Ridenparadise
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Hi everyone. MTB on the Gold Cast needs your help! We need you to ride the Old Tambo trail on Monday morning, 2nd February at 10AM.
The City of Gold Coast has released its "Draft Nature Based Recreation Plan 2015 - 2025" and MTB is part of it. A prominent politician will be holding a media conference at the the top of the Old Tambo Trail and it is in our overall interest to have as many riders passing by as possible. Unfortunately at such short notice, many of us will be committed to work or other family issues. Therefore we need the word to be spread around.
If you have never ridden the trail, it is between a flow trail and DH trail, the top being really exciting for any rider of intermediate or higher standard. While the hard corp will shuttle all the way to the bottom on more difficult lines, many riders prefer to cycle the top half by riding back up Wongawallan Fire Road. Please see the appended map for location of the media conference, which is at the upper locked gate.
While it has not been publicised, there are huge MTB opportunities in the political pipeline for SE Qld and in particular, the Gold Coast. The more exposure we get and the more we show our numbers and interest, the more likely things will happen fast for MTB. This is part of the political process and like it or not, we have to show our face. City of Gold Coast controls 850 open and recreation areas. Then there are the national parks and adjacent open areas with increasingly cooperative land managers. There is increasing interest from land managers to link areas via recreational trails and to expand and improve existing MTB trail systems.
Please show your interest and support. Go and have fun on Monday 2nd February before 10AM. If you have never ridden this trail, this is an ideal opportunity. Thanks for helping MTB out.
The map
MediaOldTamboMap.pdf
The draft plan
http://www.gchaveyoursay.com.au/nbr
MTB bit without the pics etc
4.2 Mountain biking
Mountain biking has become a popular nature based recreational activity since its development in the 1980s. There are a number of different styles of mountain biking including cross country, track riding, dirt jumping, 4 X, dual slalom, freeriding, all-mountain and downhill riding. Historically, riding opportunities have been limited in Australia including in Queensland (QPWS, 2010; IMBA 2004), although this is changing with recent legislative and policy changes.
The most common type of mountain biking is cross country (QORF, 2013). Cross country mountain bikers will typically utilise a combination of off road trails including fire trails and ‘singletrack’ (a narrow, flowing track following natural surface levels). Cross country riders already utilise parts of the City’s natural areas estate, although the number of cross country type trails on City land is limited. Given its lower impacts, and the fact that there is a much larger proportion of cross country style riders compared to other genres, the City will make it a priority to provide further cross country type opportunities.
Freeriding and downhill mountain biking are extreme sports that also occur on City managed land. These activities are not always consistent with the definition of nature based recreation, and can have considerable impacts if not located in suitable locations and managed carefully. These genres are limited to riders with advanced skills, but tracks can be designed with ‘chicken runs’ or ‘b-lines’ to accommodate a broader cross section of users. Done the right way, these activities can bring people into semi-natural settings where they can connect with nature and engage in physical activity.
Wherever possible, the City will provide multi use trails to allow more than one user group to utilise the area. Shared use trails can be successful provided they are designed appropriately, and the appropriate codes of
CITY OF GOLD COAST NATURE BASED RECREATION PLAN DRAFT Page 15 of 48
conduct and guidelines are adhered to. At locations where demand is high or the activity is not appropriate for a shared use trail, the City will consider dedicated single track for activities such as downhill riding. This must be undertaken in such a way that the environment is protected.
Unauthorised trail building is relatively common in the City’s natural areas, and City staff have now established good relationships with a number of local mountain biking groups. Working together with the riding community to cater for demand appears to be reducing the number of unauthorised tracks being constructed.
The economic value of mountain biking
Cycling is now the fourth most popular physical activity for adult Australians,
with 18% of Queenslanders riding a bike each week. Mountain biking is of
considerable economic value, for example:
• Western Australia’s Munda Biddi Trail consists of 1000 km of multi-use
track through 7 towns. An estimated 42,000 users of this trail create
annual revenue of $5 million (Tablelands Integrated Mountain Bike
Alliance, 2012).
• 2-3% of tourists in Tasmania participate in off-road cycling, contributing
around $4 million dollars to the economy annually (Tablelands
Integrated Mountain Bike Alliance, 2012).
• Total visitor spending in Whistler, Canada attributable to mountain
biking exceeded $34.3 million CAD over the period June 4 to September 17,
2006 supporting an estimated $39.1 million in new economic activity
(Western Canada Mountain Bike Association, 2006).
