use an area are those with zero respect for it.

There is always going to be someone opposed to everything. I'm sure there is much more suppoet than there is negativity.
 

Halo1

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I had the pleasure of attending one of their meetings and was pretty much blasted for over an hour about MTB killing the mountain. The emotion was in overdrive so there was little point debating anything but we were able to answer some questions and correct a few things.
I did leave the meeting feeling conflicted about riding at Keira, but that only lasted until my next ride there.

I naively thought there were sacred sites that needed to be avoided, but never realized that they consider the whole of MT Keira and MT Kembla sacred with out really explaining why or how other activities there are ok.

There are lots of holes in what they are saying and it is only at this very late stage they have spoken up.

They do look some much happier in the pic above. nice work.

Get your feedback in people!
 

EsPeGe

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I’m guessing it’s good news - couldn’t be arsed reading it
Seems to be for the most part. It looks like they are progressing to the next step which appears to be the REF (review of environmental factors) the environmental impact statement I guess. Typically the minority NIMBY's are doing their damnedest to fuck it for everyone else but they had a LOT of positive submissions so it looks like they want to move forward. Still no idea how long it will take though.
 

Halo1

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I’m guessing it’s good news - couldn’t be arsed reading it
It is good news in the sense that it it is the next key stage of development and this project turning into a reality. It took almost a year to get the report out that says the community is keen for MTB in the escarpment and more work is to be done to please other groups such as the local Aboriginal communities. My reading is that it paves the way for this to happen.
 

downunderdallas

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Seems like progress in NSW is as slow as WA. Generally positive here adn there but an excessive amount of report writing and red tape associated with legalising trails that have been used for years and slow progress in terms of building anything new. I think we'll both get there eventually! I think the Illawara Escarpment has massive potential, great dirt good elevation, close to a major centre and the Gong was a nice place!
 
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