Oxy gets destroyed (again) - updated with more bad news

bikesarefun

bikesarefun

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Update further below... excavators and lies


Well, it had to happen one day. The Aboriginals have finally gotten around to systematically removing trail features at Oxy (e.g. jumps and berms), with a crew of workers moving through with shovels and mattocks.

There's been a lot of hard work put into trying to resolve trail access issues, but ultimately the new MLALC CEO wasn't even prepared to speak with MTB representatives. Real bummer, given that under a previous CEO we were invited to prepare a MOU relating to formalizing of MTB trails across the whole valley (back in 2012).

This isn't the first time Oxy has been destroyed, but it's been a pretty good run lately. I'm sure some kids will probably start to re-build, but for me the real focus will be on getting the Belrose Bike Park project moving (it's pretty darn close).

Anyone interested in a history lesson, check the thread below. The development noted in that thread was blocked, with a 10 year moratorium on development. Oh - the 10 years just ended. What an amazing coincidence.....



http://www.rotorburn.com/forums/sho...-READ-for-sydney-riders&highlight=lizard+rock
 
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Dozer

Dozer

Heavy machinery.
Staff member
No two ways about it; that's fucking shit.
I've been following the discussion on another source with the accompanying video of the MLALC boss on the phone crying to the Police to have the people involved removed and charged and it isn't a very comforting experience knowing people with a pissweak attitude like his are in charge of groups of people that manage land. The fact that they won't even meet to discuss the topic is pretty childish and cannot paint a good picture for them in any sort of community. Their backward and primal thinking is lame and if the end result is just them waiting for the date that they can sell the land off to make a profit and totally forget and ignore the reasons they have wanted to stop people from using the land in respect of their heritage then they are nothing but lying greedy jerks.
I hope you guys get a great result and some great trails that won't be hindered by jerks of this caliber.
 
scblack

scblack

Leucocholic
Has anyone spoken to The Manly Daily, to possibly get a story up? Seeing the coincidence of the development moratorium.
 
C

cabbo

Likes Dirt
My best for the Belrose bike park mate, if you have a blank piece of canvas to work with, to express with and bring forth the friggen all too ride Mecca, the years of energy that has been with oxy and many other sites within the northern region, all those awesome rides that took us to new levels, then to be ripped up in front of us. Here is the place to get things done!
l am sensing great things to come of this bike park project, thanks to you, and too all that have been pushing toward this, it will be the way to really express a lot great work of kickass trails, turning a once Belrose waist deposal station into ???
It's just going to be what it is, out of the shit we have had put on us all for twenty odd years. Peace!
 
bikesarefun

bikesarefun

Likes Bikes and Dirt
cabbo said:
My best for the Belrose bike park mate, if you have a blank piece of canvas to work with, to express with and bring forth the friggen all too ride Mecca, the years of energy that has been with oxy and many other sites within the northern region, all those awesome rides that took us to new levels, then to be ripped up in front of us. Here is the place to get things done!
l am sensing great things to come of this bike park project, thanks to you, and too all that have been pushing toward this, it will be the way to really express a lot great work of kickass trails, turning a once Belrose waist deposal station into ???
It's just going to be what it is, out of the shit we have had put on us all for twenty odd years. Peace!
Click to expand...

Belrose has the the potential to be pretty special. And, with the time it's taking, we've been able to meet with so many amazing trailbuilders and the like around the world, and really nail down what makes a park successful. In a lot of ways, I'm hoping Belrose is the start of a trend towards something better for all of us.
 
moman

moman

Likes Dirt
swaz said:
Would this be because it's their land?
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Definitely because it's their land and ultimately they have a right (within legal bounds) to manage it how they see fit.

The disappointing thing from the outside though is their lack of communication, lack of transparency and lack of community mindedness.
 
bikesarefun

bikesarefun

Likes Bikes and Dirt
moman said:
Definitely because it's their land and ultimately they have a right (within legal bounds) to manage it how they see fit.

The disappointing thing from the outside though is their lack of communication, lack of transparency and lack of community mindedness.
Click to expand...

Yep. Nobody disputes that they are the land owner and have the right to remove trails. The issue is whether they owed the MTB community the decency of a civilized discussion prior to taking action. Our local trail advocacy organisation had been seeking that for some time.