• Rotorua, New Zealand is a popular mountain bike destination, which has
a population of 67,000 and annual visitors numbering 2.5 million. In
2014, Rotorua’s Associate Tourism Minister Todd McClay stated "Cycling
alone is worth about $15 million to our local economy.”
The City of Gold Coast will continue to work with the local mountain biking
community to progress feasibility studies for new tracks in the City’s
natural areas, particularly where there are sustainable economic benefits to the
Gold Coast community.
CITY OF GOLD COAST NATURE BASED RECREATION PLAN DRAFT Page 16 of 48
Photo by Matt Holmes
A mountain biker gets some air at Old Tambo mountain bike track in Eagle Heights Conservation Area. The City plans to investigate establishing a mountain bike park, designed to cater for riders of varying ages and abilities.
CITY OF GOLD COAST NATURE BASED RECREATION PLAN DRAFT Page 17 of 48
Valmont Bike Park is a 42-acre facility which opened in the city of
Boulder, USA in 2011. Bike parks are seen by some as the future of mountain
biking, and this park features a network of single track, learners and children’s
areas, a terrain park, cyclocross and events facilities. In its first year of
operation, an estimated 50,000 riders visited the park. The park is designed to
have something for everyone, from beginners through to advanced riders – and
from cross country riders through to freestylers. The park was funded jointly by
the City of Boulder, community fundraising and grants. It is now an
international attraction that brings many economic benefits to the city. The
City of Gold Coast is planning to investigate the feasibility of a dedicated bike
park here on the Gold Coast. It is anticipated that such a park would follow
Valmont Bike Park’s lead and be located outside of the conservation areas, and in
an urban area to increase accessibility.
Activity Specific Initiatives: Mountain Biking
See Appendix A for the Strategic Initiatives that apply to mountain biking. In addition, the following Activity Specific Initiatives apply:
Activity Specific Initiative 4.2.1 Continue to progress feasibility, planning and design work for a downhill single track with all-mountain or cross country tracks to be incorporated subject to funding availability.
Activity Specific Initiative 4.2.2 Investigate the feasibility of building a dedicated bike park in the City, designed to cater for a range of riding styles and abilities.
Activity Specific Initiative 4.2.3 Prioritise tracks and facilities for types of mountain biking for which there is high demand and low environmental impacts.
The City of Gold Coast has released its "Draft Nature Based Recreation Plan 2015 - 2025" and MTB is part of it. A prominent politician will be holding a media conference at the the top of the Old Tambo Trail and it is in our overall interest to have as many riders passing by as possible. Unfortunately at such short notice, many of us will be committed to work or other family issues. Therefore we need the word to be spread around.
If you have never ridden the trail, it is between a flow trail and DH trail, the top being really exciting for any rider of intermediate or higher standard. While the hard corp will shuttle all the way to the bottom on more difficult lines, many riders prefer to cycle the top half by riding back up Wongawallan Fire Road. Please see the appended map for location of the media conference, which is at the upper locked gate.
While it has not been publicised, there are huge MTB opportunities in the political pipeline for SE Qld and in particular, the Gold Coast. The more exposure we get and the more we show our numbers and interest, the more likely things will happen fast for MTB. This is part of the political process and like it or not, we have to show our face. City of Gold Coast controls 850 open and recreation areas. Then there are the national parks and adjacent open areas with increasingly cooperative land managers. There is increasing interest from land managers to link areas via recreational trails and to expand and improve existing MTB trail systems.
Please show your interest and support. Go and have fun on Monday 2nd February before 10AM. If you have never ridden this trail, this is an ideal opportunity. Thanks for helping MTB out.
The map
MediaOldTamboMap.pdf
The draft plan
http://www.gchaveyoursay.com.au/nbr
MTB bit without the pics etc
4.2 Mountain biking
Mountain biking has become a popular nature based recreational activity since its development in the 1980s. There are a number of different styles of mountain biking including cross country, track riding, dirt jumping, 4 X, dual slalom, freeriding, all-mountain and downhill riding. Historically, riding opportunities have been limited in Australia including in Queensland (QPWS, 2010; IMBA 2004), although this is changing with recent legislative and policy changes.
The most common type of mountain biking is cross country (QORF, 2013). Cross country mountain bikers will typically utilise a combination of off road trails including fire trails and ‘singletrack’ (a narrow, flowing track following natural surface levels). Cross country riders already utilise parts of the City’s natural areas estate, although the number of cross country type trails on City land is limited. Given its lower impacts, and the fact that there is a much larger proportion of cross country style riders compared to other genres, the City will make it a priority to provide further cross country type opportunities.
