Lake Macquarie Trail Access

[sammydog]

This may be a double post but I want to spread the word as far as possible.

A few riders had a meeting with Lake MAcquarie Council last night about the potential for legalised trails encompasing all aspects of riding (XC/DH/Freeride(yes including NorthShore)/DJ/etc).

We need to do a bit more work to get this on the COuncil agenda, which is where any Lake Macquarie residents can help.

There is a heap more info in my other post http://forums.farkin.net/showthread.php?t=56495, but please consider lending a hand if you reside in the area.

[sammydog]

A fair bit has transpired in the past 3 months, so I thought I might put down my random thoughts on the processes as they occur and my dealings so it may help other people along the way in other areas.

Baiscally in the first post, we had been approached by council after complaints about moto's led council to stumble across a DH and Freeride (extensive NS) trail area.

Discussions lead to the trail staying while Council worked out its position on mtb trails and what their future position may be. Staff members at Council changed during this time and the focus shifted from "lets address the issue of the proliferation of DH/Freeride/DJ's to "its a litigation issue and it all has to go".

Unfortunately today I got the news that the trails, thats complete trails not just structures, will be removed and shut down.

Needless to say, given the good work that had been done up until the change in staff, I was a little pissed, so I decided to shop around council till I found a sympathetic ear (something as a Council employee I hate when people do). Fortunately my first stop was community planning, who shared my views that wholesale removing of trails, when it has been acknoledged there is a demand for them, is probably a strategy that is only going to shift the issue elsewhere.

Essentially a quick email prompted an almost immediate return phone call and now we have a meeting lined up for next week to see how we can get this thing into the Coucnil budget and move forward with a dedicated mtb area.

I'll keep posting here on the off chance someone benifits from the process I am working throughm anbd if anyone has any questions........fire away.

[sammydog]

Sat down with Council tonight to dicuss mtb access possibilities in the LMCC area, and it was interesting.

The staff had prepared maps of various sites they thought may be suitable. The sites presented were all pretty much suitable for DJ, MTNX and possibly some short freeride stuff (yes the council is interested in building structures), unfortunatelty none of the sites seemed suitable for the provision of any XC or DH, so it seems that the issue we are trying to solve (illegal trails) will not be completely fixed with these sites.

Conversation kept going back (at the councils pushing) to Munibung Hill, although not all the land is in Councils control, which could presnt issues. This whole area would be at the very best a 5 - 10 year project anyway, if acheivable at all.

A few other alternatives were discussed (one being the old redhead tip area, as well as a bunch of quarry sites amd the land around hillsborough golf course), but I am going to write to the Councillors tonight to push the issue from that direction. Also going to canvass the local pollies to try and get some support there.

Essentially we (and the staff are for it) want to acheive a riding area on the eastern side of the lake that doesn't require a long trip in the car to reach.

Obviously any outcome is going to be a long slog ahead, but for now the direction is to get it onto the Council budget. The deadline for that is around december.

I'll keep updates as we go. But any comments would be welcomed at any point.

[tranceup]

Behind the Charlie golf course works for me. Good potential for a couple of long DH runs and heaps of natural potential for hits and NS over some dry creek beds etc. Also has some pre-existing semi XC trails built by Moto dudes that could be linked well enough. If anyone out there would like to put a few lines here anyway im up for it its on my doorstep and i ride there a bit so have some ideas.
Redhead tip area should be left for the Moto fraternity i reckon. If munibung hill is the one that borders with the old pasminco land that would be sweet for DH but no good for XC.
Thats my thoughts anyway.

[Mattydv]

The only problem with behind the charlie golf course though is the moto riders. I started building some FR stuff (ie. drops and jumps etc) in one area there and within a week they had destroyed it through doing burnouts on them and adapting them to suit moto more.
Perhaps split areas might work? I mean have Munnibung or somewhere else for DH-DJ, quarry (behind charlie golf course) for XC. They are all under 5km's of each other so it wouldn't be hard getting from one to another.

[tranceup]

[QUOTE=Mattydv;750494]The only problem with behind the charlie golf course though is the moto riders.

Yeah know what you mean matty but the potential is there isnt it. Those guys are always gunna be around i mean they are at Killy every weekend 2. How do you avoid people that are happy to go riding when it has just finished raining and all they want to do is get muddy and screw up the tracks. I guess in life if you keep worrying about other people wrecking you fun you arent gunna have much fun just in case.
I think if you dont screw with their tracks to much it shouldnt be too bad. Stay away from the quarry really, it sucks anyway, and stick to the southern side hills towards Bayview st and down into the little valleys and creeks etc. Moto guys in there are pretty lazy and dont go too far from the quarry i have noticed. Any thoughts mate, i wouldnt mind catching up again and having a look on a weekend if you want.

[sammydog]

There is a few political type issues with the golf course area that will need to be overcome, and while we will be suggesting areas, at the end of the day, I imagine that will be a political decision by Council as well.

Like I said, the first step is to get this thing on the Council adgenda. The staff are for it, but the budget isn't.

Hopefully we can change that and move forward. I do know that the NPWS, as part of the Glenrock review, want to encourage LakeMac and newcastle Councils to share the mtb load, so that could work in a favor, hopefully.

As much as munibung would be ideal, this will not happen in the short term. A bunch of quarries were suggested, all of which would be suitable for DJ's and MTNX, but not much else. It is a start though.

Feel free though to email the LMCC Councilors and let them know about the lack of legal trails etc. If you rode eleebana, let them know (politely) that there is nowhere to ride and you don't want to get in trouble fopr building elsewhere.

I'll post more updates though as I have them.

[Macr]

I totally agree with reducing the burden on Glenrock and a lesser degree Killi. Makes the trails last longer for everyone and makes for more variety. For myself I would like to see more enduro/XC trails around Newcastle. It would be good to start to get to the scale and quality of Canberra seen as we are the oldest club and the second biggest IIRC.
I can't say I know Charlie golf course, but leaving the tip to MX isn't such a bad idea as it will reduce them going into mtb areas.
I would like to see stuff on the other side of the lake as well, but that is for another thread.

[sammydog]

Well, when we are talking western sdide of the lake, thats what the new HMBA awaba area will be for.

Hopefully we can start really planning and building the XC and DH trails in the next week or so, just waiting for the final approval of State Forests.

Tie awaba in with Kiili and the rest of the State forests and the western lake area is pretty much covered. The big issues for trail access is the easten lake/newcastle area, which at least LMCC is willing to talk about.

[Mattydv]

the first step is to get this thing on the Council adgenda. The staff are for it, but the budget isn't.

In relation to budget, What do you really need? Unless it's insurance they're talking about there shouldn't be too much of a problem... I would be more than happy to get out there with a shovel, a wheelbarrow and supply a few tonnes of dirt to build some DJ's, or a DH/XC track whatever and I know a lot of other riders would also pitch in.

[sammydog]

No, by budget we arte talking, Council funding to allow staff members to be allocated to the task of developing a strategy, identify areas and management plans, etc.

It all might sound like red tape, but it really is necassary.

A lot of strategic work will have to go on behind the scenes before it even comes to lifting a shovel.

[Mattydv]

Fair enough then. Well let's hope it all goes smoothly and quickly

[tranceup]

Sammy,
you mentioned emailing councillors. Can you put on a couple of addresses or contacts that we can do this with. Even a link if there is restrictions to you doing that.
Cheers

[sammydog]

Go to the Lake Macquarie Council website (http://www.lakemac.com.au) and go to the link for info about councillors.

The email adresses are all there. I emailed all of the councillors, although you may be interested in approaching only certain wards. Up to you.