Unfortunately, the information we are receiving is that they decided to remove the trails because of erosion and sedimentation concerns. They had been told that "jumps cause erosion". That sort of misinformation could have been easily addressed, but instead they have gone and destroyed longstanding erosion controls, and now the trails in question will turn into a far bigger mess.
 
steve jobs' pancreas

steve jobs' pancreas

Eats Squid
erosion concerns my arse


I used to ride my husky 240 there in the '80s before it was frequented by mtbrs, dudes used to crash through there all the time in 4bys and cars went there to die

we referred to it as Morgan rd then, Lizard Rock was there then too (I mean the lizardification of the rock, of course the rock was there before)

I also got busted doing a burnout down there by the Police, wrong place wrong time

I also had hair

but I digress


Went there last year with the boy to check it out, not ride it, seemed in better nick now than way back when.
 
pink poodle

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
swaz said:
Would this be because it's their land?
Click to expand...
Most likely...

For comparison a large organisation like the forestry corporation or national parks would have many years of Liaising with and resources as well over a small land council. It would be great if there was a process for bringing land owner groups together for education and support from larger government organisations. Even basic manuals for application and preservation. The forestry guys manage how much land currently used by mountain bike clubs in NSW? Probably eager to help out.

bikesarefun said:
Yep. Nobody disputes that they are the land owner and have the right to remove trails. The issue is whether they owed the MTB community the decency of a civilized discussion prior to taking action. Our local trail advocacy organisation had been seeking that for some time.

Unfortunately, the information we are receiving is that they decided to remove the trails because of erosion and sedimentation concerns. They had been told that "jumps cause erosion". That sort of misinformation could have been easily addressed, but instead they have gone and destroyed longstanding erosion controls, and now the trails in question will turn into a far bigger mess.
Click to expand...
Jumps don't cause erosion, they cause litigation. Litigation is a big fear for many land owners..."what steps did you take to mediate this issue? We're they reasonable in the circumstances?" "why your honour I attended the site myself and took part in dismantling these dangerous jumps. I also made a video for the internet warning the big riders to leave." let it die down and in 6 months rebuild...a little deeper in, less obvious and harder to find.

Well that was my preference for a similar issue locally a long time ago. Instead we scored a lot of litigation friendly lameness and a half arsed organisation claiming to represent...
 
bikesarefun

bikesarefun

Likes Bikes and Dirt
pink poodle said:
Jumps don't cause erosion, they cause litigation. Litigation is a big fear for many land owners..."what steps did you take to mediate this issue? We're they reasonable in the circumstances?" "why your honour I attended the site myself and took part in dismantling these dangerous jumps. I also made a video for the internet warning the big riders to leave." let it die down and in 6 months rebuild...a little deeper in, less obvious and harder to find.

Well that was my preference for a similar issue locally a long time ago. Instead we scored a lot of litigation friendly lameness and a half arsed organisation claiming to represent...
Click to expand...

Jumps don't cause litigation. They cause an uninformed ignorant fear of litigation. That's my formal legal opinion on the matter.
 
R

robbie b

Likes Bikes
Aboriginal rights

In my opinion Aboriginal rights, particularly when it comes to the land and the memories of their history and culture on that land is no joke and they deserve everything they can get back. But as a mountain biker who loved the oxy trails and warrimoo on a side note it is so disappointing to see another trail site shut down. I just don't know why these people so keen to preserve the natural habitats don't realise we love the bush and aren't trying to cause it any harm. It is only because of the sheer lack of decent gravity riding in the Sydney area that all these illegal trails are built and will continue to be built. But this is the first I have heard of the belrose trails, so that sounds like exciting news, how close is this to happening and where is the location and what sort of trails will there be?
 
Isildur

Isildur

The Real Pedant
robbie b said:
I just don't know why these people so keen to preserve the natural habitats don't realise we love the bush and aren't trying to cause it any harm.
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Because they're not trying to preserve the pristine bush here. They're wanting MTB'ers off it (only MTB'ers by the way, walkers and trail runners don't cop the same grief from this mob), so that they can either develop it, or trade it for bio banking credits to clear fell other, actual, pristine bush for development.
 
R

robbie b

Likes Bikes
if that is the case and they sell the sight to developers, that would be en even bigger shame than the closing of the trail, time will tell of their true intentions
 
BT180

BT180

Max Pfaff
robbie b said:
In my opinion Aboriginal rights, particularly when it comes to the land and the memories of their history and culture on that land is no joke and they deserve everything they can get back. But as a mountain biker who loved the oxy trails and warrimoo on a side note it is so disappointing to see another trail site shut down. I just don't know why these people so keen to preserve the natural habitats don't realise we love the bush and aren't trying to cause it any harm. It is only because of the sheer lack of decent gravity riding in the Sydney area that all these illegal trails are built and will continue to be built. But this is the first I have heard of the belrose trails, so that sounds like exciting news, how close is this to happening and where is the location and what sort of trails will there be?
Click to expand...
Check out the Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/BelroseBikePark/?fref=ts
 
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