Freeriding and downhill mountain biking are extreme sports that also occur on City managed land. These activities are not always consistent with the definition of nature based recreation, and can have considerable impacts if not located in suitable locations and managed carefully. These genres are limited to riders with advanced skills, but tracks can be designed with ‘chicken runs’ or ‘b-lines’ to accommodate a broader cross section of users. Done the right way, these activities can bring people into semi-natural settings where they can connect with nature and engage in physical activity.
Wherever possible, the City will provide multi use trails to allow more than one user group to utilise the area. Shared use trails can be successful provided they are designed appropriately, and the appropriate codes of
CITY OF GOLD COAST NATURE BASED RECREATION PLAN DRAFT Page 15 of 48
conduct and guidelines are adhered to. At locations where demand is high or the activity is not appropriate for a shared use trail, the City will consider dedicated single track for activities such as downhill riding. This must be undertaken in such a way that the environment is protected.
Unauthorised trail building is relatively common in the City’s natural areas, and City staff have now established good relationships with a number of local mountain biking groups. Working together with the riding community to cater for demand appears to be reducing the number of unauthorised tracks being constructed.
The economic value of mountain biking
Cycling is now the fourth most popular physical activity for adult Australians,
with 18% of Queenslanders riding a bike each week. Mountain biking is of
considerable economic value, for example:
• Western Australia’s Munda Biddi Trail consists of 1000 km of multi-use
track through 7 towns. An estimated 42,000 users of this trail create
annual revenue of $5 million (Tablelands Integrated Mountain Bike
Alliance, 2012).
• 2-3% of tourists in Tasmania participate in off-road cycling, contributing
around $4 million dollars to the economy annually (Tablelands
Integrated Mountain Bike Alliance, 2012).
• Total visitor spending in Whistler, Canada attributable to mountain
biking exceeded $34.3 million CAD over the period June 4 to September 17,
2006 supporting an estimated $39.1 million in new economic activity
(Western Canada Mountain Bike Association, 2006).
• Rotorua, New Zealand is a popular mountain bike destination, which has
a population of 67,000 and annual visitors numbering 2.5 million. In
2014, Rotorua’s Associate Tourism Minister Todd McClay stated "Cycling
alone is worth about $15 million to our local economy.”
The City of Gold Coast will continue to work with the local mountain biking
community to progress feasibility studies for new tracks in the City’s
natural areas, particularly where there are sustainable economic benefits to the
Gold Coast community.
CITY OF GOLD COAST NATURE BASED RECREATION PLAN DRAFT Page 16 of 48
Photo by Matt Holmes
A mountain biker gets some air at Old Tambo mountain bike track in Eagle Heights Conservation Area. The City plans to investigate establishing a mountain bike park, designed to cater for riders of varying ages and abilities.
CITY OF GOLD COAST NATURE BASED RECREATION PLAN DRAFT Page 17 of 48
Valmont Bike Park is a 42-acre facility which opened in the city of
Boulder, USA in 2011. Bike parks are seen by some as the future of mountain
biking, and this park features a network of single track, learners and children’s
areas, a terrain park, cyclocross and events facilities. In its first year of
operation, an estimated 50,000 riders visited the park. The park is designed to
have something for everyone, from beginners through to advanced riders – and
from cross country riders through to freestylers. The park was funded jointly by
the City of Boulder, community fundraising and grants. It is now an
international attraction that brings many economic benefits to the city. The
City of Gold Coast is planning to investigate the feasibility of a dedicated bike
park here on the Gold Coast. It is anticipated that such a park would follow
Valmont Bike Park’s lead and be located outside of the conservation areas, and in
an urban area to increase accessibility.
Activity Specific Initiatives: Mountain Biking
See Appendix A for the Strategic Initiatives that apply to mountain biking. In addition, the following Activity Specific Initiatives apply:
Activity Specific Initiative 4.2.1 Continue to progress feasibility, planning and design work for a downhill single track with all-mountain or cross country tracks to be incorporated subject to funding availability.
Activity Specific Initiative 4.2.2 Investigate the feasibility of building a dedicated bike park in the City, designed to cater for a range of riding styles and abilities.
Activity Specific Initiative 4.2.3 Prioritise tracks and facilities for types of mountain biking for which there is high demand and low environmental impacts.
Last edited:
