Skeptical
I'm rather skeptical about the benefits for riders here.
Anyone remember this thread...
http://www.rotorburn.com/forums/showthread.php?178151-National-Parks-Press-Statement-June-25-2009
... and the related NPANSW press release it discusses:
http://www.npansw.org.au/index.php?...t-of-national-parks&catid=105:2009&Itemid=486
While it is true that this release is from last year and NPANSW may have changed their attitude towards riders I'd like to see some proof of that. For example, I'd like to see NPANSW publish the submission they made on the recent NPWS Discussion Paper on Mountain Biking, or at least put out a release stating how the one linked above was made in poor judgement and no longer reflects the thoughts of their officers and the majority of their members.
Whilst we have seen great steps towards a more accepting NPWS service in recent times (including their Discussion Paper) riders in the Northern Beaches have little to show for all the talk, and I assume it will be many years before a decent network of sustainable trails will be authorised on NPWS land in the area.
The land in question one of the last pockets on the Northern Beaches on which downhill and gravity riding can be practiced freely. Surely it would be unwise to back a campaign to hand over management of this land to a manager who, for all their good intentions, have no dedicated facilities in the area and have a definitively shaky stance on freeride and gravity riding.
That said, if a regional park could be created with proper sustainable trails of the type already on this land, and if it can be guaranteed such trails would be preserved for future generations of riders and linked into a wider strategy for the region then such a move would be very welcome.
I may well go to this meeting to see what is said and see no reason why others shouldn't too. However, all riders should be very careful when asked for their details if they do go and not hand them over or sign anything until they know precisely what this campaign means for riding in the area.
The bottom line is: if NPWS managed Oxford Falls and Red Hill right now the vast majority of riding that occurs in those areas would be instantly banned. It's a big leap of faith to hope that NPWS would change their attitude to embrace these styles of riding by the time any regional park came into being.
