Where to build

[whitey89]

I want to modify an existing DH track its really overgrown but it has potential. The only problem is its in a NP, all i would be doing is triming back the bushes and stuff would this be a waste of time and if i put some North Shores in do you think they would get rippped up? (Almost no one walks the track and few people know about it) Where is a leagal place to build if NP and State forsests are out? Isnt all land owned by someone?

 

[Pat H]

it depends on the people who ride the track, if they dont care about the effort you have put into the track then they'll rip it up, and wreck the actual trail without fixing it?? in terms of the illegal issue, ring up your local council

 

[arpit]

it depends on the people who ride the track, if they dont care about the effort you have put into the track then they'll rip it up, and wreck the actual trail without fixing it?? in terms of the illegal issue, ring up your local council

If you want to build in a National park, the correct people to get a 'no' from would be the national Parks and Wildlife Service (in NSW).

Councils will control council land.

You'll have better chances of getting permission in a state forest and on council land, particularly if you don't intent to use any north shore.

Even if you want to build some north shore in your backyard, you'll still need to ge ta permit form the council.

Might be worth making friends with a landowner of a large area of undeveloped bushland and getting em a few cases of beer.

And yes, all land is owned by someone. If you decided to build illegally,on publically owned land, how soon your structures will be ripped down would depend on the management agency. In order of soonest to latest.....

council
national park
state forest
crown land managed by the department of lands

 

[whitey89]

it depends on the people who ride the track, if they dont care about the effort you have put into the track then they'll rip it up, and wreck the actual trail without fixing it?? in terms of the illegal issue, ring up your local council

Thats the thing i dont lnow of anyone else who rides it apart from me and my mates but im sure there may be like five others so i dont think ill have a problem with other riders destroying it but more local greenies. Ill check with the council for other places.
Thanks Pat

 

[S.]

Building illegal trails in NPs is "bad" enough, but PLEASE DO NOT BUILD NORTH SHORE STRUCTURES IN NATIONAL PARKS (or anywhere where you don't have specific permission to do it). They WILL get ripped down and they are much more likely to result in ill-feeling towards MTBers. They are also considered a far bigger liability to land owners/managers.

 

[Dozer]

I want to modify an existing DH track its really overgrown but it has potential. The only problem is its in a NP, all i would be doing is triming back the bushes and stuff would this be a waste of time and if i put some North Shores in do you think they would get rippped up? (Almost no one walks the track and few people know about it) Where is a leagal place to build if NP and State forsests are out? Isnt all land owned by someone?

Don't change a track until you've spoken to the guy who built it. If you can't find him....you'd be up the creek without a paddle. If it isn't "yours" (so to speak) then don't make it suit yourself.
As for the north shore stuff, National Parks are going to cut it down and stick the nails in your rib cage, they hate it and they don't permit it.
You could look around and find something locally that might suit you better. It does take time and effort to built trails but if you do it properly, it is well worth it.

 

[Arete]

I would strongly suggest against building north shore in a NP. If it's found, the rangers will have an abosolute spazz attack, and if you are caught building it you'll be fined and potentially dragged over the coals and prosecuted.
If it was me, I'd trim the branches back and ride it. Keep a lid on it's whereabouts and you shouldn't get too much traffic. Too much use and the track will be noticed. If you're caught, pleading ignorance might get you some way but you are liable to be fined anyway.
I'd also have odds on the local rangers knowing of the track's existance, but lacking the resources to really do much about it unless you give them an excuse, such as north shore.
Good luck.

 

[nizai]

You would have more luck with state forest areas than national parks. I would think the state conservation department (whatever its referred to in your part of the world) would tear you a new one for even riding a bike on many national park trails (since 90 percent of them are walk trails only).

Also if its overgrown, the management of the park may have conciously made the decision to let the bush grow back to avoid walkers, hikers and riders from using it. Whereas they will usually maintain used trails.

N

 

[S.]

Don't change a track until you've spoken to the guy who built it. If you can't find him....you'd be up the creek without a paddle. If it isn't "yours" (so to speak) then don't make it suit yourself.

Fair call, but simply re-clearing an overgrown trail (provided you're not actually changing it) doesn't really fall under that banner IMO. However as Nizai said, it might have been deliberately left to revegetate or something (which IMO is unlikely but definitely possible), and there isn't really any way of knowing. And yes State Forests are far more likely to let you build trails.

I'd say if anything, just clear any mess back so it's rideable and maintain the track as it is.

 

[Oliver.]

Building, even having a track in NP is really a no no.

If it must be done, seek permission from original trail builders if applicable to modify the track, and like others have said: no north shore constructions.

...and if its not NP or state forest its whats called "crown land" It is still "illegal" to build on crown land without permssion, but plenty of tracks, even NS structures are currently residing on "illegal" crown land, and as long as you are smart about it, you probably wont have any issues, but remember its still illegal

 

[Skywalker]

I came across a ranger once whilst riding on a walking track (naughty me) and he said there are tracks / north shore on the other side of the road that they new about but turned a blind eye to it coz it was out of the way and kind of hidden. And no, i didnt get fined *phew*

 

[whitey89]

I came across a ranger once whilst riding on a walking track (naughty me) and he said there are tracks / north shore on the other side of the road that they new about but turned a blind eye to it coz it was out of the way and kind of hidden. And no, i didnt get fined *phew*

I also spoke to rangers about walking tracks although they said that the main reason they didnt let bikes on walking tracks was because walkers feel intimidated by bikes hurtling towards them.

 

[arpit]

I also spoke to rangers about walking tracks although they said that the main reason they didnt let bikes on walking tracks was because walkers feel intimidated by bikes hurtling towards them.

I can totally understand that. I was at manly dam on wednesday, on the downhill section of singletrack. I had forgotten the track was for walkers too, and was going at a decent clip of about 20km/h. I went around a blind curve, and sudenly saw a walker about 5 metres ahead. He saw me too - a dude sitting high on a large bike with sunglasses and armour on hurtling towards him - and screamed and lept to the side half into the bushes. I slammed on my brakes and it sounded like a truck was stopping.... I stopped just in front of him.

I apologised, and he was pretty nice about it...

But yeah... moral of the story I guess is that I need to be more careful.

 

[noroc_rider_12]

The rangers said that the worst thing
about mountain bikers in the parks was
it creates erosion from all the times your
ride down the track and rangers really hate
erosion cuz it scruz up the vegetation.
so ya best bet is to make a track that is real
hiden so less riders will ride down the track so
there will be no erosion and the rangers will not see it

 

[scratchy]

Erosion isn't a function of Mountain Bikes perse,

It is more bad trail design and bad riding.

Hiding a track will not eliminate erosion, it will simply defer the problem elsewhere.

 

[camday]

Ive got an area which I am going to look at this weekend which borders a State Park, and a Stae Forest. Does anyone know what the difference would be and/or had any bad experiences in riding and building in these types of areas?